Whether your pooch loves her weekly wash or trembles at the sight of water, as a dog owner you've probably wondered how often you should be washing your pet.

The answer is: probably less than you think — although some forms of grooming do have great benefits for your pet.

If you have a regular, healthy dog without a skin condition, "you actually don't have to wash your dog ever," says Samantha Crothers, a Melbourne-based vet at a specialist centre.

Robert Hilton, a veterinarian who practises in the field of veterinary dermatology, agrees.

"In general, healthy dogs only need to be bathed if they smell. There's no reason particularly to bath a healthy dog, unless they're dirty," Dr Hilton says.

Peppa from Brisbane isn't keen on baths. The good news is she might not need to have many of them, experts say. ( Supplied: Kellie Scott )

Keep in mind that in the wild, feral dogs generally don't bathe (and they definitely don't use shampoo).

So when we wash our dogs, it's mostly because we want to keep them from muddying up our homes, particularly after they roll around in the dirt, says Dr Crothers.

"Or some dogs develop a doggy smell and people want to remove that, or they get dusty or dirty," Dr Hilton says.

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Does this mean we're over-washing our dogs?

Some of us are.

"In general, dogs are bathed more often than they need to be," Dr Hilton says.

But unless your dog has a skin condition or other health problem, it's probably not causing much harm.

"If I see a normal healthy dog, they can wash their dog as often as they like," Dr Crothers says.

Most domestic dogs get a wash every now and then because they smell or get muddy, experts say. ( Unsplash )

What if my dog has a skin condition?

If your dog has any form of skin disease or an allergy, it's important you consult your vet before washing your pooch.

Depending on the condition, your dog may be better off with no washing, or may need more regular bathing.

For dogs with some forms of skin disease, the washing process can dry out the dog's skin and should be avoided, says Dr Hilton.

"The danger is dogs with allergic skin disease commonly have a defect in their skin barrier, which manifests as drying of the skin and that contributes to their misery," he says.

"And using harsh shampoos — harsh being anything that strips any further lipid [fatty protective] layer off the skin or damages it — potentially makes the itch worse."

Avoid any products intended for use in humans, as human skin is very different and less sensitive than a dog's, says Dr Hilton.

Also, stay away from products containing coal tar or harsh strippers such as selenium or benzyl peroxide, products designed to treat scale/seborrhoea if this is not present, as well as cheap or unknown brands.

A vet can point you towards the right (milder) options for your pet's skin.

On the other hand, dogs with bacteria and yeast infections, or with an accumulation of dandruff scale, do need to be bathed to remove "the pathological build-up of stuff on the skin," Dr Hilton says.

But if you do bath a dog with skin disease, you should almost always use a medicated conditioner afterwards, as recommend by their vet.

How often should I brush my dog?

Keeping your pet clean isn't just about bathing.

Brushing him or her is beneficial for the removal of shedding fur, prevention of painful tangles, removal of that "doggy" smell by scraping away old oils, and removal of ticks and grass seeds — which can wiggle down into the skin and hurt your dog.

"It also allows the dog to keep clean areas that it might otherwise struggle to, [such as] the tail and the chest," says Paul McGreevy, a professor of animal behaviour and animal welfare science at the University of Sydney's School of Veterinary Science.

Being aware of any lumps or bumps under the skin are other benefits, adds David Cunliffe, head of an animal hospital in Melbourne.

Brushing your dog is beneficial for the removal of shedding fur and prevention of painful tangles. ( Unsplash )

Remaining vigilant about brushing is ideal in the months approaching summer, when many dogs shed more hair than normal, explains Dr Cunliffe.

"It happens as the days start to get longer, basically from the footy grand final [in late September] onwards," he says .

"It's a seasonal response to summertime."

The exact amount of brushing your dog needs depends on the length and type of the dog's coat.

If your dog has a well-developed undercoat — as do samoyeds, huskies and other arctic breeds — you'll need to brush as often as once a day during shedding season to avoid knotting and dreadlocks, which can cause serious skin conditions if old hairs are left in the coat, says Dr Cunliffe.

Dogs with regular or less dense undercoats, such as poodles, don't need quite as much brushing and once a week will do.

But if their coat is growing long, it can get tangled and should be regularly brushed (you might also consider a trim).

The extra benefits of grooming

Brushing also has behavioural benefits — such as teaching them to sit still — that are often overlooked.

"It's one-on-one time [that's valuable] especially if you're attentive to what the dog's behaviour is telling you," Dr McGreevy says.

"The best owners are so attentive to the dog's behaviour that they can tell they're grooming an area that the dog really loves being groomed, and that's often the front of the chest and the tail — those hard-to-reach places."

Brushing can be a joy for a dog and owner, or a real chore, says Dr Cunliffe.

"My tip is get your dog used to being brushed young, and make sure they associate it with lots of rewards — here's a treat, here's a tickle with the comb, here's a treat, here's a tickle with the comb."