Many people assume that a German Shepherd will need regular bathing as they often smell like a wet dog. So how often should you bathe them? Find out more in our blog article!
Your German Shepherd should not have a bath whenever you desire. As a routine, a bath every three to four months is ideal. However, if your German Shepherd gets too dirty or muddy, you might need to get him a bath. Typically, German Shepherds have odorless coats. Hence, when your pup’s coat becomes smelly, it is high time he got a bath.
It will help if you consider several things which will help when bathing your pup. This article has detailed explanations of everything you need to know about bathing a German Shepherd.
How Often Should You Bathe a German Shepherd?
Bathing your German Shepherd should not be done regularly; instead, it should be organized at specific intervals. German Shepherds’ skins produce natural oils. These oils lubricate their skin, give them a shiny coat, and keep them healthy.
There is a need to maintain a moderate and “situational” bathing schedule, in order to avoid stripping your pup of these natural lubricants.
Bathing a German Shepherd once in three to four months is ideal. Preferably, it would be best if you brushed your pup more often. This will assist in keeping your German Shepherd’s coat neat, shiny, and healthy without the fear of stripping him of his natural oils.
How Should I Bathe My German Shepherd?
Get your German Shepherd ready for a thorough bath. Brush his coat to eliminate loose hair or excess shedding and loosen his hair in preparation for a thorough bath. Afterward, wet him using a showerhead, a hose, or a bowl. Wetting his coat is a way to get him ready for shampooing.
After wetting him with warm water, apply shampoo to his damp coat and scrub thoroughly (but gently). Ensure that you scrub every corner of his coat before rinsing off the lathers with water.
Allow your German Shepherd to shake off any excess water from his body before drying his coat with towels or a hairdryer.
Should I treat the bathing of German Shepherd puppies differently?
Yes. German Shepherd puppies should be treated differently while drafting a bathing schedule for them. A German Shepherd puppy has a soft cotton-like coat. It is advisable to wait for a while until your puppy is old enough to get a bath properly (let’s say until they are three to four months old).
In the meantime, organize a damp piece of cloth to remove any dirt on them when they get dirty or muddy. Also, you can wet German Shepherd puppies with warm water to moist their skin, then softly brush off mud and dirt from their coats.
Once this is done, you should dry them off with a clean towel.
Why is it important not to over bathe your German Shepherd?
Bathing a German Shepherd should be done only once in a while. Overbathing your pup might not be a good idea. This is because bathing him too often might strip him of the natural oils contained within this double coat.
These oils naturally lubricate his skin, shine his coat, and keep him healthy. They also protect his skin from getting dry. These oils also prevent any irritation of the skin.
Also, bathing your pup too often might lead to unnecessary shedding. It is therefore better to brush off your pup’s coat frequently (at least three times a week). Brushing off dirt from your pup’s coat will prevent frequent shedding of his hair and make his coat healthy and beautiful at all times.
What are the signs you are overbathing your German Shepherd?
Overbathing your pup is not a good idea, and it has some negative impacts on your dog. When you notice some of the following signs, it is most likely that you have been over-bathing your German Shepherd:
Arid or Dry Skin
This happens because when you over-bathe your German Shepherd dog, You strip him of his coat’s natural oils. These oils naturally give German Shepherds a shine, moisten or lubricate their skin, and prevent their skin from getting dry.
Itchiness
When you over-bathe your pup, his skin is often exposed to irritation. This might make your pup have itchy skin. The wound from the frequent scratching of your pup’s skin may expose his skin to other infections.
Another noticeable sign that you have been bathing your German Shepherd too often is the dullness of his coat. The natural oils that give his skin a unique shine and beautiful look would have been stripped off him, hence, leaving him with a dull, lackluster coat.
Is Dog Teeth Cleaning Necessary?
Since humans take their oral health very seriously, you shouldn’t deprive your wonderful dog of good dental care (which includes, very importantly, cleaning your dog’s teeth).
German Shepherds’ teeth are prone to developing tartar, bad breath, gum disease, and plaque when not cleaned frequently. You should use a toothbrush specially designed for dogs and a toothpaste specially formulated for dogs’ use.
