How Often Should You Wash Your Pitbull? (and How to Do It Right) 

Pit bulls are among the most affectionate dog breeds; they will always provide their owners with a lot of love and care. So, if you love your Pitbull, you will need to give some of that love back.

The simplest way to do that is by taking care of your dog’s hygiene. Pit bulls are not high-maintenance, as they have short fur, which makes your grooming sessions less complicated as well as less frequent. 

But, So, how often should you wash your Pitbull? Most owners get confused about when they should wash their dogs. After all, we want our dogs to be clean, but we don’t want to overdo it.

You should wash your Pitbull as frequently as every 2 months but no less than once every 6 months. How often you wash your Pitbull will depend on the dog’s age, health, activity level as well as the weather. Since Pitbulls have short hair, they don’t need washing as often as other dogs.

Keep reading to learn more about how often to wash your Pitbull in different seasons and how to do it quickly and properly.

How Often Should You Wash Your Pitbull?

Generally, you should wash your Pitbull once every 2 to 6 months. They don’t need to be washed often as they have short hair and produce natural oils that protect their coats and skin. So, the frequency of their baths will depend on factors like the dog’s age, health, activity level, and weather.

Overbwashing (more than once a week) your Pitbull can be pretty harmful to their skin, as they can develop skin infections. It will also hinder their production of natural oils, which will lead them to have dry skin.

Here’s a quick breakdown of how often you should wash your Pitbull in different seasons:

Summer	Winter
Once every 5-6 months is preferred	Once every 3-4 months is preferred
Use cool water to help your Pitbull cool down	Use warm water to help them find warmth
Your dog needs moisture but not too much because the weather is not dry	Your dog needs more moisture to prevent dry skin
Your dog can bathe outdoors	Bathe your dog indoors at a warm temperature. Remember, they have short fur and can get cold easily.
Doesn’t require a lot of time to dry	Need more effort and time to dry
Not necessary to use a hairdryer	It’s preferable to use a hairdryer
Brush their fur every other day	Brush daily

Do Pit Bulls Like Baths? 

Pit bulls can like baths if they are used to them from puppyhood. The younger your Pitbull gets used to baths, the easier it will be for him to bathe as an adult. However, if they associate negative feelings with baths, it might be harder to get them to like baths again in the future. 

So if you adopt your Pitbull while it’s still a puppy, you might need to start warming them up to the idea of bathing.

Can You Bathe Your Pit Bull Once A Week? 

Bathing your Pitbull once a week is too frequent. If your Pittie gets muddy and dirty, you can rinse them out with water, but avoid using any products. Remember, they produce natural oils that are essential for their skin’s health, and if you bathe them too often, you will be stripping them of these oils. 

When Must You Wash Your Pitbull Right Away?

Sometimes you set a schedule and hope to be able to go by it. But, you might have experienced this; you are on a walk with your Pittie, and you look away for a second, and when you look back, they have found a way to get themselves all muddy and dirty. 

Yes, we have all been there. Thus, you might find yourself needing to bathe them more frequently, and that’s okay. 

There are cases when you need to start bathing your Pitbull right away:

Playful walks

As mentioned, Pitbulls love to run and be energetic. They can also enjoy a little muddy play, which eventually gets stuck to their coat and makes them smell really bad. 

If, after a playful walk, you find your Pittie smelling extra bad, treat them with a nice bath. 

Stinky smell

If your Pittie smells, you should bathe them right away. Bad odor can be typical for Pitbulls as they love to run and fart. However, you should not leave your Pittie smelling sticky as it can also mean they need to be bathed. 

Medical condition 

If your Pittie has a medical condition that requires you to use a specific medicinal shampoo, you might need to bathe them more regularly as part of their treatment. 

Their coat is also prone to infections, which makes it extra important to prevent them from being dirty for long periods of time. 

Chemicals 

If you have been doing some gardening, it is possible that you have used some chemicals. You have probably warned your Pitbulls not to go outside and roll on the grass, but they could not help it. 

If Your dog has been exposed to such chemicals, you should bathe them right away and make sure all the chemicals are out of their coats. 

Salt 

If the snow did not stop you from going for a walk with your Pitbull, then you are amazing. Before going out in the snow, make sure your Pitbull is warm enough. A cute little pullover will look adorable on them. 

The salt that is used to melt the snow on the street can be quite harmful to your dog. It can hurt their paws.

Thus, you should bathe your dog the minute they get home. You should also double-check to see if their paws are salt-free. 

How to Wash Your Pitbull? (Properly and Quickly)

1. Cover their ears

Pit bulls are prone to ear infections, you need to keep their ears clean and dry all the time. To be able to bathe them and still keep their ears dry, use cotton balls. 

Gently insert the cotton balls in both ears and make sure their ear canal is covered. 

2. Wet your Pit bull’s coat

Before letting the water touch your four-legged best friend, test it out with your hands first. You need to make sure the water is not too cold and not too hot. A warm temperature is ideal. 

If you do not pay attention to the warmth of the water, your pit bull may develop hatred toward baths. 

After you have made sure that the temperature is just right, start gently wetting their coat. This shouldn’t take long as they do not have much fur. 

3. Use a pet-friendly shampoo

Please do not use human shampoo; it is important to buy your dog its own shampoo. If you want some recommendations, check out my guide on the best shampoos for Pitbulls here.

Apply a generous amount of the shampoo and use your own fingers to gently rub it in on the dog’s coat to make sure all the dirt has come out. 

If your dog has issues with the shampoo you are using now, consider a hypoallergenic shampoo. I have been using Burt’s bees hypoallergenic shampoos with good results so far, and I always recommend it to my friends and so far have only heard great things about their experiences with them so far.

You can check it on Amazon here or by clicking on the image below:

4. Thoroughly rinse the shampoo away 

Rinsing the shampoo out thoroughly should not be taken lightly. Make sure all excess shampoo is out of your Pittie’s coat. Make sure the shampoo is scent-free. Fragrance can irritate their skin. 

5. Use a conditioner 

Like the shampoo, make sure you buy your dog’s specialized scent-free conditioner. Rub it in to dissolve any knots and make their coat look shiny and smooth. Then rinse out. 

6. Dry your Pitbull thoroughly 

Especially in winter, you do not want to leave your Pitbull feeling wet and cold. Moreover, their coat can smell really bad if you leave them wet for too long. No one would want that!  

How to Dry Your Pitbull After A Bath?

1. Air drying 

This is the most old-fashioned way and the least recommended. If it’s summer, you can let your dog air dry. However, it will take longer, and your dog might roll around indoors or outdoors and get dirty again. 

2. Towels

Using towels with high absorbency has proven to be quite effective. Depending on how large your Pitbull is, you might use bigger towels. 

It is also best if you buy a towel specifically designed for dogs, as it is thinner and can draw more water, which ultimately means less drying time. 

3. Hairdryers 

A lot of dog owners have resorted to using their personal hair dryers to dry their dogs after a bath, which is honestly very smart. 

While drying your dog with a hairdryer, make sure you set the temperature to low or medium so as not to burn your dog. 

Also, keep moving your hands and don’t concentrate on one area for too long as it can burn your Pitbull. 

Once your Pitbull is 90% dry, you can let them air dry the remaining 10%. Of course, using a hairdryer will speed up the process, especially in winter. 

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