How often should I bathe my Labrador
Bathing and Grooming Your Labrador
All dogs need grooming, but youd be forgiven at first glance for thinking grooming your Labrador will be a quick job. After all, Labradors have a wonderfully easy looking coat. It is short, dense and very waterproof. No tangles to comb out of ears, or fur balls to gather around their legs. But Labradors shed like crazy, and to keep them comfortable and your home relatively fur free you will need to give them a quick brush down at least once a week. During shedding season I groom my Labs daily, although bathing is limited to the times theyve got mucky!
Contents
Our guide to bathing and grooming your Labrador will help you to keep your dog clean and fresh, without the fuss. Well explain why your Lab needs grooming and how often, and help you decide when, and whether, your dog needs a bath! Then well take you through the process in simple steps. Well give you clear instructions on what to do, and help you to choose a few essential tools for the job.
How To Groom A Labrador
Grooming your Labrador is easy if your pup is used to being brushed from a young age. Firm brushing with good bristle body brush will remove dried mud, sand and dust from your dogs coat and help distribute the oils through his fur.It may also improve the shine, and he will enjoy the massaging effect of the firm strokes going through his fur.
Sit your dog in front of you, outdoors if they are shedding a lot. Have a pot of treats next to you and pass them one every few seconds if they are nervous or reluctant to stay put.
I usually begin at the base of their body near the tail. Make short gentle pulls downwards with the brush, and after each groom pick out the loose fur that the brush has collected and set it down next to you to dispose of later. Work your way slowly up the body and around their flanks, stopping at the neck as you reach their head. Your Labs face wont need any grooming, and their legs are normally fine to be left, although our particularly hairy chocolate Lab always needs a quick groom around her thighs.
Best Grooming Brush For Labradors
(paid link)I like a plain body brush intended for horses for a quick daily once over. They usually have a handle strap on the back and if you find one that fits your hand comfortably they are great. For a more intensive brushing I use a slicker brush.
The slicker brush(paid link) gets right into the coat and does a good job of removing dead hair on a daily basis. However, sometimes the dead hair situation calls for a more assertive tool!
You cant stop your dog shedding, but you can reduce the impact on your home by using an efficient rake on his coat during periods of severe moulting. An ordinary brush quickly gets clogged with dead hair and you will struggle to make much progress without a special tool for loosening dead hair.
Deshedding Tools
Our favorite deshedding tool is a Furminator,*(paid link)with spaced metal teeth.
You can also buy a useful tool made by Kong. Its called a Zoomgroom*(paid link) and comes in bright pink or blue.
The Zoomgroom*(paid link) is a sturdy plastic tool with wide spaced prongs. It is a great way to loosen the dead hair so that it falls away easily.
Somewhat more controversial, are special rakes with a blade incorporated. These shedding tools can be very effective if used with care.
How Often Should I Groom My Dog?
You dont need to groom your dog every day if you dont want to, but if you make this part of your daily routine, your dog will get used to the process and benefit from the regular physical contact.
If you dont fancy going into battle with dead hair during the worst of the moulting season, you can always treat your Labrador to a pampering at your local dog salon.
But there are still occasions when your dogs coat will need some additional attention.
Because Labs might be gorgeous, adorable friends. But they are also rather mucky pups.
So lets take a look at the ins and outs of how to bathe a dog.
How Often Should You Wash Your Dog?
There are Labradors that are bathed every week, and other Labradors that are almost never bathed. I tend to bathe my Labs when they get a bit smelly, or if they have rolled in something unpleasant. Something which many dogs have a huge enthusiasm for!
Many Labs take a delight in rolling in disgusting treasures that they happen upon during your daily walks. Dead animals, and fox poo, are some of their favorites. Labradors also love mud. They will go out of their way to find some, especially if you have just bathed them, or had new carpets fitted.
Paddling around in muddy puddles and the edges of boggy ponds can result in a filthy and smelly coat, again a hose down may be sufficient. But sometimes youll need the help of something more powerful than water.
