How Often Should You Clean Your Dog’s…

Whether you have had a dog for years or just welcomed one into your family recently, you’ve got questions, such as how often should you clean your dog’s teeth?

We’ve turned to the experts to ask the big questions regarding cleanliness and time.

How Often Should You Give Your Dog a Bath?

The answer to this question depends on a few factors, such as breed, coat, and lifestyle.

Jorge Bendersky, a celebrity dog groomer, says, “Obviously, the more hair a dog has, the more work is involved, including the frequency of the bath […] For dogs with medium-to-large coats, a bath could be needed from weekly to every four to six weeks, as long as the coat is properly maintained in-between baths.”

He also gives this advice: “We should wash our dogs when they are no longer huggable.”

How Often Should You Clean Your Dog’s Ears?

There is no need to go crazy with Q-Tip’s around your dog’s ears, so don’t torture them until you must.

According to VetDerm, “Once a week is best to check your dog’s ears for signs of irritation, infection, dirt, sensitivity, and parasites such as ear mites. […] While it is a good idea to keep on top of monitoring your dog’s ears weekly, healthy ears typically do not need to be cleaned any more than once a month. […] As a rule of thumb, a routine ear clean should not be needed any more than once every 1 to 2 months for a dog with healthy, normal ears.”

How Often Should You Brush Your Dog’s Teeth?

The short answer is to brush your dog’s teeth twice a day – the same as humans.

But we know that isn’t always feasible.

VCA Animal Hospitals says, “Brushing three times a week is the minimum recommendation to help remove plaque and prevent tartar accumulation.”

Keep in mind that if your dog doesn’t enjoy having his teeth brushed, you can give him dental chews for no-brushing days.

Note – “Studies have shown that animals that have poor dental hygiene are more likely to become affected by medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney/liver disorder or failure, or even a stroke. This is because the bacteria present on the teeth (due to them not being brushed) has been able to multiply unchecked.”

How Often Should You Wash Your Dog’s Water Dish?

For some reason, most dog owners do not treat their dogs’ dishes like they would their own. Humans wash their bowls and plates after they have been used, but they tend to allow their dogs to use the same bowl that hasn’t been cleaned day after day. Is this okay?

Dr. Jamie Whittenburg, DVM claims, “You should wash your dog’s food and water bowls daily to avoid the accumulation of food residue and biofilm, which can be detrimental to the health of your pets and the rest of your family.”

Because there is a risk of infection from salmonella bacteria and listeriosis, you should clean your dog’s bowl with care after each meal.

She also suggests having more than one bowl for your dog so you can alternate bowls when one is being washed.

How Often Should You Launder Your Dog’s Bedding?

You want to wash your dog’s bedding, not just because it smells, but because it is unhealthy.

According to the American Kennel Club, “The authors of a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal and the CDC recommend washing your dog’s bedding weekly to reduce the risk of spreading parasites or zoonoses. The guidance from the EPA is to deep clean dog beds every two to three weeks to help control flea infestations. How often your dog sleeps in their bed, the material it’s made from, the type of coat your dog has, what they get up to outdoors, and whether any family members have allergies are some factors that can influence cleaning frequency.”

How Often Should You Clean Your Dog’s Poop?

As pet waste specialists, we can be trusted to answer this question. Dog poop in your yard should be cleaned (aka scooped) regularly. Dog poop is full of bacteria. It is not fertilizer. The longer it sits in your yard, the more time the bacteria has to find its way into the ground, onto the bottom of your shoes, and into your home.

If you find you don’t have time to clean up after your dog regularly, we’re here to help. We can take this dirty chore off your hands and leave your yard looking so fresh and so clean-clean.

Sign up for regular poop scooping service today!