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Hello everyone! I want to know how many times in a month do you wash your dogs and do you use shampoo?
How often do you bath your dogs????
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Like pandora, I almost never give my dogs baths, generally once a year or less. Only if they roll in something really nasty or have a run-in with a skunk (and then it's the special hydrogen peroxide & baking soda bath) When I do have to bathe them for non-skunking reasons, I use Earthbath brand shampoo. Otherwise they just get brushed regularly.
Now, I do have dogs with short, slick coats, so nothing really 'sticks' to them & even serious mud just dries up & falls off, so that makes a difference.
Now, I do have dogs with short, slick coats, so nothing really 'sticks' to them & even serious mud just dries up & falls off, so that makes a difference.
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Same. Almost never. Even my fluffy white / light cream colored dog keeps himself very clean without bathing. It's funny how dog fur does often seem to have a non-stick quality. When bathing is very rarely necessary, I use my own Sunsilk Soft & Smooth (yellow bottle) shampoo, and they seem to like it.
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I'm using organic shampoo but because I've been reading a lot of stuff about not using shampoo, I'm also going to stop using it.
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I have curly dogs, which means they have to be bathed and trimmed more regularly to keep their coat and skin healthy (and you do not want to use electric clippers on dirty hair, trust me). At MOST they get bathed once a month with shampoo and conditioner, but in reality it's usually closer to every other month. Our older dog (poodle) needs it more frequently, because if his face and neck grow out too much, he starts getting hotspots. Our younger dog (Lagotto Romagnolo) I can get away with managing his coat with scissors much of the year, so I've only actually bathed and shaved him down when it gets too warm for him to be comfortable in a longer coat.
We do rinse them down if they get particularly muddy or have something gross on them that will come out without soap (someone occasionally gets peed on, the joys of having boy dogs...), and the youngest spends time in the ocean every week when it's warm enough. Regular water, even salt water, isn't going to be a stripping as shampoo is. But if you choose a high-quality shampoo formulated for dogs (and I like a quality dog conditioner too if you have long-haired or curly coated dogs to reduce matting and make combing/brushing easier), you're going to have fewer problems bathing more frequently, if your dog or lifestyle requires it.
Some people bathe their dogs MUCH more frequently - as in, weekly - because they're managing a skin condition or allergic itching, or they're showing the dog, or because it's a working service dog and bathing helps keep dander down as a courtesy to allergic people the team might encounter. Getting a really gentle dog shampoo that's moisturizing or soap-free can make a huge difference in these cases. Human shampoo is generally a big no, though I've heard baby shampoo can be used in a pinch if your pup has no skin problems.
We do rinse them down if they get particularly muddy or have something gross on them that will come out without soap (someone occasionally gets peed on, the joys of having boy dogs...), and the youngest spends time in the ocean every week when it's warm enough. Regular water, even salt water, isn't going to be a stripping as shampoo is. But if you choose a high-quality shampoo formulated for dogs (and I like a quality dog conditioner too if you have long-haired or curly coated dogs to reduce matting and make combing/brushing easier), you're going to have fewer problems bathing more frequently, if your dog or lifestyle requires it.
Some people bathe their dogs MUCH more frequently - as in, weekly - because they're managing a skin condition or allergic itching, or they're showing the dog, or because it's a working service dog and bathing helps keep dander down as a courtesy to allergic people the team might encounter. Getting a really gentle dog shampoo that's moisturizing or soap-free can make a huge difference in these cases. Human shampoo is generally a big no, though I've heard baby shampoo can be used in a pinch if your pup has no skin problems.
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We had a very large black lab who, I believe, was part hippo. He loved to roll in every bit of mud he could find. Bathing him outdoors was like washing a running truck that's in gear. He wouldn't bolt. He would just wander off, so it took two to bathe him. I once tried to lift him to bathe him indoors and I pulled muscles I wasn't even aware of until then. For about a month, I couldn't lift a gallon of milk.
Eventually I learned that, if I just let the mud dry completely, it could very easily be brushed out - leaving his coat in better shape that it was before the mud-bath.
The only time I gave him a real bath was when he'd rolled in something really foul - like rotted fish or skunk poop.
Most shampoos for humans are not at all suitable for dogs because it's too drying. Invest in a premium dog shampoo. A little goes a long way. If you use too much, it will be difficult to rinse off and you ALWAYS want to make sure the dog is thoroughly rinsed when you're done. Try to avoid supermarket brands, like Hartz. Sometimes it's easier if you mix it with some warm water before putting it on the dog.
Eventually I learned that, if I just let the mud dry completely, it could very easily be brushed out - leaving his coat in better shape that it was before the mud-bath.
The only time I gave him a real bath was when he'd rolled in something really foul - like rotted fish or skunk poop.
