Let’s talk about giving the dog a bath. So many people tell me that they are lucky to give their dog a bath one or two times a year! Really? And s/he lives in the house? House dogs should be shampooed as often as necessary to keep them clean and smelling good. We need to keep the dog as clean as we keep our kids and our house. There’s no “bathing the dog too much.” People tell me that giving the dog a bath isnt healthy because their coats are made to repel water and somehow that will “wash off” if they get a bath. Being clean is healthy. And dogs love it when they feel clean! Not all dogs have water repellent coats. The ones that do secrete an oil that coats their fur to help it repel water. Also, it’s important to know that flea drops are not washed off by bathing the dog. Flea drops are absorbed into and distributed by the dog’s blood stream. Surveys by a number of different pet magazines have discovered that about 48% of us give their dog a bath in the shower! If your dog is too big to bathe in the kitchen sink, you might want to try the shower.