Do you have a Beagle or are you thinking of getting one? Are you wondering how often you need to bathe them? Here’s everything you need to know about Beagles and Bathing!
How Often Should You Bathe A Beagle? Beagles should be bathed once every 4-6 weeks unless they get muddy or roll in something smelly. This timeframe can vary between individual dogs and their lifestyles. However, bathing them too often can cause skin problems, so don’t be tempted to bathe too often.
Read on to find out what dog shampoo is best for your Beagle and how to make their bath time more relaxing and fun!
Never use the advice in this article as a substitute for professional veterinary advice or treatment. I am NOT a Vet, qualified dog trainer or dog behaviourist. This article is based on research, personal opinion and experience of owning dogs over the last 12+ years.
What Dog Shampoo Do You Use For A Beagle?
It’s essential you choose a suitable, high-quality dog shampoo when bathing your Beagle.
Soap-free dog shampoos made from natural ingredients are the best for Beagles.
Avoid any dog shampoos containing sulfates, parabens, or artificial fragrances and colourings.
Ideally, the shampoo should be moisturising too, or you can follow up with a conditioner after shampooing. This helps make sure your Beagle’s coat isn’t being dried out.
Never use human shampoo on your Beagle, as the pH levels are far too acidic and can irritate their skin and coat, causing problems and potentially even damaging the surface of their skin.
Humans have between 10 and 15 layers of skin cells, whereas Beagles only have between 3 and 5 layers.
Using a shampoo with the wrong pH level can quickly irritate and dry their skin, making it itchy, sore and uncomfortable for them.
The Earthbath fragrance free range of dog shampoos and conditioners are a great option for adult dogs. They contain oatmeal and Aloe Vera to help soothe and moisturize your dog’s skin.
Some of the products in the Earthbath range can also be used for puppies over 6 weeks too. Just be sure to check each individual product to make sure it’s suitable.
Another option is the Animology range. They have a mild puppy shampoo with a built-in conditioner that’s free from parabens, sulphates, silicone and is SLS free. However, it does have fragrance so bear that in mind!
Animology also have a ‘fox poo shampoo’, which is a popular choice for Beagles that love to roll!
Do Beagles Smell?
Yes, Beagles can smell, especially if they’ve been rolling in something gross!
Even though they might look clean on the outside, there’s likely a build-up of natural oils, dead hair and dirt trapped within their coat.
Their coats are very thick and dense, making it more difficult for these things to work themselves free, leading to your Beagle being stinky and smelling doggy! A good bathing schedule can keep this odour at bay though!
Beagles can also be prone to developing skin issues like yeast infections, which comes with its own unique smell. If they smell almost ‘musty’ and seem particularly itchy, this could be why.
If they’ve got a strong metallic or fishy smell to them and appear to be itchy around their bottom, then they could have anal gland issues.
Just be aware that, if your Beagle starts smelling differently to normal, this should always be investigated by your vet before you do anything else.
How Do You Bathe A Beagle?
This is how to bathe your Beagle:
Get Everything You Need Ready
It helps to have everything you need for your Beagle’s bath ready and at hand. It’ll be stressful trying to keep your Beagle in the bath, while you’re searching for their doggy shampoo or a towel.
Having everything within reach is much easier for you and your Beagle!
So get your dog shampoo and conditioner, brush, treats, shower head or jug and towels ready, before you start bathing your Beagle.
Brush Your Beagle Before Bathing
Brushing your Beagle before you bathe them, helps remove some more loose hairs trapped in their coat.
This allows the dog shampoo to reach their skin easier, giving them a more effective clean.
It also stops as many hairs going down your plughole and blocking your drains!
Reassure Your Beagle
Some Beagles may be nervous about bath time, especially if they’ve not had one before. So take it slow, keep calm and reassure them everything will be okay.
You want to try and make bath time fun for them, not scary. So, never shout at them for trying to jump out, or not standing still when you’re washing them.
