How often should I bathe my dirty puppy & improve his dull coat?

Bathing can strip the coat of its natural oils, so it is best to make sure you are using a shampoo designed for puppies, or one that has aloe or oatmeal in it that can help soothe the skin after a bath. Making sure not to bathe too often, and using pet or baby wipes in between baths can help keep the coat clean without removing the healthy oils from the skin. A complete and balanced puppy food can also help with dry skin. If you see any itching or redness, or the skin continues to be irritated, having a vet look is always a good idea.

The best food in my opinion would be this: ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/dog/dog-food/puppy-food/royal-canin-shih-tzu-puppy-food ) Most dogs don't need bathing that often. Too much bathing can cause the natural oils to strip from their skin/coat. I suggest you bathe with a soap-free shampoo and try not to bathe more than once every 2 weeks. ( https://www.allivet.com/p-1434-hylyt-shampoo.aspx ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

In general, using a high quality brand is the best way to assure that Bear Bear's coat is healthy. Brands that I typically recommend include Science Diet, Purina ProPlan and Royal Canin because these companies conduct extensive clinical studies and analyses regarding their foods and source ingredients appropriately. Continue feeding Bear Bear puppy food until he is 1 year old, then gradually transition to an adult dog food. Anytime you make a diet change, be sure to do so by gradually mixing old and new foods together over 5-7 days. Bathing every 2-4 weeks in a gentle oatmeal based dog shampoo can also be beneficial. If he seems to have dry skin, an omega 3 fatty acid supplement (such as Welactin) can be beneficial. Also, make sure that he is receiving a high quality flea and tick preventative (such as Nexgard, Bravecto or Advantix) regularly.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Dante. He is in a great diet. I recommend using a shampoo and cream rinse approved for use in puppies only as puppies have sensitive skin. A fatty acid or oatmeal based formula is most moisturizing. If his coat quality does not improve though, he will need to see a veterinarian. I hope this information helps!

Hi there and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is true that over bathing may cause dryness and can be irritating to the skin. However, sometimes dogs with skin allergies and bathed very frequently and it actually helps them. So you may need to monitor Bear and see if frequent bathing causes any dryness or redness to his skin. There are several products on the market that are more like dry shampoo or mousse that you could brush through Bear's coat to eliminate some of the dirt and odor. If necessary you can also bathe Bear every one to two weeks, but please do it less frequently if you notice any dryness or redness of the skin related to bathing.

I would recommend bathing him every 2-4 weeks as needed to prevent overdrying of the skin. An oatmeal based puppy shampoo is great to use. Then in between baths you can use puppy wipes which are found at your local pet store. This works wel to my overdry your pet but also keep him smelling fresh. : ) I hope this helps!

Great questions! Unless Molly gets into something, she doesn't need to be bathed more than once a month. That's because bathing her too often can strip her skin of her natural oils and dry it out. It's fine to use a dark fur shampoo, just make sure it's formulated for dogs :-)