Pekingese Grooming - Bathing

How Often Should You Bathe a Pekingese?

The good news is you need not bathe your Pekingese too frequently. In fact, it may not be wise to. Too much bathing can ruin the coat and possibly cause your dog to have irritating dry skin if low quality shampoo is used. If your dog lives in a clean environment, bathing once or twice a month or just several times a year is generally enough. If your dog does get soiled often, more bathing may certainly be necessary. But consider that in many cases, your dog can be properly cleaned with brushing and a simple dry wipe.

Bathing Your Pekingese

When bathing, it's important to use a good quality shampoo that will not damage the dog's fur or skin. There are certain products that contain harmful drying chemicals, or are plain too harsh for dogs. Various generic dog shampoos, like the ubiquitous "oatmeal" ones, are not really that great. Also try not to use shampoo made for people!

Among the quality dog shampoos there are, the two that are most recommended are Buddy Wash by Cloud Star and Earthbath. They run about $7 to $10 a bottle, but they are quite concentrated so they'll last a long time. They're also natural, and wont harm the dog's skin or coat.

Since your dog shouldn't get water in his ears during the bath, you may wish to gently plug each ear with a regular cotton ball. Then get your sink or tub water to run warm and place your dog in it, proceeding to wet him thoroughly. Be sure the water is luke, as cold water can make the dog sick and hot water can be dangerous as Pekes are not adapted to take heat well.

Lather his entire coat with a moderate amount of shampoo, and work it throughout. Pay extra attention to his feet, underside, and hindquarters as these areas are prone to debris. Carefully clean his face with your fingers, being sure not to get water in his eyes, mouth (if soapy), and ears. Then rinse the shampoo thoroughly out of his coat.

For a comprehensive step by step guide, see Grooming Your Dog at Home.

If you're washing your dog in your sink or just pouring bowls of water on his head, you might want to get a Rinse Ace pet sprayer. This is a hose that attaches to your existing shower head and extends down to the floor of the bathtub so you can properly bathe your little Pekingese. It has a nice water pressure, which gets the soap out easily. There's also a handy feature that pauses waterflow so you can resoap your dog without losing the temperature.

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