How Often
The answer to the second consideration is ‘not too often.’ A dog’s coat needs the oils produced in the skin to remain soft and silky and to keep from getting brittle or damaged. If you bathe your dog too often (every week, for example), you will strip away these essential oils.

A good rule of thumb is to only bathe your dog when he is visibly dirty or noticeably smelly. At the same time, you don’t want to go too long or some dogs will get tangles and matted hair. Regular brushing between baths can solve this problem. The ideal amount of time between baths will vary from dog to dog and may change depending on the weather and time of year.

How to Bathe
A few tips:

• Make it fun. Praise your dog often, and start while your dog is young so he becomes comfortable with everything that goes along with bath time.
  
• Select an appropriate location based on the size of your dog and the time of year. A sink or a washtub works for puppies and small dogs. Big dogs need the bathtub. If it's warm outside, you may consider using a child's wading pool or a hose.
  
• Placing a rubber mat in the bottom of the tub will help your dog feel more secure. Providing your dog with a surface he can grip onto will help him feel more secure.
  
• Before starting, gather all the things you need: shampoo, towels, possibly a bucket. Once you begin the bath, you don’t want to leave your dog unattended. He may escape the tub and involve you in an undesired game of chase.
  
• Use lukewarm water and shampoo.  Apply specially formulated shampoo for dogs – if possible, use tearless dog shampoo products.
  
• Wet your dog’s head last as this will minimize his desire to shake.
  
• Rinse well. Excess soap left on the skin or coat may cause skin irritation leading to flaky, itchy discomfort. Such skin irritation can also be caused by too-frequent bathing.
  
• When rinsing, be careful not to get water in his eyes or ears.
  
• After a thorough rinsing, towel dry your dog.  During cold weather, keep your dog inside until dry. You can speed drying time by using a hairdryer set at warm or cool – not hot as this may burn him. 

Dogs love a good shake to remove excess water. A shake starts at the dog’s head and moves down the body ending with the tail. Tossing a towel over your dog immediately after the bath can prevent too much water on the walls.

Also, bathing is a good opportunity to check your dog’s skin and body for anything out of the ordinary. Feel all over for lumps and rough areas. Contact your veterinarian if you find anything.