Improper bathing can cause dry dog skin. Proper bathing can help cure it. Dry skin occurs when too much bathing or bathing with harsh products strips your dog's skin of its natural oils. Symptoms of dry skin include itching, redness, hair loss, hot spots and infection. First evaluate whether serious underlying health conditions are causing your dog's dry skin and treat any you find. Whatever the cause of dry skin, implement the right bathing schedule and use the right products to repair and rejuvenate your dog's dry skin.
How Often Do I Bathe My Dog?
There is no one right answer to this question. As a general rule, dogs need to take baths far less often than humans do. Depending on the breed and length of coat, as well as general health status, of your dog, you and your vet will decide on the appropriate bathing schedule.
Use the Right Shampoos for Dry Skin
Never use shampoos formulated for humans or dish-washing liquid to bathe your dog; such products are too harsh and have the wrong pH for dogs. Choose canine-specific, soap-free and pH-balanced shampoos that contain the following ingredients:
Vitamins A and E, which promote skin and coat health
Humectants, which help your dog's skin retain moisture
Silk, wheat or oat proteins, which fortify skin and coat texture
Use the Right Crème Rinses and Conditioners for Dry Skin
Crème rinses and conditioners soothe your dog's skin as they silken the coat. Choose products with the following ingredients:
Hydrolyzed oat proteins
Chamomile
Vitamin E
Natural oils, like safflower and sunflower seed
Bathing and Shampooing Your Dog
* Do not bathe your dog too often because that will dry out the skin, deplete healthy oils from the coat and skin, and lead to scratching and irritation. Frequency is largely dependent on the breed and activities of the dog. Dogs who spend a lot of time outside or engage in outdoor activities that expose them to dirt, bugs and/or debris typically require more bathing, perhaps every 6 weeks or more frequently. Some groomers recommend bathing double-coated breeds only about 3 times a year and suggest that smooth-coated dogs can go a lot longer between baths than can curly-coated breeds such as poodles. Too frequent bathing can cause the coat to soften and reduce its insulating qualities.
* To keep your dog clean between baths, brush vigorously and regularly -- preferably daily. This is good for the coat and skin, and helps the dog look and smell good. If you are allergic to your pet, wear a mask when you brush...brush outdoors or onto a newspaper indoors to aid in clean up...and wash hands afterwards.
* Remember that after being indoors during the colder months, a dog's fur and skin can become dry. And if your dog grows an undercoat, you need to comb it out in warmer weather. If a dog's fur gets matted, the skin cannot breathe -- compelling the dog to scratch and pull out fur, which can result in sores.
* Wait until a puppy is more than five weeks old before giving him his first bath.
have been told it is not good to bathe a dog frequently. If this is true what is considered frequently? (D Stenta - Florida)
This is not entirely true. It is perfectly OK to allow your dog to swim in natural water as often as he likes (within reason) but what is not OK is to wash your dog using soaps or shampoos very regularly. Using human shampoos on dogs leads to an imbalance of sweat, and they would be likely to develop dry, itchy skin. Having said that, using mild human shampoos is fine used at a frequency of once per month. However, I would personally recommend dog-specific shampoos and these will have a recommended usage detailed on the bottle, but this would definitely not be more than once every several weeks. In some cases shampoos can be medicated, such as for specific skin-disorders, and the frequency of use for these would depend on the condition.