How often do pitbulls need baths
How Often Should I Bathe a Pitbull? + How to Bath & Shower
Pitbulls can occasionally develop skin conditions like dryness and various other skin allergies. This can be made worse by bathing as things like scented shampoos can act as an irritant, and frequent washes that serve to strip their skin of its natural oils.
With that in mind, how often is too often when it comes to bathing your Pitbull? I spoke to our vet about this to get a professional opinion, and heres what he said about washing regularity and how often Pitbulls need a bath.
How often should you bathe a Pitbull? You should only bathe a Pitbull every 2 to 6 months in order to maintain a balance between their skin health and hygiene. However, the reality is this probably isnt practical, as Pitbulls love to run in mud and get dirty so will need more regular baths and showers.
If youre a dog owner, you know that bathing any dog every couple of months is almost impossible, especially if you live in a wetter climate where mud is common.
So, in practical terms, if your Pitbull gets his coat muddy, and he starts to stink, you need to give them a bath outside of the regular bathing schedule.
There are a few things you ought to know in order for their grooming and bathing regime to be happy, healthy and effective.
How to bathe your Pitbull in 5 simple steps
Most Pitbulls can be bathed in a standard bathtub with a shower, but if you have a small Pitbull puppy, you can bathe them in a sink with a sink sprayer.
I would not bother filling up the tub. I would instead recommend you use the shower or sink sprayer, but if you want to fill up the tub, I would advise only filling it insofar as your dogs ankles. This means they can still have their feet touching the floor and theyre paddling, not swimming.
This is especially important if your Pitbull is young, anxious or not a very confident around water.
1. Gently wet your Pitbulls coat
The first step is to gently wet your dogs fur with the shower orsink sprayer. When doing this, you need to keep an eye on two things: the waters heat and intensity.
The water should be lukewarm: not too hot and not too cold, and if youre using the shower, you dont want to scare them off with the jets! I would only turn on the shower/sink sprayer halfway, so what you have is a gentle trickle rather than an intense spray.
It is incredibly important to get the temperature and the consistency of the water right, because not only do you risk harming your Pitbull with burns, but you also risk scaring them and making them associate baths with unpleasant memories, feelings and sensations (like this) making it incredibly difficult for you to give them baths in the future expect a case of the Pitbull zoomies once they get out.
2. Use a specialist dog shampoo
Then, get a gentle, soap-free dog shampoo and use your fingers to lather and work the shampoo into the coat.
As mentioned, your Pitbull might have extra sensitive skin, which is why a soap-free shampoo is the best option.
What is the best shampoo for a Pitbull smell?
3. Rinse the shampoo away
Rinse the shampoo out and repeat the process as many times as necessary to get all of the dirt out.
4. Use a specialist dog conditioner
Once youre done with shampooing, get your conditioner specially formulated for dogs (scent-free again to avoid skin issues and allergic reactions for your Pitbull) and apply it evenly to the coat, brushing it through with a wide-tooth comb.
Give the conditioner no more than two minutes to set and then rinse again thoroughly.
5. Dry your Pitbull thoroughly
To avoid that nasty wet dog smell, you need to dry your Pitbull completely. Dry your dog with either a towel or a hairdryer on the lowest setting. Without a proper dry, your dog might smell worse than it did before the bath.
Additional Pitbull bathing and washing tips
Now you know how to bathe a Pitbull, I wanted to get into a little bit more detail about how you wash some specific parts of their body in the bath or shower.
Cleaning a Pitbulls face
When youre bathing your Pitbull, it is important to take steps to ensure they dont get any water or shampoo in their eyes. The dog friendly shampoos are designed not to sting, but I dont think its entirely comfortable.
One way of doing this is by applying protective ophthalmic ointment to your dogs face before bath time.
To clean your Pitbulls face, use a flannel soaked with lukewarm water (no soap!) and gently wipe every nook and cranny of the face. This includes the outside ear flaps and the corners of the eyes to get rid of any stubborn tear stains.
I would do this instead of pouring water on their face not many dogs like this!
Cleaning a Pitbulls ears
Pitbull ears can get a lot of dirt in them, which unfortunately makes them more prone to infections. To avoid this, a Pitbulls ears should be cleaned weekly.
Specially made dog ear-cleaning solution contains ingredients that helps to break down and remove wax, as well as anti-bacterial agents that soothes inflammation and prevents infection.
You should apply this solution to a damp cotton ball and gentle wipe the inside of the ear (use a different cotton ball for each ear in order to prevent spreading infection) and check for any injuries, infection, inflammation or scrapes.
If you notice something unusual, apply antibiotic ointment and go to your vet in order to seek further advice.
