The question you need to ask yourself is why am I bathing her? The truth is that the only reason to bathe a dog is if she gets particularly dirty or exceptionally stinky. Other then that, there is no real healthy reason to subject our furry friends to soap and water.
It's important to remember that bathing too often can actually lead to a stinky dog. You read that correctly. The reason is that a dog’s natural healthy skin doesn’t need to be bathed. . .ever! The natural skin oils provide a healthy bacterial barrier preventing dry flaky skin and an offensive odor. When you remove that barrier too often, especially with harsh or shampoos containing toxins to remove fleas, you are damaging that natural barrier.
However, if you like the idea of a freshly bathed dog (like I know my brother does), be honest with yourself and know that you are bathing him for your own reasons and not necessarily for his health. In that case, be sure to use a gentle shampoo, such as baby shampoo, or one that contains healthy oils such as mink or coconut but NOT essential oils.
Like Casar Millan has stated, “Just like people, some dogs get stinky faster than others. I have known dogs that have never had a bath in their life and do not have an unpleasant smell, but my own dogs get bathed monthly.” i agree with Casar and bathe my Shepherd monthly. Other then that, she gets the dirt washed off by a swim in our creek.
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