Dog Bathing Schedule
Bathing as and when they need it is absolutely fine for most Labs. But if you want to have a routine thenonce a month is a nice easy schedule for most people to remember. It is a little different with puppies however.
How Often Should You Bathe A Puppy?
If you want to give your puppy a bath, by all means do so. He probably doesnt need one, but its a good idea to get him used to the sensation of being soaked in water and rubbed.
A puppy first bath is something of a rite of passage, but its important not to go overboard. A weekly shower with lukewarm water, will make sure that when he really needs a bath later on, you wont have a fight on your hands!
Puppy Shampoo and Dog Shampoo
When you bathe your puppy, use a specially designed puppy shampoo or adult dog shampoo labelled as safe for puppies*(paid link) from 8 weeks.
It is not a good idea to shampoo your older Labrador regularly unless you really need to. Especially in the winter. This is because the shampoo strips out the natural oils and reduces the waterproofing and cold repellent qualities of his double coat.
Best Shampoo For Dogs
I have used a variety of shampoos on my dogs. The main thing is to avoid shampoos intended for human adults. They will sting like crazy if you get them in your dogs eyes, and hell run a mile next time he sees the bath towels coming out! Your alternative option is to make your own shampoo.
How To Bathe Your Dog With A Hose
Labradors dont mind cold water when the weather is fine. This means the most of the time if hes got a bit mucky you can hose him down in the back yard.
But if your Labrador is not fit for human habitation after a hosing down, a good shampooing*(paid link) will be necessary too.
Have a couple of large towels ready before you begin. Because it is so waterproof, it is not easy to get a Labradors coat wet.
Do your best and work some shampoo*(paid link) into the coat. Use a glob the size of a coin, and rub with your fingers working it into the coat. Especially where he is mucky. Then hose her down and repeat.
The second time will be easier as you have broken down the oils in the dogs coat. Work up into a good lather and rinse very thoroughly. Remember that dogs lick their coats so thorough rinsing is particularly important.
Putting Your Dog In A Bath Tub
Although outdoor bathing is fine in the warmer months, in the cold weather you will need to bathe your Lab indoors. Lay a few towels on the floor to walk him to the bath room, and lift him into the tub.
Dont let him leap in and out, as when the tub is wet he could slip and hurt himself. Use a shower nozel to rinse and wash just as you would in the back yard.
Portable Pet Shower
A portable pet shower*(paid link) is great if you live in an apartment that doesnt have a traditional bath tub.
It has a moveable shower spray unitthat doesnt need fixing to a fawcet, it simply comes with a reservoir that you fill. You also dont need to do it in the bathroom, as the mess from it is really minimal.
Just choose a room with a wipe clean floor if possible, and stand away from the furniture. The mechanism is similar to a carpet shampooing machine, and it makes a similar level of noise to a vacuum cleaner.
Booster baths
If you suffer from a bad back, you may want to consider a booster bath* (paid link)for your dog. They save you bending over for ten minutes at a time and eliminate any problems you might have leaning down for a prolonged period.
These are also useful if you struggle to lift your dog, or if they have joint problems.
You can use a dog ramp* to go with the tub so there is no lifting involved.
Dryingyour dog
To towel dry your dog you will need two dog towels*(paid link). Towel dry until your first towel has absorbed as much water as it can, then move on to towel number two.
(paid link)Dog towels are specially designed to copy with the kind of water loss that a dogs coat usually produces.
Another great option is a dog dryer*(paid link). These are basically hair dryers for dogs.
Make sure you keep your hand moving through the fur in the area where you are directing the blast of air to ensure the temperature isnt too high.
Specially made dog dryers are designed to work well on thick coats like your Labs.
Affiliate link disclosure: Links in this article marked with an * are affiliate links, and we may receive a small commission if you purchase these products. However, we selected them for inclusion independently, and all of the views expressed in this article are our own.
