Now that autumnal weather has well and truly descended upon us, dog walks may well involve muddy paws, soggy legs, a wet underbelly, or, indeed, an entirely saturated body if you have pooch with a penchant for rolling. Certain dogs really do seem able to find the smelliest and most disgusting things to roll in. This is, apparently, a throw back to when dogs were wild and needed to roll in faeces and carcasses to mask their scent so that they could creep up on their prey. If you smell like your prey, or your prey’s dung, then you’re more likely to catch it.

If you have a smelly dog, or an exceptionally muddy one, then bathing him or her is unavoidable. But how often should you wash your dog? Veterinary experts worry that some dog owners bathe their pets far too frequently, concerned more for the cleanliness and appearance of their homes than the wellbeing of their pet. Many dogs don’t require routine bathing at all and their coat condition can be well maintained by regular grooming and brushing.

Too much bathing can strip away essential oils from a dog’s skin, leaving it dry and itchy, although some dermatological conditions benefit from a specially medicated, dog-specific shampoo prescribed by a vet. Human shampoos should never be used because they’re too acidic – instead, there is a wide range of doggy shampoo to choose from.

Grooming and bathing are also great opportunities to check a dog for fleas and ticks, and to ensure there are no new lumps and bumps or hidden wounds.