How often should a shih zu dog take baths?

Question

I have a 5 month old shih zu dog and she spends time indoors and outdoors equally. Is it safe to bath her once a week? I was told that it's not a good idea because they can develop a skin rash...is that true? She is white which makes me want to bath her more often.

Answer 1

i wouldnt bathe her more than once a week max. you can put a little fish oil in her food to keep her skin and coat healthy. dry skin sometimes develops from over bathing.

Answer 2

I wouldn't bathe her every week. That ruins delicate oils on their skin and can cause painful rashes and flaky skin. I'd start out bathing her once a month.

Answer 3

At 5 months if my puppy was sufficiently dirty (too dirty to be cleaned with wipes) then I'd bath weekly. Really though at 5 months her coat won't be too long so washing fortnightly would be better for her skin. If bathed too frequently the skin can become dry and irritated. Show Shih Tzu in full coat are given weekly baths.

My 6 month old Shih Tzu (semi-long coat) gets a bath when he needs it (usually every 3-4 weeks).

Answer 4

you shouldnt be bathing her more than once a fortnight.washing her more frequently than this can compromise the skin barrier function, making her more prone to yeast and bacterial skin infections.

if she gets filthy in between times(rolling in the mud or something).you can wash her off,but otherwise stick to once a fortnight (or less often)

Answer 5

yes, bathing a dog to much can make a skin irritation/rash.

i would say once a month is best

Answer 6

Washing your dog too often can lead to skin problems, so try to only wash her when she is really dirty.  

To keep her clean, make sure you brush and comb her regularly (is she clipped?  If her hair is long she will probably need brushing at least every day).  I spend some time every day combing my dog's hair, just while he is on my lap at night.   You can also "spot clean" the areas that get dirty with a damp cloth.

With a white dog you will tend to get staining on the coat, particularly around the eyes.  To minimise this, wipe your dogs face regularly, and try to keep hair out of the eyes.  There are a lot of products around that will also help keep the face clean.  

A spray-on or leave in conditioner can also help keep the coat clean, and can also help reduce the number of mats and tangles in the coat.  

Answer 7

i have a shihtzu only wash her 2 a year brush every day and i clean around her eyes her coat is perfect