The Labrador Site Founder
Pippa Mattinson is the best selling author of The Happy Puppy Handbook, the Labrador Handbook, Choosing The Perfect Puppy, and Total Recall.
She is also the founder of the Gundog Trust and the Dogsnet Online Training Program
Pippa's online training courses were launched in 2019 and you can find the latest course dates on the Dogsnet website
How Often Should You Bathe a Labrador?
Bathing and grooming your Lab is one of the important aspects you should learn as a Labrador owner. You should know these issues in more detail especially if you are a first-time dog owner.
Coming to the actual question. How often should you bathe a Labrador? Some say that Labradors dont need frequent baths, whereas some contradict and bathe their Labradors bi-weekly and sometimes even do it weekly.
But what is the accurate Labrador bathing frequency? This article explains all the details with respect to Labrador bathing.
How often should you bathe a Labrador?
A common question that i hear from many people is, how often should i bathe my Lab? This question is asked especially by Labrador owners because they might have heard many things like, Labs coat is self-maintaining, it is self-cleaning in nature, etc or whatever.
People might have heard all these things and get confused regarding bathing Labradors. But actually, it is important to know all the facts regarding the Labrador coat and its way to be maintained, by proper bathing schedules. Hence as a Labrador owner, you should first learn about the Labrador coat.
The special Labrador coat
A Labrador has something amazing on it which is called the double coat. The double coat has two layers of fur, one is the top layer which is called the guard coat or outer coat, and the coat underneath is called the undercoat. Learn more about the Labrador double coat in this article.
Labs have a great affinity with water and its coat is designed by nature in such a way suitable for working in the waters.
Do you remember the basic science that water and oil do not mix?
This is what that exactly happens with respect to a Labrador coat. The Labs undercoat has natural oil secretions that repel the excess water from reaching its skin. It acts as a natural barrier and these oils also keep the Labs coat smooth and shiny.
This is an important thing you need to understand while thinking of bathing your Labrador. There are also certain factors that play an important role in deciding how often should you wash your Labrador.
Factors that decide how often should you wash a Labrador
1. Place of living
This is one of the important factors that might determine the frequency of your Labrador bathing.
Suppose if you live in the countryside with your dog or if your house has open fields around it, there is a greater chance of your dog getting dirty easily. Labs are naughty dogs and they like playing in the mud and dirt always. If these kinds of areas are present around your house, your Lab might need frequent baths.
But if you live in an apartment or if your Lab stays indoors most of the times, It might not be necessary to bathe him frequently. As there are lesser chances of your dog getting dirty.
2. Age of your Lab
Labrador puppies do not require frequent baths like that of adult Labrador dogs. If you want me to speak about bathing Labrador puppy, it shouldnt get its first bath until it reaches an age of 8-10 weeks.
When your Labrador puppy is younger than 8 weeks, bathing him is not a good idea, as it might be difficult for him to regulate his body temperature. Hence it is not necessary to bathe your puppy unless it gets dirty.
But you can habituate your puppy to get him used to the sensation of water and bath to avoid bathing problems with him later.
3. Labrador smell
Labradors are one of the strongest smelling breeds and no two labs smell alike. Some Labs produce strong odours whereas some Labs have milder body odour.
Labs that produce stronger odour tend to produce a more stinkier smell when they get dirty or when they havent had a bath for a long time. So the Labradors smell also plays a role in deciding their bathing frequency.
4. Skin issues
If your Labrador has any skin issues like ticks, fleas, mites or other skin problems, there might be a need to bathe your dog more frequently.
How often to wash Labrador in such cases depends upon the condition of the skin and its severity. Your vet would be the best person to determine how often to bathe your dog in such cases.
5. How naughty is your Lab
This is also the other deciding factor. My Labrador always wants to play with the mud and always runs towards the garbage bin.
So whenever it gets dirty i wipe him with a wet cloth or spray him with water using a garden hose. Or I personally recommend this dog shower that makes your job easy. Or else you can use this outdoor shower that helps when you are on a trip or anywhere outdoors.