Cleaning your German Shepherd’s teeth should be a regular activity as part of their grooming schedule. It is therefore wise to train this breed to be comfortable with teeth cleaning from an early age.
This way, brushing/cleaning his teeth will be viewed as a standard routine and shouldn’t be too difficult to manage.
While regularly cleaning of your pup’s teeth is important, it is also advisable to arrange professional dental cleaning at least once a year.
How Should I Clean My Dog’s Ears?
German Shepherd dogs’ ears become visibly long as they reach four months. It is therefore suggested to keep a close watch on your dog’s ears and clean them regularly (at least once a week) as they can also be prone to infections.
There are special wax drops specifically designed for dogs to dry their ears. A few drops of special ear wax in your dog’s ears will dissolve any excess wax and keep his ears healthy.
NB: Don’t use water (or any other liquid) to clean your pup’s ears!. Damp ears are very susceptible to infections.
Bathing your German Shepherd in 5 simple steps
To bathe your German Shepherd effectively, the following five steps should be undertaken :
Pre-bathing
These are the things needed to be done before giving your pup a proper bath. Pre-bathing involves brushing your pup’s coat to get rid of the dirt on its surface and preparing him in a tub for a bath.
Wetting
After brushing specks of dirt off his coat, place your German Shepherd dog in a tub and wet him with warm water. You can use a showerhead or a hose for this. Ensure that the water gets to his undercoat. Because dogs are always sensitive to having their heads wet with water, you should wet and wash your pup’s head last.
Dogs tend to shake excess water off their heads when wet, and you might end up dripping with water even before your German Shepherd gets a proper bath.
Shampooing
Wetting your pup is a great way to prepare him for shampooing. After wetting, apply shampoo and lather his entire coat. Using a sponge, brush, or better still, your fingers, work your way down gently right from his neck to his armpits, chest, tummy, sides, and tail.
Afterward, carefully lather his head. Ensure that your pup’s eyes and ears do not have contact with the shampoo.
Rinsing
After shampooing, rinse off lathers with warm water. It is better to rinse him twice to eliminate the residues of shampoo in his coat (especially his undercoat). Residues of soap or shampoo on his coat can cause irritation and itchiness when dry.
Drying
This is the concluding part of these processes. After bathing your pup properly, allow him to shake off excess water from his coat, then dry him with towels or a hairdryer to get rid of dry his furs. It is advisable to have several towels to use to achieve this particular aim.
It would help if you used towels specially designed for dogs for this.
What is the best shampoo for a German Shepherd smell?
In a bid to give your German Shepherd a clean and shiny coat, a pleasant smell, and a great look, getting the perfect shampoo for your pup is a goal that you should rightly execute.
To get the best shampoo for a German Shepherd, you might need to ask a professional for help. German Shepherds’ coats are sensitive, and the best shampoo for them is one that would be gentle on their skin without causing any irritation.
There are several brands of shampoo that can work out well on your German Shepherd. Meet your veterinarian for advice on the best one to choose.
What shampoos should you avoid?
While getting a shampoo, you would use it to water your German Shepherd and avoid getting a harsh Shampoo. This is because harsh shampoos are capable of stripping them of their natural oils and, as a result, make their skin dry. Harsh shampoos typically cause irritation, itchiness, and, redness of the skin.
Final tips for bathing and washing your German Shepherd
Here are some tips for bathing and washing your German Shepherd:
- To avoid unnecessary stress and problems while bathing, ensure everything is prepared before bath time.
- Ensure that you brush your pup’s coat to lessen or reduce shedding. Brushing his coat will make proper bathing easier.
- You can offer your pup treats to make bathing easier and more fun for him.
- Make sure you pick the right choice of shampoo for your German Shepherd dog. Avoid harsh shampoo. You can also seek the help of a veterinarian to know the best shampoo for your pup.
Final thoughts
German Shepherds should not have baths too often, which three to four times a year is ample. There are exceptions, of course. Bathing sessions should naturally increase if your German Shepherd gets dirt or mud on his coat or starts to smell.
