Ask DQ

Your dog questions answered

Q: Traditionally, I was taught that you should only bathe your dog once or twice a year, but attitudes about this seem to have changed, and many people seem to bathe their dogs much more often now. Can you bathe your dog TOO often?

A: The advice is currently to only bathe your dog as necessary to help maintain the natural oils in his coat, as over-bathing can cause dryness, irritable skin patches, dandruff or hair loss. However, providing you are using a specially designed dog shampoo and your dog has no skin conditions, bathing is generally pretty safe and can even be beneficial – especially if your dog has a tendency to roll in particularly smelly finds!

A gentle shampoo or medicated product can usually be used safely to clean the fur, but it is important you research your breed and hair type before embarking on bathing. Many breeds, such as West Highland White Terriers and Border Terriers for example, are advised against regular baths, as this can soften the wiry texture of the coat. Specialised products are available for particular breeds, so it would be ideal to ask breeders or breed associations for their advice.

NOTE: If you are simply bathing your dog to make him smell nice, then rather skip the bath. Many pet fresheners or deodorisers are now available, which can be used safely to help keep your dog smelling fresh instead.

Q: I bought my first dog a few years ago. He is a French Bulldog, and I’m ashamed to say I didn’t do enough research into the breed before I bought him. Now that I know more, I’m worried about all these health issues that Frenchies are supposed to be prone to. Is it worth taking him to the vet more regularly for checks, even if he seems healthy now?

A: French Bulldogs have received some bad press recently, and this is mainly due to the breed growing in popularity in recent years, leading to many unscrupulous breeders starting to breed dogs to fulfil demand without performing the necessary health checks or taking the precautions that responsible breeders do.

The health problems associated with brachycephalic (flat-faced) breeds have become common problems for vets because of the sheer number of these dogs out there. There are now even vets that specialise in brachycephalic surgeries to help open the nares (nostrils) or rectify soft palate issues that can affect breeding.

You say that your dog is healthy, which is a great sign! Of course, if you do develop any concerns, you should take your dog to the vet immediately. Particularly worrying signs in these dogs include struggling to breathe, collapsing, choking, or fainting. In general, however, if you do not see these signs or any others that worry you, you can simply take your dog to the vet for his annual vaccinations and check-up. During the annual check-up, your vet will check his physical body condition, weight, heart and lungs. This should be sufficient in most cases!