Dog grooming schedule: brushing, baths, nails, ears and teeth

A simple dog grooming schedule: brush short coats weekly, medium coats a few times a week and long coats daily. Bathe when the coat is dirty, and at least every three months per the ASPCA. Trim nails every three to four weeks, check ears regularly and clean about monthly, and brush teeth daily if you can.

Key points

• Coat type sets the brushing: once a week for short coats, a few times a week for medium, every day for long, per PDSA.
• Baths are rarer than people think. The ASPCA says most dogs don't need more than a few baths a year.
• Nails: the AKC says most dogs need a trim every three to four weeks. Clicking on the floor means they're too long.
• Teeth matter most. The AVMA calls brushing the single most effective thing you can do at home, daily if possible.
• Ears: check them regularly. If you see wax, smell something or your dog keeps scratching, call your vet before cleaning.

What is a dog grooming schedule by coat type?

It's a list of five jobs, brushing, bathing, nails, ears and teeth, each with its own interval. Only brushing and bathing really change with the coat. Nails, ears and teeth follow the dog, not the fur. Here's the whole schedule in one table, from the AKC, ASPCA, PDSA and AVMA.

Task	Short coat	Medium or double coat	Long coat	Hairless
Brushing	Once a week	A few times a week	Every day	Skin care in place of brushing
Bathing	When dirty, at least every 3 months	When dirty; overbathing strips oil	Every few weeks, as your groomer advises	Weekly, per groomers quoted by the AKC
Nails	Every 3 to 4 weeks	Every 3 to 4 weeks	Every 3 to 4 weeks	Every 3 to 4 weeks
Ears	Check regularly, clean about monthly	Check regularly, clean about monthly	Check regularly, clean about monthly	Check regularly, clean about monthly
Teeth	Daily, or at least 3 times a week	Daily, or at least 3 times a week	Daily, or at least 3 times a week	Daily, or at least 3 times a week

Treat these as starting points. A dog with a skin condition, or one that swims every day, needs its own plan from your vet.

How often should I brush my dog?

Brush a short coat once a week, a medium coat a few times a week, and a long coat every day. That's PDSA's advice, and the ASPCA and AKC say much the same. Long, silky coats need daily attention because they tangle, and once a mat forms it's a job for a groomer.

PDSA's advice is not to tackle mats at home, and the ASPCA says to comb or cut out mats before a bath. A few minutes of brushing each evening is easier to keep up than one long session at the weekend, and it catches tangles while they're small.

Breeds that need a coat trimmed or the undercoat stripped go to a groomer around 4 to 6 times a year, PDSA says, and medium haired breeds a couple of times a year.

How often should I bathe my dog?

Less often than you'd guess. The ASPCA says to bathe a dog at least once every three months, more often for dogs outdoors a lot or with skin problems. Its general care page adds that most dogs don't need more than a few baths a year. Shampoo strips the coat's natural oils, PDSA warns.

Coat changes the picture. Groomers quoted by the AKC say hairless breeds such as the Chinese Crested need a weekly bath, and medium to large coats anything from weekly to every four to six weeks. For a short coat, one groomer in the same AKC piece says a damp washcloth between dirty outings will do.

Use a dog shampoo. PDSA says human shampoos can irritate a dog's skin, and to check with your vet first if your dog has a skin condition.

How often should I trim my dog's nails?

Every three to four weeks for most dogs, the AKC says, depending on how active the dog is and how fast the nails grow. The ASPCA's test is simpler: trim when the nails just about touch the ground as your dog walks. If you can hear them clicking on the floor, they're too long.

PDSA says dogs can generally wear their nails down through activity, though some need regular clipping. The ASPCA notes that city dogs, which walk on pavement, may need fewer trims.

How often should I clean my dog's ears and teeth?

Check ears regularly and clean them about once a month, the AKC says, though some dogs need more. Brush teeth every day if you can. The AVMA puts daily brushing first and says several times a week can still work, and it wants teeth and gums checked by a vet at least once a year.

On ears, the ASPCA warns against cleaning so often or so deeply that you cause irritation. PDSA says if you see wax, hair build up, a smell or itching, call your vet before trying to clean them.

Teeth are the job I'd put first, and the one most owners skip. The AVMA calls brushing the single most effective thing you can do at home between dental cleanings. Use a toothpaste made for dogs. PDSA says never to use human toothpaste, because it can contain xylitol, which is toxic to dogs. Bad breath, tartar, loose teeth or dropping food are signs to book a vet check sooner, per the AVMA.

How does Pawlarm set up grooming reminders?

I built Pawlarm to start a care plan from your dog's breed and age, and grooming is part of it. Each breed in the app has a coat length, and that sets a weekly brushing reminder at a time you can change. You can move the days and time, or switch it off.

From the app's own code:

• Short coats start with brushing once a week.
• Medium and long coats start with brushing on more days of the week.
• Hairless breeds get a weekly Skin wipe down instead of brushing.

To be straight with you, PDSA and the ASPCA say long coats need brushing every day, and Pawlarm starts them on fewer days than that. If your dog tangles, add the missing days. Nails, baths, ears and teeth aren't in the starter plan, so add each as its own reminder: daily for teeth, monthly for ears, every three or four weeks for nails. Tap Done or Snooze on the notification. Some breeds show topics to raise with your vet on their profile, such as Dental care for a Maltese or Ear care for a Poodle.

Pawlarm is on the App Store and Google Play. Set up a grooming plan in Pawlarm. How the rest of the plan is built is in my post on the pet care plan by breed and age, and puppy grooming starts in the new puppy first 30 days checklist. If your dog is also on medicine, see dog medication reminders.

Frequently asked questions

How often should a dog be groomed?

Brush weekly for short coats and daily for long ones, trim nails every three to four weeks, and brush teeth as close to daily as you can. Professional trims depend on the breed: PDSA says some breeds need their coat trimmed around four to six times a year.

Can I bathe my dog once a week?

For most dogs that's more than needed. The ASPCA says at least every three months, and most dogs only need a few baths a year. Groomers quoted by the AKC do bathe hairless breeds weekly. Use a dog shampoo, and ask your vet if your dog has skin problems.

How often should I brush my dog's teeth?

Daily, according to the AVMA, PDSA and the AKC. If that isn't realistic, the AVMA says several times a week can still be effective, and PDSA says at least three times a week. Use a dog toothpaste, never a human one.

Do short haired dogs need grooming?

Yes, just less brushing. PDSA says a short coat may only need brushing once a week. Nails, ears and teeth need the same care as any other dog, because those depend on the dog, not its coat.

How I wrote this

On 4 November 2026 I read PDSA's grooming and dental care pages, the ASPCA's grooming tips and general dog care pages, three AKC articles on grooming, bathing and nails, and the AVMA's pet dental care brochure. I checked Pawlarm's grooming reminders in the app's code. I'm not a vet or a groomer.

This is general information, not medical or veterinary advice. Ask your doctor or vet.

By John Osakwe, founder of Etest Tech Hub. I have built apps and websites since 2015, including Etest CBT, FizzFree and Pawlarm.