Most shampoos for humans are not at all suitable for dogs because it's too drying. Invest in a premium dog shampoo. A little goes a long way. If you use too much, it will be difficult to rinse off and you ALWAYS want to make sure the dog is thoroughly rinsed when you're done. Try to avoid supermarket brands, like Hartz. Sometimes it's easier if you mix it with some warm water before putting it on the dog.
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Once he starts to smell bad (every 6 months or so). I use Oatmeal shampoo, and mane and tail conditioner
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Is oster ok?? I just read about hartz killing dogs and I bought oster from walmart...I read the ingredients and it seems ok
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We have 3 dogs and I bathe them much more frequently than most probably would. Our little cavalier is a dirty boy, he’s so low to the ground he picks up everything, and he also manages to pee on himself almost every day. He ends up in the bath about once a week, with usually 2 or 3 “belly baths” in between (he’s high maintainence...at least he’s small!). I use espana silk shampoo and conditioner and it’s never irritated or dried out his skin. Keeping him clean also prevents his fur from matting.
Our other two are big dogs, and much cleaner naturally, but I still bathe them about once a month. They are all allowed on furniture, and sleep in our bedroom, so I just like to have them clean and not smelling like dog. None of them have ever had issues with too frequent bathing.
I think as long as you don’t use a harsh shampoo, do whatever you like/need to keep them smelling good or neutral.
Our other two are big dogs, and much cleaner naturally, but I still bathe them about once a month. They are all allowed on furniture, and sleep in our bedroom, so I just like to have them clean and not smelling like dog. None of them have ever had issues with too frequent bathing.
I think as long as you don’t use a harsh shampoo, do whatever you like/need to keep them smelling good or neutral.
I think part of this is also a cultural question , where I'm from it's considered quite sissy to constantly bath your dog.. I know in the UK many people don't bath their dogs too often it's also considered unnatural but in the US and in many Asian countries I see that people are much more worried about the dirt that their dog might track into the house and they bathe them a lot more regularly
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It's also a matter of personal sensitivity.
I happen to like the smell of a dog - even a wet dog. My wife, on the other hand, will complain that one of our dogs, "smells like a dog." I will usually say, "That's because she's a dog." As long as she doesn't smell like a sewer, I'm fine with it.
I also like the smell of chlorine, from years of competitive swimming and teaching, so there might be something seriously wrong with my sense-of-smell.
I happen to like the smell of a dog - even a wet dog. My wife, on the other hand, will complain that one of our dogs, "smells like a dog." I will usually say, "That's because she's a dog." As long as she doesn't smell like a sewer, I'm fine with it.
I also like the smell of chlorine, from years of competitive swimming and teaching, so there might be something seriously wrong with my sense-of-smell.
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My shedding dogs got a bath once a year whether they needed it or not, lol. (Or if they'd rolled in something particularly disgusting.) Mostly I found that spot wipes served better. The less I bathed, they less they needed baths.
My late Giant Schnauzer and my current Poodle got/get bathed at the groomer while getting haircuts every 8-12 weeks or so (shorter intervals in summer, longer in winter).
My late Giant Schnauzer and my current Poodle got/get bathed at the groomer while getting haircuts every 8-12 weeks or so (shorter intervals in summer, longer in winter).
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I am all for only when necessary, which will vary by dog. My 11 year old Pug has probably had six her whole life. My LW Aussie used to go to the groomer about 4-5 times a year... she spends much more time outside. She hasn't been in a while due to health issues, so did it myself with a good dog shampoo. That REALLY made me appreciate my groomer!😃
Since I compete with my dogs and bathe them before shows, they usually get a bath once every month or two. Now with the lockdown, I haven't bathed either one for 6 months. There's finally a Rally trial here in mid-September, so the one still competing in Rally will get a bath the day before. Without the competing, I wouldn't bathe unless one got unusually dirty or had a skunk encounter, something like that. But I have Rottweilers. It would be different with a dog with a long coat, but then that's one of the reasons I'll never have a dog with a long coat.
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I totally agree with this. In my country, I feel like you're supposed to give them a bath once a week but I never did that as long as my dogs don't have that "dog smell". I usually just wash their feet and face at the end of the day.
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I use Burt's Bees anti-itch shampoo for my Retriever mix with their oatmeal conditioner to treat his skin allergies. I use the same for my Labrador. And I bathe them every 6 - 8 weeks depending on the weather. If it is extremely hot (over 90 degrees) or cold (under 70 degrees); I'll give it a pass until the temperature and/or humidity is better.
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I'm not sure there's a 'one-size-fits-all' answer, I think the trick is finding what works best for your pup in your circumstances. Where I am it's very dry in winter, so naturally my dog's skin gets a bit dry too. But washing doesn't help that, it just irritates her skin more - so I've found that natural/organic coconut oil (the real stuff not in a spray bottle) helps if you just brush it through your pup's coat. Again this is specific to my dog's coat, I imagine its a very different thing with other coats! In summer I play it by ear, she gets a bath every few months or when needed
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