Health Care
How you should wash your dog
Importance of topical skin therapy
Dogs require topical therapy to keep their skin healthy, just like humans. How frequently you dog has to be washed depends on the condition of its skin, its environment, and its level of activity.
How often should you wash your dog?
Dogs that live inside the house and close to their owners and/or share the bed or couch may have to be washed more frequently. Dogs that suffer from skin disease may even require daily skin therapy, which can be reduced as their skin heals.
Consult your veterinarian if you want to know how often to wash your breed of dog, especially if it suffers from a skin condition that has to be treated.
Tips on how to wash your dog
For the best results, here are a few tips to consider when you shampoo your dog.
Before shampooing:
- Examine your dog’s coat and skin for signs of hair loss, dryness, itchiness, or redness. If you find evidence of any of these, you may have to change the shampoo you are currently using.
- Check the areas around the back of the neck and the top of the tail for signs of fleas.
- Pay special attention to the feet, checking between the pads and the toes for sore skin, matted hair, or objects such as splinters or stones.
- Gently comb the hair, removing matts and/or carefully clipping them if necessary.
- Handy hint: Bath time is an ideal opportunity for a pedicure
A guide to easy shampooing:
Optional: Restrain your dog with a lead or by the collar if necessary. Of course, not all dogs need to be restrained, but it is far easier to wash it if it does not move around.
- Shampoo your dog in a comfortable, warm, and quiet environment.
- Use a quality shampoo like ALLERCALM™ SHAMPOO that has the same pH as your dog’s skin.
- Thoroughly wet the skin with lukewarm water, including the legs and under the neck and stomach.
- Wet the skin around the face and difficult-to-reach areas with a sponge.
- Apply shampoo on several places on the dog’s body.
- Gently massage the shampoo into the skin and coat and use enough shampoo to produce a good lather all over. Read the shampoo label for instructions. Avoid the eyes, ears, mouth, and nose.
- Leave the shampoo on the dog for as long as the label instructions prescribe. This allows time for the active ingredients in the shampoo time to work. While you are waiting, you can occupy your dog by playing with it, feeding it, or basic training.
- Thoroughly rinse all the shampoo from the skin with lukewarm water.
- Thoroughly dry your dog after washing, using a hand towel.
- After drying, gently comb its hair.
