When To Call The Professionals
Rozanski has bathed barkers of all stripes, from Chihuahuas to Great Danes. She’s seen pet bathing fads come and go and says that keeping your dog clean is more than simply lather, rinse and repeat.
“Bathing dogs is not as simple as it seems. There are so many different types of dogs and coats which each need to be addressed separately, because of varying textures and lengths. In a salon, the groomer can address these distinctions, but at home, a pet owner may not realize the difference.”
For example, she says, a Shetland Sheepdog is a double-coated dog with thick, shedding hair. This breed requires a good soaking and moisturizing with lots of water and a lot of brushing and combing before, during, and after the bath, then a dog-specific conditioner, rinse and high velocity blow dry.
If you simply don’t have the time, space or desire to wash your dog at home, there is no shame in calling in an expert.
Step 2: Brush Out Any Dirt Of Debris From Your Dogs Fur
Especially dogs who have found mud puddles to play in, the mud or dirt could cake under the fur, which could cause mats or skin infections.
Brushing a dog before a bath also helps to break up tangles that may hold dirt in that could cause issues afterward.
Starting from the top and front, by the back of the neck, work your way back towards the tail and down towards the belly. This will help to remove dirt and debris that might otherwise end up in your tub or down your drain.
Taking the extra 5 or 10 minutes needed to brush your dog before his bath can also help him to prepare mentally for the whole bathing process, which could help it go more smoothly as your dog knows what to expect next. Follow the same steps each time will help your dog be prepared as well.
What Shampoo Should I Be Using
There definitely a few small questions that you have to ask yourself when it comes to the part of bathing a Golden Retriever. I mean I definitely had to ask myself if you. and the real too things to consider are…
The fact that they have a big thick coat as well as skin that releases natural oils.So you don’t want to dry this skin out too much. And you really have to also be careful to not get something so soapy that you can’t wash it out.
Because of that, I decided to save you some of the hassles and create a product review posts on some of the best shampoos out there. Each one I tested over a period of two weeks and left my honest opinion on each.
How To Bathe Your Puppy In A Few Easy Steps
Step one: You’ll need to gather your supplies near your location of choice. You can wash puppies and small dogs in your kitchen sink, while you should bathe large dogs in your bathtub or outside.
You’ll need a shampoo specifically designed for puppies, as their skin and fur has a different pH balance than yours. Using human shampoo on a dog can lead to dry, irritated skin. You’ll also need a comb or brush, a stack of towels, and possibly a hair dryer.
Step two: Comb through your puppy’s coat before you bathe them, or else what started off as a small tangle can become impossible to comb through. Fill the sink or tub with dog-friendly temperature water — it should be around 102 degrees — and place your puppy in the water.
Step three: It’s really helpful if you have an extra pair of hands to keep your puppy still, but you can hold them by the scruff of the neck to make things easier. Just make sure you clasp them gently and never pull too hard.
Step four: Many pups are afraid of moving water, so you may want to gently pour water over your puppy using a cup rather than spraying them. Be sure to keep water out of your puppy’s ears and eyes.
Once your puppy is wet, you can add a dollop of shampoo and work it into a lather.
Step seven: Clean up the mess. It’s all part of the process, and your puppy won’t help you.
How Often Should You Wash A Dog The Difficulties Ive Faced
It always gets a bit difficult when we’re thinking about the best products to use. You never know exactly what’s going to work. I end up just buying lots of them and seeing what ones are better than others.
Then I make a review on it each time on this website. You can check out some of the products I am currently using in the next section. It is specifically for Golden Retrievers, but I’m sure if you have another breed then you can find some useful information there too.
Keep reading to see exactly what those products are.
How Often Should You Bathe Your Golden Retriever
How often to give your golden a bath will depend on several factors, including their lifestyle and their environment.
If you have an older golden that likes to stay inside, then they won’t need a bath that much, but if you have a younger golden that likes to roll around in the dirt outside, then they’ll need baths more often.
Most goldens need a bath every one or two months.
And you don’t want to bathe them much more frequently than that because you can get rid of the natural oils in their coat, which help protect their skin.
How To Bathe Your Golden Retriever
Goldens are energetic dogs, and to have a peaceful time giving them a bath, you need to know what you’re doing.
To spare you the troubles of the first couple of baths with your dog, here is what I’ve gained through experience over the years by giving my dog baths:
- Always Gather supplies first
Get together everything you will need in the bath in the bathroom first. That’s for two main reasons; the first is that you never want to open the bathroom door and get out while you’re in there to grab something you forgot you will need.
Trust me; your dog will become Bolt and will run out of there in lightning speed.