Taking care of your Pitbulls toenails
If your Pitbulls nails get in the way of their movement, this is a good time to get them cut. You can either do them yourself or take them to a vet or a groomer if you dont feel confident.
It is important to be careful when you are cutting your Pitbulls nails, as inside each nail is what is called the quick which is extremely sensitive pink flesh that holds the blood vessels and the nerves that go into the nails.
If you cut into the quick, this will cause bleeding and extreme pain for your dog. It will also make it incredibly difficult to cut their nails in the future.
To cut your Pitbulls nails, use a sterile pair of scissors to avoid infection and gently trim the very ends of the nails off this might take longer, but it is better to cut off too little than too much.
After cutting the nails, give your Pitbull a treat so that they have positive associations with the experience.
Handy Hint: Heres my guide to keeping your Pitbull happy and warm in winter.
Caring for a Pitbulls coat
Pitbulls have what is called a single coat. AsPitbulls have relatively short-hair, their coat is reasonably easy to take care of and clean.
- Brushing: Brush out dirt, prevent shedding and distribute natural oils throughout your Pitbull by brushing them at least once a week with a bristle brush, a hound grooming glove or or a finer brush if you want to remove excess dirt or hair. Brush your Pitbull more frequently up to three times a week during shedding season.
- Trimming: If you choose to trim excess hair, it is advisable to lightly trim them with electric clippers. You should also pay attention to any fur around the feet or on the pads of the feet that you might want to trim for tidiness.
- Freshening up: To keep your Pitbull clean between baths, doggy dry shampoo is quick and easy to use you just need to sprinkle it on your dog and then distribute it with a brush. You can also use a spray-on dog conditioner in order to keep the coat looking shiny.
Conclusion
Although you should always keep in mind the allergies and skin issues that come with owning a Pitbull, bathing them can be a rewarding bonding experience that helps to keep them squeaky clean, happy, and free from infection!
With any dog, it is important to strike that balance between not enough grooming and too-much grooming. Whilst it is important to ensure your dog is clean, tidy and healthy, over-bathing can cause its own issues, making it ultimately more counterproductive.
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Here are some more guides to help you care for your Pitbull.
Image in header via https://unsplash.com/photos/cjWmmMUCRhY
How Often Do Pit Bulls Need Baths?
i George Doyle/Stockbyte/Getty Images
Pit bulls are often equal-parts playful and cuddly, so you always want yours to be clean and fresh. Fortunately, this breed doesn't require frequent baths. Your mileage may vary depending on what his lifestyle is like, but generally, daily brushing keeps his coat healthy and clean.
General Bathing Guideline
The average bathing frequency for a dog of any breed is about once a month, but that changes from breed to breed. Factors like natural oil production, shedding, and the length and type of fur all make a difference, and with a pit bull, it means that you don't have to bathe him as often as you might another breed. Pit bulls have short fur with relatively average shedding, and they're protected by natural oils that accumulate over time to coat and protect their fur and skin. While you can bathe your dog as often as necessary, with this breed it shouldn't be more than once a month, and you can go as long as six months between baths.
Cleaning the Ears
Remember, when you're bathing your pit bull and just in general, that a pit bull's ears need to be clean and dry. These dogs can be prone to ear infections, so it's crucial that you keep water, dirt and bacteria out of the ears. This means plugging them with cotton balls during bath time, and regularly wiping them clean with medicated dog ear wipes. Check them at least once every couple of days for dirt and bacteria buildup, and wipe them out according to the instructions on the wipes.
Daily Brushing
Pit bulls may not need to be bathed particularly often, but they do need to be brushed. Brushing is a form of maintenance that allows you to go so long between baths, so don't skip out on it. You should brush your pit bull's coat at least a few times per week, or even every day, using a firm, flexible bristle rubber brush. This is the best type for keeping his short coat clean, neat and free of dead fur.
Making Exceptions
Of course, as with any dog, there are exceptions to the rule. If your pit bull decides to do his best piglet impression by wallowing in the mud, or if he goes for a dip in some questionable water, don't hold off on bathing him just because he already got his monthly scrubdown. Allowing a dirty dog to remain dirty is much riskier than bathing a dog too often, so while it shouldn't be a daily thing, go ahead and clean him up when he needs it. If it's just a case of muddy paws, however, cleaning him up his feet with a warm, soapy washcloth is preferable to an unnecessary full-body bath.
How Often Should You Bathe a Pitbull? Breed Grooming Requirements & Tips
Pitbulls have short hair and a weather-resistant coat. Their fur naturally stays pretty clean, especially if you brush it regularly. Proper brushing helps remove the dirt and dust from the dogs coat and spreads around the dogs natural oils. A brushing routine can go a long way to keeping your Pitbulls coat clean.
