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How Often Should I Bathe My Beagle? Care & Grooming Advice

Sarah Psaradelis

By Sarah Psaradelis

a beagle taking a bath in the tub

Beagles are a medium-sized dog breed that was originally bred to be scent dogs. They have a short coat that does not have any special grooming requirements, and a regular wash and brush will keep their coat looking clean and healthy.

Beagles should usually only be bathed every 1 to 3 months unless they require a bath more often for medical or hygiene reasons. Their low-maintenance coats make it easy to groom them and keep up with their moderate to high shedding.

The Beagle is a good choice for a dog breed that doesn’t need to be bathed often, as you can keep their coat and skin healthy by bathing them every couple of months.

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How Often Do Beagles Need to Be Bathed?

Beagles do not have to be washed often because they have a short coat. They will only need bathing every 1 to 3 months. Of course, if your beagle spends most of their time outdoors and rolling in mud, they will need a bath more frequently to keep their coat clean. They will also need a bath more often if they have a skin condition, or if they use flea and tick treatments that require special medicated shampoos.

Some owners will bathe their beagle once a month because their beagle spends most of their time indoors, or sheds a lot during a particular part of the year. Since Beagles are known to have sensitive skin, they are prone to dryness and other genetically predisposed skin conditions. Bathing your Beagle too much also removes their natural oils and disrupts the healthy balance of their skin and coat.

By over-shampooing a Beagle with sensitive skin, you can make their skin drier, which may have a dulling effect on their coat. When bathing your Beagle, the type of shampoo you use is important if you wash their fur often, as some harsh cleansing shampoos may not be a good idea for frequent use on your Beagle’s coat.

Beagle standing on the field
Image Credit: José Somovilla, Pixabay

Do Beagles Like Baths?

Most Beagles do not like baths because they don’t enjoy getting wet. Although some Beagles will tolerate a bath, or even enjoy it, many will shy away from baths until they get used to it. If your Beagle has had a negative experience with bathing or getting wet in the past, then they might be more fearful of being bathed again.

Aside from some Beagles not liking to get wet, they may have been put off from baths by any shampoo or other bathing products that may have gotten in their eye before. It is important to ensure that your Beagle has a positive bathing experience so that they do not learn to hate it.

Keeping your Beagle busy—perhaps by allowing them to lick a smear of peanut butter in the bathtub—can help keep them occupied while they are being bathed. You can also give them a healthy treat after their bath to make it a more rewarding experience for them.

Avoid getting water in your Beagle’s ears or on their face during their bath, as water can get into their ear canal and cause an infection or discomfort.

What Do You Need to Bathe a Beagle?

When grooming and bathing your Beagle, you will need to use a high-quality shampoo and conditioner made for dogs with sensitive skin. Some dog shampoos can be too harsh on your beagle’s skin, which puts them at risk of developing dry and itchy skin. A Beagle-friendly shampoo and conditioner will contain few harmful chemicals and harsh irritants as cleaning agents.

A de-shedding shampoo may also be beneficial to Beagles since they are known to shed quite a bit. But, make sure that the de-shedding shampoo you use helps prevent dry skin. When it comes to choosing a conditioner for your beagle, you will need one that lightly moisturizes your beagle’s coat, but does not leave an oily residue.

Before bathing your Beagle, you will need to use a short-bristled slicker brush to help brush out their short coat and remove loose clumps of shedding fur. During this time, you can also cut their nails, and use a cotton ball or pet-friendly wipes to clean their ears.

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Conclusion

A Beagle’s low grooming requirements mean that you will only need to bathe them every couple of months, with 1 to 3 months being ideal. But, you will need to clean their ears or trim their nails more often when it is necessary.

If your Beagle needs to be bathed more often, make sure that you are using gentle cleansing shampoos to avoid drying out your Beagle’s skin.

 

Featured Image Credit: Alex Zotov, Shutterstock

Sarah Psaradelis

Authored by

Sarah is residing in South Africa with her partner and pets. She currently is interested in veterinary science and ichthyology, which she wants to study alongside her main passion: pet content writing. Sarah has over 60 fish including goldfish, tropicals, shrimp, and snails. She also keeps hamsters and a tarantula and wishes to provide quality content for readers and allow others to learn from her knowledge and experience...Read more

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