The second is that you don’t want to make the baths take longer time than needed. You want to make sure your baths are as efficient as possible.
- Check the water temperature
The water should be lukewarm so it’s not too hot or too cold. If it’s cold outside, your dog must take the bath indoors, but if it’s warm and your dog is well trained, you can give them the bath outside.
Lukewarm water temperature ranges between 100 and 110 F
- Start with a shampoo rinsefrom the neck down
Start by rinsing your dog with the shampoo. You should start from the neck and go down. Lather everything except for the dog’s head and face. Never let shampoo get on their head, so be sure if your dog is too excited and keeps moving around.
- Rinse really well
Leaving shampoo or soap on the dog’s skin will get them really irritated and may cause issues if left for long.
- Dry really well
The Most Important 2 Elements You Need
The best part for Golden Retrievers is you only really need to look out for two main elements. Noo, I’m not trying to get all sciencey on you, no way!
I’m just Talkin About 2 simple things to maybe check on the back of the bottle before you buy it. And that is just simply the following:
- Vitamin E
- Oatmeal
Both f these 2 things are great for promoting healthy skin in your golden retriever. That can also lead to them having great skin as well.
It’s really important because you don’t want your golden retriever to start getting tangled hair. Boy oh boy, can that be a big problem with golden retrievers.
If you do find yourself getting stuck in that situation. then it probably bests that you get yourself the right brushes to help you untangle their coats. You need to be very careful in this type of situation because you can cause more damage than good.
If you’re one of the smart ones though and you managed to avoid this problem. Then here are a few tips and how to wash your Retriever the right way to avoid this happening.
Your Health And Comfort
Sometimes pet parents can benefit from more frequent dog bathing. For example, if you’re allergic to pet dander or if your pup tends to bring outdoor allergens into the house, regular baths to clean your pet’s coat might help you breathe easier. And if your pooch is allowed on the furniture or into your bed, bathing at the first sign of stink will make them easier to live with.
Washing Your Golden Retriever Puppy
Since golden retrievers have beautiful coats that make it more likely for them to experience allergies and need frequent grooming, you’ll also need to be prepared to wash your golden retriever puppy before you bring it home. We’ll cover a few pointers about what you’ll need to buy, and how you can go about washing your golden retriever puppy below.
Here is what you’ll need to wash your golden retriever puppy:
- #15 Pet brush—You’ll need to buy a that works for a longer-coated dog. Golden retrievers have long, flowing coats, and you need to purchase an appropriate brush to handle their fur.
- #16 Dog shampoo—Since you’ll probably want to get your puppy used to take baths right away, getting dog-friendly shampoo is a great idea.
- #17 Dog toothbrush and toothpaste—It’s vital for you to maintain your pet’s teeth daily. Purchase doggie toothpaste since human toothpaste can be harmful to your pet.
- #18 Nail clippers if you don’t plan on taking your dog to get groomed.
Make sure you purchase a brush for your golden retriever and that you’re ready for baths with some shampoos. Golden retrievers need to be brushed and bathed regularly because of their long coats. You’ll also need to buy nail clippers for your pooch and clip its nails usually.
If you are planning to take your golden retriever to the groomer often, then you’ll only need to purchase a good dog brush. The groomer will bathe and clip your dog’s nails for you.
Bathe Your Golden Retriever as Needed
Get Everything Ready
The Grooming Basics For A Golden Retriever
Before you start, give your dog a spritz of coat conditioner, then brush your fur baby with a slicker brush. Move through the hair in sections, starting at the top and moving your way down and back. Push the brush into the coat at the base near the skin and pull out from their body.
Use an undercoat rake to remove excess hair. Lift the coat one section at a time and move the rake from the base to the end. As you work, you can add another spray of coat conditioner as needed.
Then, use a to go through your dog’s tail and ears. If you encounter any mats, use a dematting rake to work through them.
One of the best grooming tools for Golden Retrievers is the Hertzko self-cleaning brush. Some people also swear by the for removing loose undercoat hair.
Then, clean the ears with an ear-cleaning solution. Put in a few drops, work it in gently, and wipe away any excess.
Trim the nails with a or . Watch out for the quick, which is the red center of the nail where the blood supply is. If you nick it and you see a little blood, dip the nail in styptic powder.
This video will show you how to trim your dog’s nails on your own:
Finally, brush their teeth twice a week or so. You can use a toothbrush made just for dogs or a piece of cotton wrapped around your finger. Apply some doggie and scrub each tooth.