With that said, youll still need to bathe your Pitbull every 6 months or so. A bath will help prevent dirt and grime from building up.
You may need to bathe your dog even more than this, though. Pitbulls tend to be pretty active, which can easily get messy. Your Pitbull may roll in the mud or decide to have a dust bath. Either way, youll want to bathe these messy dogs before allowing them to run around your house.
You dont have to restrict yourself to only bathing your dog once every 6 months. We dont recommend bathing your Pitbull more than once a month, if possible, either. Too many baths can lead to dry skin, which can cause all sorts of shedding and skin problems.
Can I Bathe My Pitbull Once a Week?
We dont recommend bathing your Pitbull once a week (or even more than once a month). Dogs have different skin than humans. Often, their skin doesnt react well to being washed regularly. Even with a gentle shampoo, your dogs skin can easily dry after weekly baths.
Dry skin may seem like a small problem. However, it can lead to serious issues down the road. Firstly, dry skin can harm the integrity of your dogs coat, leading to excessive shedding and even thinning.
Secondly, dry skin is irritating for many dogs. Your canine may lick or chew the areas of dry skin, which only irritates the areas more. Eventually, this may lead to sores. If the chewing and licking continue, these sores wont heal and may get infected. Many dogs end up with infections due to excessive licking and chewing.
A Pitbulls coat does a good job of keeping itself clean. Most Pitbulls dont need a bath frequently and bathing them more often isnt necessarily good.
What Should I Wash My Pitbull with?
We highly recommend washing your Pitbull with gentle dog shampoo. Never wash your dog with soap made for people. Dogs and humans have different skin pH levels. Therefore, a soap that works for one wont work for the other. A single bath with human shampoo may be okay, but it can seriously upset your dogs pH balance if done more than once.
Even if your Pitbull doesnt have sensitive skin, a shampoo designed for sensitive skin is often best. It isnt odd for a dogs skin to become irritated after a bath, and gentle shampoo can prevent this.
You should only consider a different shampoo if your dog has an underlying problem youre trying to fix, such as a fungal infection. In this case, you should prioritize getting the correct shampoo for their needs (preferably by working with your veterinarian).
Your Pitbull wont have long fur so they wont need conditioner. Still, using a shampoo and conditioner combo wont hurt, especially if it checks all the other boxes.
How Can I Make My Pitbull Smell Better?
If your Pitbull is stinky, your first thought may be to bathe them. However, this isnt necessarily recommended. Baths rarely make dogs smell better for long unless theyve rolled in something stinky, which usually isnt the case. Instead, you can make your canine smell a bit fresher in several other ways.
Firstly, feed your dog the highest quality of food you can afford. Cheaper foods often have fillers and lower-quality nutrients. These can affect your dogs health and even make them smell worse.Brushing your Pitbull will remove most of the dirt and dust from its coat. It also spreads their natural oils around, which helps keep them clean. If its debris that is making your dog smell bad, try brushing them first.
Wash your dogs bedding, and anywhere they tend to lay. Often, the bedding gets smelly and then rubs off on your canine. If your dog uses their bed often, you should wash it at least once a week.
Fungal and bacterial infections can make your dog smelly. For instance, ear infections often have a very particular smell. Visiting the vet may be in order if your dog suddenly seems very smelly. A bath may worsen these conditions, which is one reason we dont necessarily recommend jumping into a bath immediately.
Dont forget to brush your dogs teeth, too. If your dog has smelly breath, it is a sign that their mouth isnt clean. If your dogs breath is suddenly very smelly, it may indicate an infection.
Do Pitbulls Feel Better After a Bath?
Pitbulls may feel better after a bath. Often, baths remove dirt and debris, including potential irritants and allergens. However, baths can also make Pitbulls feel worse as baths can have a drying effect. Many dogs may have drier skin after a bath, which can cause itchiness and discomfort.
Baths dont always make dogs feel better. We dont recommend bathing your dog solely to try and make them feel better, as this isnt a guarantee. Instead, you should bathe your dog when they are obviously dirty or around every 6 monthswhichever comes first.
A brushing session can also remove dust and allergens from your dogs coat. Brushing wont irritate your dogs skin the same way baths will, so it is often a better way to handle a dusty dog.
In Conclusion
You should bathe your Pitbull about every 6 months. Unlike us, dogs dont need that many baths. Pitbulls have weather-resistant coats that do a good job of staying clean. Regular brushing can remove most of the dirt and grime from your dogs coat, eliminating the need for frequent bathing.
The only exception to this is for dogs with skin problems or parasites like fleas. These dogs may need baths more often until they are healed. Talk with your vet about how often to bathe your Pitbull if they have one of these conditions.
Featured Image Credit: Sonsedska Yuliia, Shutterstock
