Most dog owners know to look for parasites (fleas, and ticks) on the skin but, what you may not know is that internal diseases such as liver disease, adrenal gland disease or thyroid gland disease can all show themselves through abnormal symptoms in your dogs' skin and hair. This means it is very important to examine and groom your dog so you can detect any abnormalities as early as possible.
Regular grooming will help to decrease things such as skin and ear infections. And you will be able to notice any abnormal skin discoloring or irritations while you are bathing or brushing your dog. Bathing and brushing on a regular basis will help keep your dogs skin and coat free from bacteria which can lead to an infection. Bathing with a 'natural' and very mildly antiseptic coat care lotion will also help to keep fleas away. Be careful not to bath your dog too often, doing so could cause skin irritation, flaking and more.
If your Dog is ok (not your dog, but his skin & coat!) with being bathed regularly, weekly bathing is recommended to keep down the doggie odor, encourage a healthy, shiny coat and skin, and will also get your dog accustomed to bathing. If your dog loves the outdoors and likes to roam, then it is possible that he may need to be bathed more than just once a week.
Why brush your dog?
Mats in the fur and coat are the primary reason! Mats can be uncomfortable, even painful sometimes, can cause skin problems, and parasites can hide in the mats. If your dog scratches the matted areas, he will pull his skin, which will cause him to hurt and may even bruise his skin! Help your dog stay comfortable by brushing him often. Remember the longer the coat the more brushing that he will require. If you can not remove the mats by brushing, you can clip the mats very carefully by using a blunt pair of scissors and being very careful not to pull his skin. Just remember to brush often so your dog will not get mats in his coat and this problem will never occur.
After a few sessions your dog will begin to enjoy his bath time and quality time he spends with you. You will be able to keep your dog happy and healthy for a long time. You will enjoy bath time with your dog as you see him enjoying the attention and the attitude after he is clean and shiny... Just make sure you dry him well, and try not to let him outside as he may roll in anything he can to get his 'smell' back!