Cbd Oil Can Help Calm A Dog Before Bath Time
Many dogs become anxious when it’s time to hop in the tub. To help ease your dog’s anxiety, you could give your dog a little CBD oil or a CBD-infused treat. Give your vet a call before administering any CBD products and talk to them about if your dog is a good candidate for CBD. We also recommend contacting the product’s manufacturer to check with them first.
How Often Should You Bathe Your Dog
If your dog had the wherewithal to make out a list of his least favorite things to do, getting a bath would probably be close to the top. Since dog baths tend to be messy, time-consuming and not a whole lot of fun for everyone involved, it’s natural to wonder, “How often should I bathe my dog?”
As is often the case, the answer is “It depends.”
“Dogs groom themselves to help facilitate the growth of hair follicles and to support skin health,” says Dr. Adam Denish of Rhawnhurst Animal Hospital in Elkins Park, Penn. “However, bathing is needed for most dogs to supplement the process. But bathing too often can be detrimental to your pet as well. It can irritate the skin, damage hair follicles, and increase the risk of bacterial or fungal infections.”
Dr. Jennifer Coates, veterinary advisor with petMD, adds, “the best bath frequency depends on the reason behind the bath. Healthy dogs who spend most of their time inside may only need to be bathed a few times a year to control natural ‘doggy odors.’ On the other hand, frequent bathing is a critical part of managing some medical conditions, like allergic skin disease.”
Whether your dog willingly hops in the tub for a scrubbing, or fights you tooth and nail every bath day – here are a few things to know that can make bath time easier.
What Type Of Shampoo Should I Use To Wash My Golden Retriever
According to many canine experts, it’s not recommended to wash your dog using dish soap or human shampoo. This will most definitely strip your dog of its natural oils. Plus, shampoo made for humans is too acidic for regular use on a Golden Retrievers hair and skin.
The best shampoo to use is one that’s specially formulated for dogs. It’s recommended that you use a highly-rated oatmeal shampoo like at amazon.com to help in the nourishment of their coats. It’s organic, soap-free, and contains vitamin E and Aloe Vera to naturally soothe and moisturize sensitive or dry skin.
While using this shampoo, you should wash your pup from front to back, gently scrubbing your dog’s fur to get the dirt that’s attached to the undercoat.
When drying your Golden Retriever you can choose to use an old dog towel, but many people choose to use a blow dryer on their dog in order to make sure that all their fur is dry. A double-coated dog, like a Golden Retriever, can stay wet for hours, even after being towel dried so a hair dryer can really speed up this process.
A pet-friendly hair dryer like this on amazon.com, can also help with regular grooming. It’s temperature controlled so it won’t get too hot for your pooch.
Cons Of Not Giving Bath To Your Dog
When you don’t give a bath to your Golden Retriever, a whole lot of issues can arise.
The most common and easily noticeable is the stink that would start to come out when your golden is not having a bath for the longest term. When you don’t groom your dog at proper time intervals, the shedding is also going to increase which no one is going to like in your home.
Apart from the stink and shedding, the amazing shine of your golden for which everyone admires him will start to get gross.
Since the stink issue is an obvious one and no-one wants to get a bad compliment for their beloved dog, they would bath him too frequently. This is an opposite problem where dog owners end up bathing their dogs too often.
How Often Should I Bathe My Golden Retriever: How Much Is Enough
The answer to the question is as follows: there is no definitively correct or incorrect answer. It’s really necessary not to brush your dog too much. This can be just as devastating as much as not washing enough. Too much bathing will take away natural oils. Losing this protective coating will leave your Golden with a dull coat that is disappointingly unattractive.
More significantly, it leaves the skin unprotected and susceptible to dandruff and infections. It is recommended that you use a very mild shampoo, but even the mildest soap may harm the skin if it is overused.
On the other hand, not taking a bath frequently enough may cause obvious problems. While Goldens prefer not to emit strong odors like many other breeds do , they can still grow a little funk if left unwashed for too long.
Why Does My Golden Retrievers Shed So Much Hair
Most shedding in golden retrievers is entirely normal and natural, although there are a few health reasons that can contribute to heavier shedding than normal. Allergies can cause increased shedding as they irritate your dog’s skin and loosen the hair follicles, allowing the hair to fall out easily and quickly.
Environmental And Lifestyle Factors To Consider
Although your dog is built for the life aquatic and is capable of flinging away the majority of water accumulated after a dip with a good shake, frequent swimming may lead to a dirty coat and an unpleasant smell.
This is especially true if your Golden has a penchant for algae-filled ponds and other less-than-pristine bodies of water.
Naturally, a dog that spends a lot of time indoors is going to pick up less dirt and debris than one that is regularly outdoors. And whether or not those outdoor romps are in the country or in the city can also make a big difference to how quickly a Retriever gets dirty.
