A Clean Pup is a Happy Pup: How Often Should You Shampoo Your Dog?

Keeping your dog clean and happy isn’t always an easy thing, especially if you’ve got a beast who loves to roll in muck and cover themselves from head to tail in filth. 

According to a study conducted by Honest Paws, 56% of pet owners don’t bathe their dogs as frequently as they should, and 60% use a ‘sniff test’ to determine when it’s time to get the dog in the bath.

Getting your dog clean can be an exercise in frustration, time, and a lot of water splashed on every available surface – so knowing what products are best to clean your dog, and how best to apply them, is at least one stress less for you to worry about!

In this blog, we’re going to have a look at grooming your dog at home; how often you should bathe your dog, what you should be looking for in dog shampoo and organic pet products, and why natural or organic dog shampoo is a safer option for your beloved pet.

Fur-st of All – Why is All Natural and Organic Dog Shampoo a Better Choice for Your Dog?

When choosing your pet grooming products, you need to think – what is the best dog shampoo for your particular companion? Because, just like people, dogs have individual traits and sensitivities, as well as ones that occur according to their age, breed, and coat type.

Avoiding harsh chemicals, and unpleasant synthetic ingredients can help to prevent allergic or adverse reactions. Chemicals such as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES), Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate (ALS), Ammonium Laureth Sulfate (ALES), and Sodium Coco Sulfate (SCS) should all be avoided – it’s been found that SLS is linked to the development of cataracts in young pets, and could cause permanent damage to the eyes, which could lead to blindness.

Dogs and people also have different pH balances – on average, a person’s pH scale is 5.5 to 5.6 (leaning more to the acidic side), whereas dogs generally range from 6.2 to 7.4 (closer to neutral). Shampoos and conditioners which are designed for humans should also be avoided, as they are designed to be more acidic, and can cause irritation, dry or flaky skin, and in extreme cases – vulnerability to parasites, bacteria, and viruses. 

When looking for what’s best, natural shampoo for dogs is carefully formulated with the pH balance in mind, makes use of ingredients which have been selected specifically for their benefits (to both skin and coat), and – like our dog shampoo bars – comes in a variety of types that can be chosen to specifically match the needs, coat type, and condition of the dog.

Natural shampoos are also made from plant oils, butters, essential oils, and natural botanicals – so not only are you reducing their exposure to harsh chemicals, which they absorb through the skin, but your dog is benefitting from the natural properties of the ingredients which can help improve their skin, coat, and contribute to better overall health. With natural ingredients there is less likely to be adverse reactions or allergic responses because you’ll already be aware of what your dog is sensitive to, and can easily avoid using grooming products that may contain those ingredients. Natural ingredients are simple, and when you see what’s listed on the shampoo, you know exactly what you’re going to get.

The type of shampoo you choose also depends on the type of bath-time experience your pet gives you. If your dog bucks like a bronco and tries their hardest to escape – using a liquid cleaner can be difficult, as they’re likely to get it in their eyes. Dog shampoo bars make a great alternative for fidgety dogs, as you can control when and where the cleaner is applied, and there’s less risk of getting it in their eyes! 

What Coat Type Does Your Dog Have?

Generally, there are five different coat types when it comes to dog fur, and depending on what type they have, the way you clean and groom your dog will differ. The type of dog shampoo you need will also vary depending on the fur type, the condition of the skin, and sometimes the age of your dog as well.

So, what are the different coat types, why does it matter what you use on them, and how often should you bathe your dog?

Smooth Coat
Smooth coat fur lays close to the body, and compared to other types, requires less grooming. However, the fur tends to shed a lot, and although it doesn’t need as much brushing and washing – it does need to be maintained. 

When grooming a short-coated dog, it’s important to be careful when brushing (especially the belly and under areas) as the fur tends not to be thick, and it could be uncomfortable or painful if a brush or over-zealous rubbing irritates the skin.

Generally, outside of emergency filthiness, it’s a good idea to wash these dogs once every two to three months. We highly recommend Soapy Tails ‘Short and Smooth’ dog shampoo bar for regular cleaning, as well as relief for dry skin, and irritation caused by fleas.