Hence if your Lab is also a naughty one, it might need frequent baths whenever it gets dirty.
How often to bathe a Labrador?- The exact frequency
If you want to maintain a proper schedule for bathing your Labrador and if you want me to tell the exact frequency for your Labrador bath. I would say that monthly once would be the ideal frequency. Yes, you can bathe your Labrador once a month.
But if situations arise where your Labrador gets dirty during play. You can just wash him with water and that wouldnt be a big problem.
I bathe my Labrador the same way, i maintain a regular schedule and do it on the last day of every month. And if my Lab gets dirty due to play in the middle of the month, i will wash him once in between the month with plain water.
Hence bathing once in a month can be an ideal frequency for bathing your Labrador.
Things to consider while bathing your Labrador
Bathing your Labrador does not mean cleaning only its coat. Bathing your dog involves a lot of things such as cleaning its ears, eyes and also taking care of its teeth which is very much essential.
1. Cleaning its ears
Cleaning your Labs ears is important as the curvy twists in the ears provides an ideal ground for bacteria, yeast and other parasites. Cleaning the ears should not be neglected as it can cause various types of ear infections, especially in Labs.
If you observe that your Labs ears are dirty or greasy, it is an indication that its ears need to be cleaned immediately. You can use a cotton ball or these cotton buds along with a canine ear cleaning solution for cleaning your dogs ears.
Check for the quality of the solution as cheap solutions with various chemicals can cause irritation inside your dogs ears. After my research, i came across this ear cleaner kit that seemed perfect.
2. Cleaning its eyes
It is not necessary to invest a lot of time and energy in cleaning your Labs eyes. Unless it suffers from some kind of infection or irritation, special care is not required. But is necessary to clean the area around the eyes, as it also catches dirt and dust like other parts of the body.
Use a soft damp cloth and start cleaning your dogs eyes, especially after playing outdoors. Other than this no specialized form of cleaning the eye area is required.
3. Cleaning the teeth
This is an important aspect of your dog cleaning routine.
The issues that can affect your dogs dental health depends upon the type of food it eats. If your dog eats foods that contain starch, there is a greater chance of occurrence of dental disease for your dog. Hence it is important to feed your dog with a high-quality canine food.
Sometimes you may require a brush to maintain your dogs teeth. You can use this toothbrush and toothpaste to clean your dogs teeth. You can make this as a monthly routine to your dog during the bath itself.
Or else it would be a better idea to provide your dog with some dental chews, that tend to be abrasive in nature. There are many options available, but these and these are my favourites. Dental chews help in cleaning off the plaque buildup from your dogs teeth and you may not need to brush your dogs teeth.
Best shampoo for Labradors
Does dogs in nature use shampoos for bathing? Not at all. It means that when you use shampoo on your dog, it is not something that is natural. Hence you have to understand that whenever you want to bathe your Labrador using shampoo it is always better to use a shampoo that is natural and free of chemicals.
It is always the best option to use a natural shampoo for your Lab unless it has some specific skin-related issue.
I have found some excellent dog shampoos with natural ingredients that could be milder and effective for your dog.
1.Colloidal Oatmeal Dog Shampoo with Pure Lavender Essential Oils. This can help in soothing your dogs skin as it contains natural ingredients such as jojoba. It seems to be gentle and effective.
2.Bodhi dog waterless shampoo is another excellent choice if you want a shampoo for dogs with sensitive skin. This is one of the best Labrador shampoos you can use. It is made from natural extracts and works very well for dogs with sensitive skin and other allergies.
3. An oatmeal pet shampoo also works like wonder if your dog has dry skin and itchy skin. Earthbath All Natural Pet Shampoo is an excellent choice as it is completely natural and soap-free dog shampoo.
Bathing Labs can be a fun activity with little love and patience. Even though bathing seems to be a simple task sometimes, it is not so. Proper methods of bathing and grooming your Lab can keep his coat healthy and in a great appearance.
