We're getting into a colder period where I live, and while a pet shop has the structure to maintain the place warm even in the cold, at home that's not the case. So what happens is I feel sorry for my dog for getting wet when it's cold, and end up not washing him! He has long ears and some medium length fur (he is a Cavalier) so it does take some time to dry him completely. I do use a blow-dry, but as I live in a tropical country we don't have a heating system at home, so when it gets cold, it's cold inside as well! Therefore, I have been washing him every 3 weeks or so... which is not ideal! Is it OK to give your dog baths once a month or so? If you own a dog, how often do you bathe it?
As long as your dog doesn't have fleas then I think it's fine not to bath him for the whole season. We rarely bath our dogs because they don't live inside the house and they also don't have fleas. Most dogs hate it the most after bath because it takes time for them to dry up and they get very cold. Unless if you can give him a warm bath and blow dry after then once a month or so should be fine.
I bathe my dogs about once a month and they've never had any problems whatsoever, they are very clean, when they go outside they never go in mud or anything like that, they come back home as clean as they left. In the winter I do warm their bath water a bit more so they aren't as cold and afterwards I blow-dry their fur which they love once they get over the fear of the noise
I wash ym dog during cold months, I find that if I put the heating on before she has her bath, and I dry her off properly afterwards, then there isn't a problem. I believe it is similar to use bathing in cold months, if you get out and walk around a cold house then you will get a cold.
We also live in a tropical country, but we seldom bathe our dogs. All of our dogs are outdoor dogs, so even if they would acquire that "dog smell", it's ok because they are not inside the house. Many months would pass and they still have not taken a bath.
I honestly rarely bath my dog. Speaking of I bathed her today. When my Rottweilers were living in the outside kennels they got dirty a lot, but they had short hair. I would bath them like twice a year honestly. Unless we were about to take them to a dog show. If your dog lives inside, groom them well and wash their paws more. I have two indoor dogs and I bath her every couple months or so since she's long hair and inside.
It is very cold here in the winter, we use the wipes you can get at any pet store. They are great and your dog smells so good afterwards! We also usually take him to a groomer once during the winter months and they dry him too.
It is totally fine to give your dog baths once a month. It is not healthy to give dogs a lot of baths as it dries out their skin. For medium/long haired dogs it is important to maintain grooming (i.e. combing them on a regular basis) to prevent matting of the hair. You can purchase dog bath wipes at your local pet store to keep your dogs feeling fresh without them having to be bathed often. Or you can use dry shampoo, which can come in powder or spray form. I use a dry shampoo in spray form for my dog and wipe him down with a towel afterward. It usually leaves him smelling and feeling fresh, as if he's already taken a bath. Hope this helps!
