When it comes to overbathing vs grooming wipes. The latter can negate the former. Our guide will show you how to find balance and please your grubby pup
Bathing your dog is a time-consuming and, mostly, mucky task. Plus, while there may be exceptions to the rule, most pups hate having to spend some time in the suds.
So, do you need to spend as much time bathing your pooch as you currently are? Or could grooming wipes pick up the slack?
In this blog, we’ll examine the pros and cons of bathing vs wipes when it comes to keeping your pup in prime condition. But first, what is overbathing?
What is Overbathing?
Overbathing is the common term for when you’re popping your pup in the tub a little too often. Typically speaking, giving your pet a bath once every three months is a good rule. But this does depend on a number of factors including hair type, activity level, environment, and breed.
If your dog is more active, has longer hair, or lives in a more rural environment from day to day, then you might want to up the number of baths to once a month or even once a week.
How do you know when you dog needs a bath?
A good indicator of whether your dog needs a wash is smell. If they’re getting a little pongy, messy, or generally looking a little dishevelled, then you might want to drop them in the drink.
When it comes to knowing how to bathe your dog and noticing the signs of overbathing you should be looking out for dry skin, excessive itching, and even hair loss.
If you notice these behaviours in your pup, it may be down to a skin condition that has been exacerbated through overbathing.
Some of that may sound counterintuitive, so let’s break it down a little more.
Pros and cons of bathing vs grooming wipes
As we said earlier, washing is a vital part of pet ownership. We’ve collated some pros and cons for bathing and grooming wipes, so you know how to balance the two to keep your pup happy.
Pros
1. Improve coat health
A regular cleaning schedule can leave your dog’s coat and skin feeling and looking refreshed and healthy.
2. Opportunity to check them for parasites, lumps, and other skin issues
Getting them in the bath is a perfect chance to get up close and personal with their skin. Sometimes, especially with longer-haired breeds, infections and skin conditions can go unnoticed under the mounds of mane.
3. Can help treat existing skin conditions
If your pet has a skin condition then bathing with gentle and correctly formulated products can help keep infections and irritation at bay.
Cons
1. Time-ConsumingFor most of us, convincing your stinky pooch to get in the bath can be something of a pain. They don’t want to stay there and the washing and drying process requires clearing your schedule for half a day.
2. Stressful for both you and your dog
Commonly a dog hates taking a bath due to negative connotations. But the whole environment of bathing may also be stressful. Unfamiliarity, mixed with the noise and your general demeanour, can affect their enjoyment.
3. Strip coat of natural oils
Regular bathing routines should help your pet’s coat and skin. However, while the washing process does get rid of bad smells and parasites it also strips away their skin’s natural oils. These are important for keeping the skin and coat naturally healthy.
4. Cause dry, dull coat & itchy skin
As well as washing away those essential oils, like in humans, overbathing can cause dry irritable skin.
5. Bad reaction to shampoo chemicals
When purchasing new shampoo and conditioner for your pet, it’s important to ensure you get the right type for them. Overbathing can result in your pup having a bad reaction to the chemicals in the products.
Pros of grooming wipes
1. Quick and easy to use
The main bonus to using wipes to de-funk Fido is convenience. They’re perfect for a little once over to deodorise or remove lingering dirt after a trip out, without having to fill up the tub.
2. Great for travel
We’ve all been there, you get the furthest from home you could possibly be on your country stroll and the heavens open. Well, with a pack of grooming wipes in your bag, you can save your vehicle or carpets from a muddy trampling by simply wiping down their paws.
Also great to keep by the back door if your living room happens to lead out on to the garden.
3. Tough on dirt, not the skin
Our grooming wipes and their all-natural formulation have been designed, tested, and vet approved to ensure they stay tough on grime without causing any irritation to your furry friend.
Cons
1. Can contain harsh chemicals
While our Dog Grooming Wipes are gentle, some others may not be as damaging as chemical-packed shampoo for your pup’s skin.
2. Not bath replacements
As we said earlier. Bathing is a super-important part of ownership. Wipes aren’t designed to take over from a bath, but to offer additional help on those grubbier occasions.
To sum up
When it comes to creating a washing and grooming routine that is spot on for your hound, grooming wipes can strike the perfect balance.
There will never be a replacement for a good scrub in the tub. But it’s important to know when a bath would help or hinder your pooch.
Check out our complete range of bathing products now to help you boss bath time.