Consider using a doggy lickmat attached to the wall. You can smear it with dog friendly peanut butter (xylitol free) to keep them distracted while you get to work on the bathing!
Put Your Beagle Into The Bath
Carefully lift your Beagle into the bath, or let them jump in themselves if they can. Just make sure they don’t slip, as they could easily hurt themselves.
If you can, ask someone to help you get them in and out. Or you can also use a baby bath on the floor if that’s easier.
It’s best to use a non-slip mat or towel on the bottom of the bath, to give your Beagle some extra grip and stop them from scratching your bath with their nails.
Bathe Your Beagle Using Warm Water
Only bathe your Beagle using warm water. Not too hot or cold or it’ll be uncomfortable for them.
If the water’s too hot, not only will it potentially scold your Beagle, but it also causes their hair follicles to close up.
This means the dog shampoo and conditioner won’t work as effectively as they should.
Wet Your Beagle’s Coat Thoroughly
Beagle’s coats are fairly water-repellant, so you need to make sure you get the whole coat thoroughly wet.
Run the shower over them closely or pour water from a jug, and rub them gently with your hand.
This makes sure all parts of their fur and skin are soaked through before you start to wash them.
Avoid Getting Your Beagle’s Head Or Ears Wet
It’s best not to direct any water onto your Beagle’s head or ears.
So cup your hands to stop water from running into their eyes or getting trapped inside their ears.
Because their ears flap down, it’s more difficult for the moisture to escape, which can lead to ear infections developing.
You can always wipe their face and head with a damp cloth instead if you need to.
Shampoo Your Beagle’s Coat Well
It can be helpful to squeeze the dog shampoo onto your hand first so you can spread it evenly over your Beagle’s coat.
Massage it in thoroughly, making sure you reach their skin too.
You could also use a brush to work it into their coat more effectively if you prefer. This is where the oils are produced and build up, so you need to target the skin to ensure they’re properly cleaned.
Rinse Your Beagle’s Coat Thoroughly
Use the shower head or a jug to thoroughly rinse all the dog shampoo from your Beagle’s coat.
Make sure you get it all rinsed off because it can be irritating for them if you leave any behind.
Condition Your Beagle’s Coat
If you’re using a doggy conditioner on your Beagle, repeat the same process as you did with the shampoo.
Work it into your Beagle’s coat, leave it for the recommended time, then rinse it off thoroughly afterwards.
Get Your Beagle Out Of The Bath
Once your Beagle has been bathed, gently squeeze any excess water from their body, legs, and paws and safely get them out of the bath.
They may slip on a wet bath if they jump out themselves, so it’s best to lift them out if you can.
Let Your Beagle Shake Off The Excess Water
It’s natural for your Beagle to want to shake off the water from their coat, so ideally you should let them!
This is a really effective way for them to remove excess water and it makes them feel good too. Never shout at them for shaking, it’s completely normal!
Dry Your Beagle With A Towel
Dry your Beagle off with a towel or even a hairdryer on a low heat if they’re comfortable with that.
It’s especially important to dry in-between their toes, under their armpits, and around their ears. These areas are more prone to developing skin infections and moisture increases this risk further.
Reward Your Beagle For Being Calm
Once you have bathed your Beagle, you should reward them with a tasty treat for staying calm throughout the bathing process.
Beagles tend to be quite greedy, so they’re sure to appreciate a nice reward. This also helps create a positive association for your Beagle, that bath time is a fun and positive experience!
How Long Does It Take To Bathe A Beagle?
It generally takes about 20-30 minutes to bathe a Beagle properly. However, there’s no rush and you can do things at your own pace. You want to make the process calm and relaxing for your Beagle, so allocating between 20-40 minutes is the ideal timeframe!
So, there you have it! Beagles only need a bath every 4-6 weeks unless they get really dirty or smelly! Bathing them too often can upset the surface of their skin and strip away the natural oils that keep it healthy. Be sure to use dog shampoo too, and rinse it off thoroughly afterwards! Soon, your Beagle will be smelling clean and fresh – and ready to roll in more mud!
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