If your cockapoo is anything like Lottie, they will not enjoy bath time at all. Lottie wants to jump out of the bath from the second we put her in there. It’s usually a messy task that involves a bathroom clean after, so generally not fun for anybody involved! But, it has to be done.
Do you know how often to bathe a cockapoo? It is important that you bathe your dog regularly, but it also matters how frequently. Cockapoos have double coats, which means they should be washed more often than other breeds of dogs. The first step in bathing your cockapoo is choosing the right shampoo and conditioner for their coat type. This blog post will cover all of the ins and outs about when to bath a cockapoo so that you can keep them looking clean and smelling fresh!
We all love our cockapoos, but sometimes the inevitable smell of smelly cuddles can be a little too much. The low shedding coats make these cute dogs prone to dirt and skin issues, so we keep them clean with regular baths! Here’s how:
How to bathe a dog at home
Cockapoos are very much prone to allergies and itchy skin, so it’s really important to choose a shampoo that doesn’t contain harsh chemicals and doesn’t cause problems for their skin. We use Pet Head Life’s an Itch dog shampoo. It has a lovely watermelon scent and we have found this to be soothing for Lottie’s skin.
If your dog hates having a bath, it can be a good idea to use something to bribe them into the bath such as treats or toys. You can also buy a licking mat which you can stick to the side of the bath and use something such as peanut butter on it to keep them entertained whilst you bathe them!
Rinse the dog all over with water before you apply shampoo and be careful of their eyes as you want to keep the process as pain free for them as possible, especially if they do not enjoy having baths anyway! Then rinse off all of the shampoo until it is all gone from their fur.
You may want to use this opportunity to go over their fur with a flea comb if you expect the possibility they may have fleas or if you just haven’t checked them for a while.
Then wrap them up in a towel and give them a good dry, especially their ears, our cockapoo Lottie hates having water in her ears, it sends her crazy! You can also use a hair dryer to dry them, you can use a human one or you can get dog specific ones. Some dogs do not like the loud noise of a hair dryer, so it will really be dependant on your own dog which way you think best to dry them off.
We give Lottie a full bath every 2-3 weeks. This is in the summer months when the weather is dry and she generally tends to not get too dirty when we’re out and about. In the winter, when she is prone to get more wet and muddy, this will be more often.
We do however clean just her feet a little more often after walks or if they are a bit dirty and we use the following dog wipes for this –
Lottie then has a groom every 6-8 weeks where she is then fully bathed and groomed.
This regime helps us to keep Lottie nice and clean and to keep smells to a minimum!
Is it bad to bathe dogs?
Whilst it is important to keep your cockapoo nice and clean, it is just as important not to bathe them too often as this can be damaging to their skin. It can dry out their skin and strip the natural oils that they have to keep their skin and coat healthy. It can also interfere with any flea and worm treatments that you give to your dog. It can also contribute to skin conditions.
How often should dogs be bathed?
So how often you bathe your dog will depend on a few different factors, the main one being how often they go out and get really dirty on a walk!