Double Coat
These are a bit more tricky – as the name suggests, there are two layers – a tougher top-coat that shields from dirt, and helps to repel water, and a softer undercoat that provides insulation.  Grooming has to be done carefully to really get both layers untangled, clean, and free of stray fur that could knot up or cause irritation.

When washing a double-coated pup, it’s important to work the water through to the undercoat and lather the shampoo from your dog shampoo bar well, to ensure it gets past the water-repelling top layer and actually cleans the undercoat. 

To keep your double-coated friend clean and happy, it’s recommended bathing them once every eight to twelve weeks, and if you’re particularly concerned about your pup having sensitive skin, it’s well-worth using a cleaning product that’s designed specifically for them; we recommend Major Darling’s Sensitive Skin dog shampoo bar, with its all-natural goodness and pH balanced formula.

Long Coat
One of the higher maintenance furs, long coat dogs need to be groomed often, especially when they’re moulting. However, whilst brushing them regularly is important to keep their fur from tangling or matting, over-washing can cause their fur to become coarse or dry.

Like dogs with double coated fur, long coated dogs often have a soft undercoat which needs to be carefully brushed – not every breed has this coat however (some setters and spaniels don’t) but their long coats are so fine, that they still need regular grooming to keep the fur looking and feeling good.

It’s recommended to bathe long coated dogs every four to six weeks. Soapy Tails Long Silky Coat Dog Shampoo Bar makes an excellent choice to help keep your long coated companion knot free!

Wire Coat
As the name suggests, wire coat breeds have much more coarse fur and a different grooming routine to ensure they’re kept at their best. Wire coats sometimes need to have their fur thinned out with a stripping comb and require a slicker brush when grooming. 

Keeping these types of dog tangle free and their fur healthy, can be a difficult task and is one that many prefer to leave to professional pet groomers.

It’s recommended that wire coated dogs are bathed every six to eight weeks. Choosing a product that is natural and hydrates the skin as well as conditioning the coat is a good choice for these types of dog, and we recommend Live Coco’s Handmade Neem Oil Natural Dog Soap or Soapy Tails Wiry Coat Shampoo Bar.

Curly and Corded Coats
Similar to wire hairs, curly coated dogs have fur that lays very close to their body, but it is generally thick and soft, and must be maintained regularly to prevent the fast-growing curls from becoming matted with dirt or tangled and cause discomfort to the dog. 

When bathing a curly coated dog, it’s often recommended to forgo the use of conditioner as it weighs down the fur and makes it more difficult to clip.

For curly and corded coated dogs, it’s recommended that you bathe them every two to three months, and use a shampoo that’s designed to soften and detangle the fur to make grooming easier. We love Soapy Tails Curly and Corded Coat Dog Shampoo Bar for the job!

What Factors Should You be Considering when Determining if it’s Bath Time or Not?

Although there are recommended timescales to washing different coat types, whether or not it’s bath time is going to depend largely on your dog – how active they are, how dirty they get, and whether their skin is delicate or requires more regular attention.

To help make grooming easier for you and your dog, it’s important to try and keep your dog’s coat clean and free of dirt in between baths, with a regular grooming routine. Taking 5-10 minutes each day to brush, wipe clean, and check over your dog is a lot less stressful and time-intensive than a full bath, and not only does it help you to keep an eye on their skin, coat, and health – but your dog will love the attention, and it deepens their bond with you. To help with your routine, we recommend Pure and Natural Pet’s Organic Between Bath Dog Freshener, which helps to moisturise and sooth your pup when you don’t have time to give them a full bath.

At Toro’s Choice, we give Toro a 4-point cleanse (beard, paws, bum, and privates) after each walk – and find it very reassuring that his fur is soft and silky because natural and organic products are gentler on the skin and fur, and can be used on a regular basis (much more often than the chemically-based alternatives), and he’s happy to give his seal of approval to the entire range of carefully chosen and tested products on site!