Confused about how often to bathe a German Shepherd? Thinking of giving them a bath everyday? Before deciding on anything, you should know how to bathe your GSD.
Having a dog’s company is always fun and peaceful, especially German Shepherds who are loyal, intelligent and quite playful. But to keep up with the good health of the dog, there are several efforts which need to be made by the owner.
The grooming part might not be as simple as playing fetch with your dog but is quite important to be followed regularly. One such grooming step is bathing. The owner should know how often to bathe a German Shepherd.
Keeping your German Shepherd clean is necessary otherwise it might often get infected with parasites which can cause harm to its body.
So, before you think of getting a German Shepherd, know all the grooming processes so that you can keep him healthy and active.
How often to bathe a German Shepherd?
Though we all love our pets just like a little child, the bathing process is quite different from that of a human child. German Shepherds should not be bathed every day as it can strip off the natural oils from their skin and coat. The recommended frequency of bathing is once a month.
But this is next to impossible if your dog plays a lot outdoors and is full of mud after each play session. Not only this, but your dog can also stink a lot if he is engaged in a lot of outdoor activities. Bathing only once a month in such conditions is not possible. You can bathe your German Shepherd whenever you feel he is too dirty or is stinking a lot. Now, since you are already aware of how often to bathe a German Shepherd, knowing the right steps to do so is also required.
What is the right way to bathe a German Shepherd
Every owner has their way of bathing their German Shepherd but knowing the correct procedure is very important. If you want to know the right manner or are a new owner, refer to the below points for details.
1. Wet German Shepherd’s Coat
Before starting, wet your German Shepherd’s coat thoroughly with the help of a sprayer or shower, anything as per your convenience. Do not forget to check the temperature of the water and if the water intensity is too high. The temperature should be lukewarm, extreme hot or cold water can damage the skin as well as give a painful experience to your dog. Moreover, the bathing session will become a scary experience for him and he will always try to run away from it. You can use treats to motivate for good behavior.
2. Use a good dog shampoo
Needless to mention, using a specialist dog shampoo, suggested by your veterinarian, should be used and not your normal human shampoo. Dog shampoos are made of different ingredients than human shampoo and are mild, soap-free and fragrance-free. Now, lather the shampoo onto your dog’s coat. One of the best shampoos for GSDs is Wahl’s 4-in-1 doggy shampoo and conditioner. You can get this online easily.
3. Rinsing of the shampoo
Rinsing the shampoo from the coat is very important. You need to thoroughly wash off the entire lather from your dog’s coat. You need to repeat the process until the entire shampoo is washed off.
4. Dry your GSD’s coat
After the shampooing, you can apply a separate conditioner as well for making the coat soft and smooth, but, nowadays shampoos mostly come in combination with conditioner, hence, a separate application is mostly not required. Now, when all the cleaning work is done, drying the coat is the next step. This is important to get away with the bad wet dog smell. You can do this with a towel or blow dryer.
5. Cleaning the face
Avoid pouring water onto the face of the GSD as is done for the coat. This is something not liked by them. Instead, you can wipe off their face to clear the dirt with a wet cloth.
Irrespective of the fact of how often to bathe a German Shepherd, all the above-mentioned steps should be followed every time.
Dangers of Over-Bathing Your German Shepherd
Just like human beings, dogs contain sebaceous glands which produce oil and keep the skin moisturized. Excessive washing would strip off these oils and make your German Shepherd prone to fungal infections that can lead to hair loss. The lack of oil would also make the hair brittle thus breaking off easily.
Also, if oil is stripped off, the body will start producing excess oil to retain the moisture. Because of this, the coat will become very oily and start stinking.
If you thought excessive bathing will keep the coat soft and smooth, you are wrong! The absence of sebum would make the coat look dull.
If you feel like your dog is a little dirty and an entire bathing session is not required, you can just wipe off his coat with a wet cloth and brush it after it is almost dry. This will remove the dirt trapped as well as not strip away the oil from the skin.
Conclusion
Skin allergies and infections which dogs are prone to and owners should take special care to prevent them. Hence, bathing them at appropriate intervals can be hygienic, healthy and a fun experience if trained the right way. You need to make a proper balance between too-much grooming and insufficient grooming.
On one hand, where bathing is essential for a GSD’s good health, over-bathing them can be detrimental. Hence, knowing how often to bathe a German Shepherd is necessary and if not seek professional advice for the same.