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Bath frequency

Sparkles99

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How often should a dog be bathed for its own health & well-being, not for human convenience or preferences?

I regularly brush Ruby. Her coat is shiny & in great shape. When you part the fur, her skin is healthy & clear. I trim her paws, etc.

But some people seem to send their dog to the groomers all the time. I keep getting groomer coupons from PetSmart. If she needs a bath, I’ll do it myself. How long would it take a sheltie to air dry?

Ruby is a sheltie. Here she is on a random day, not immediately after grooming.

15FA4B11-6642-4554-9966-28DE6B059A95.jpeg
 

April

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I bathe my Shih-Tzu every week when his allergies really flare up in a special medicated shampoo. But if he's doing well I bathe him every 2 weeks. He has a grooming done every 5 weeks like clockwork.
 

NightOwls

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Dogs shouldn't be bathed too frequently - it can be very drying to their skin.
 

Mizzely

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I only bathe my dog when he's dirty or if he is having an allergy flare up and needs a medicated wash.
 

Toy

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She's a beauty :).

When I had my grooming business most (toy poodles) were done every 8 weeks, as they were also clipped at the same time. Larger long hair dogs usually 3 - 4 times a year unless they got dirty (like muddy). Air drying a long coat can take several hours. You can partial dry using a hair dryer. Keep the hair dryer at least a foot away & keep it moving back & forth. Move/lift the hair with your hand or a brush as well. It's called fluff drying.

Here's how I'd do it: Brush out first. Double shampoo (shampoo, rinse, shampoo, rinse). Then apply conditioner. Rinse well. Towel off. Then fluff dry until almost dry.
 
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