All dogs require grooming, however, the requirements for grooming alternate drastically between breeds. Dalmatians are one of the more hygienic breeds of dogs due to their short hair, which inherently impacts how frequently they need to be bathed.
Usually, bathing your Dalmatian every 3-4 months is sufficient to keep them clean and without odour. If you bathe your Dalmatian more than this, you run the risk of drying their skin by removing excess oils from the skin’s surface.
Why Should I Bathe My Dalmatian Infrequently?
By ensuring that you only bathe your Dalmatian every few months, you will not remove the natural oil from their skin and fur. These natural oils are essential as they prevent your dog from infection and dirt, ensuring that the skin remains healthy.
The main reason why dog owners will visit the vets is because of their dog’s skin and this is typically due to being over-bathed.
Your dog will counter-productively be prone to foul odor the more than it is bathed due to the skin complaints that are induced by overly bathing your Dalmatian.
It is also important to note that Dalmatians are a naturally hygienic breed of dog. Similarly to how cats will clean themselves, Dalmatians will regularly inspect their coats and lick themselves clean.
If you have more than one Dalmatian, they are also attuned to cleaning each other in those hard-to-reach spots!
The natural oils contained on the single-layered coat make it incredibly hard for their coats to gather dirt. Any dried dirt will fall off the Dalmatians coat easily by simply brushing your dog.
Can I Bathe My Dalmatian Regularly?
If you live in an area where your dogs are likely to become excessively dirty most days, it is fine to bathe your Dalmatian more regularly provided you do not use shampoo for the majority of the bathing sessions.
The ideal way to clean your Dalmatian more regularly is to brush its coat once any mud has hardened as you will find that brushing works incredibly well.
What Dog Shampoo Should I Use?
There are many varieties of dog shampoo that are available to purchase. These range from super-strong shampoos that are packed with chemicals to standard washing up liquid.
However, the only shampoo that is recommended to be used on your dog is a natural ingredient dog shampoo.
Using specifically organic, dog shampoo ensures that you aren’t using any harmful chemicals on your dog’s skin including detergents, alcohol, parabens or soap.
Whilst these chemicals may be great for cleaning, they are not safe or healthy for your dog’s skin.
The main issue with regular dog shampoo is that it removes too many natural oils from your dog’s coat, encouraging an abundance of skin complaints.
Your dog’s body will also produce an excess of oil to compensate for the lost oil, which can lead to a foul odor and a dirtier coat!
As such, you should always purchase a natural dog shampoo that contains no soap, chemicals, detergent or alcohol.
Bathing Tips For Your Dalmatian
Brush Your Dalmatian Prior To Bathing
Dalmatians only have a single-layered coat, and thus they are easy to brush. However, it is crucial that you use the right kind of brush for your Dalmatian due to their short coat.
Slick brushes are the best form of a brush to use for short-haired dogs as the thin wires do not cause discomfort and only penetrate enough to comb through the single layer.
Brushing your dog for five minutes will make your overall bathing experience far easier and ensure that their coat looks marvelous when dried.
Use Water At Room Temperature
Whilst it is tempting to use warmer water, it is far safer for you to use room temperature water when washing your dog. This is because your dog’s skin is more likely to dry out afterwards if warmer water has been used.
You also want to avoid your Dalmatian becoming too cold after a bath during the winter months and so be prepared to nurture them until they are thoroughly dry or avoid bathing them altogether during the winter period.
Talk To Them Throughout The Process
The key to keeping your Dalmatian calm during the bathing process is to adopt a calm, happy and reassuring tone.
Whilst some will relish bath times, others will not and this is an incredibly effective means of keeping your Dalmatian’s experience stress-free.
You should try to make bath times a more positive experience as this will make it easier for you to continue to bathe your dog.
Use Food As A Distraction
If your Dalmatian vehemently hates bath times, you can use a smear of food on a plate and set it down as you begin to bathe your dog.
If your Dalmatian is distracted by the food for 5 minutes, you will be able to bathe them efficiently before they are even aware of what’s going on! This also encourages them to look forward to the next bathing experience!
Don’t Allow Them To Air Dry
It is always best to physically dry your Dalmatian as much as possible as your Dalmatian can become overly cold when wet.
Even if it is a blazing hot summer day, you should still pat down your Dalmatian and ensure that they are dry prior to letting them outside again, and you should exercise extreme caution when bathing your dog during the winter months.
Conclusion
To conclude, if necessary, you should bathe your Dalmatian every 3-4 months. Dalmatians are one of the most hygienic dog breeds around, and they are also a self-cleaning breed.
If you need to bathe your Dalmatian more regularly due to your surrounding environment, you should avoid using shampoo.
You should also ensure that you purchase dog-friendly natural shampoo to avoid stripping your Dalmatian of the natural essential oils their skin produces to protect them.
If you bathe your Dalmatian too frequently, you will remove these essential oils and cause unwanted skin irritations and discomfort for your dog.