If you are aware of a parasite problem in your area , it is important to be on high alert, and more frequent baths and grooming may be in order.
Other Ways To Improve Your Pups Quality Of Life
Just like humans like to be clean, dogs enjoy being clean too. The only difference is that dogs can lick themselves every so often they mostly rely on their pet parents to help with hygiene. In addition to bathing, you can improve their quality of life by brushing their teeth and give them a full groom regularly.
Do you have any other tips for keeping your canine clean?
How To Take Care Of The Paws Of Your Golden Retriever
Walking on hot concrete or road salt are two factors that can make this happen. If you see this happening, talk to your vet about it. Another thing is to keep an eye on the fur between the pads. We spoke about it in the section on trimming your gold, but this fur can mat easily and splay your dog’s feet, so make sure it’s trimmed, or at least not matted.
What Are Some Tips For Bathing Your Dog Due To Fleas And Other Issues
Fleas, mud, irritated skin and other complications can prompt an immediate bath, even if it’s earlier than your dog’s regular schedule. It’s important to get your dog into the bath quickly to save them from additional discomfort associated with their condition. Here are some tips to help you tackle these challenges head-on:
- Use a medicated shampoo designed to kill fleas or alleviate itching. This can be useful if they’ve come into contact with some type of irritant, or if they’ve developed dried or itching skin due to allergies or environmental factors.
- If your dog is covered in mud, consider washing them outside. Too much mud could clog your indoor plumbing, creating an even bigger—and more expensive—mess.
- Use a detachable showerhead to provide a deeper clean. These showerheads can help you clear our salt and other debris in your dog’s paws, and provide a more thorough cleaning of their underside.
Bathing your dog isn’t always easy, but it’s important to keep their coats and skin healthy. Keep up on this caretaking tasks to avoid additional problems that could affect your dog’s quality of life.
Benefits Of Bathing Your Golden
Bathing your Golden will help her smell better–at least once she dries off completely.
Another important perk of doggy bath time, is the stronger bond between you and your dog. Something happens whenever you spend time with your dog. When bathing is accompanied with proper grooming and brushing, your dog will connect with you in a stronger way than before.
One of the biggest pet-peeve people have when it comes to Goldens is their shedding. Even people that love these dogs usually are not crazy about the shedding all over the house.
Properly bathing your dog, which includes blow drying afterwards, will significantly reduce the amount of shedding during those molting months when it gets so bad. Make sure that you don’t skip the baths during those two times each year.
Grooming A Golden Retriever Doesnt Have To Be Difficult
You might think that a gorgeous coat takes a ton of work, but it doesn’t! A Golden is mostly a wash-and-wear kind of breed. As long as they get the basic nail trimming, teeth brushing, ear washing, and combing, you don’t need to worry about much more.
It’s important to note that the time you put into teaching your dog to accept grooming routines will pay off in the long run.
If your dog is being difficult, grooming will take twice as long. But if you teach them to enjoy the process, and wait calmly, it will go smoothly and be less stressful for you both.
With a little work, you may find that both of you enjoy the process and it can even be bonding time together.
Do you have grooming tips for fellow Golden Retriever parents? Share it with us by leaving a comment below.
How Often Should You Wash A Dog The Difficulties Ive Faced
It always gets a bit difficult when we’re thinking about the best products to use. You never know exactly what’s going to work. I end up just buying lots of them and seeing what ones are better than others.
Then I make a review on it each time on this website. You can check out some of the products I am currently using in the next section. It is specifically for Golden Retrievers, but I’m sure if you have another breed then you can find some useful information there too.
Keep reading to see exactly what those products are.
Not All Goldens Are Alike
The professional groomers say to bath your Golden Retriever every 4 to 6 weeks. But, this is only a general guideline. There are other issues that an individual Golden might face that will change that recommendation.
I think that is what Tanya was saying above when she said “It depends on what kind of a dog she is.”
Tanya knew I was talking about Goldens.
She meant that it depends on what kind of a temperament the Golden has. If you have a dog that loves to find dead things to roll in, then you will likely find yourself bathing your dog more regularly than someone that lives downtown and takes their dog for walks on sidewalks and concrete.
Somethings that will influence how often you can/should bath your Golden Retriever will include
- Allergies
- Activity level
- Other exposure to water
Not only will these factors influence how often you bath your dog, but also how you bath her.
You may have to be picky on what kind of shampoo or conditioner you use.
Whats The Best Shampoo For Golden Retrievers
When choosing a shampoo for your golden, here are a few things to keep in mind:
We use this for Oliver and we like it, and you can learn more about the best shampoos for golden retrievers here.