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How often do you bath your dogs?

Blueroses

Well-known member
Having just got my new puppy I am wondering whether you bath your dogs regularly or just when required ie. dirty, smelly,been rolling in something unmentionable etc. Dont their ears get into everything? .... including dinner ! icon_whistling
 
I bathe Lady about once every 2 weeks as that's when I notice she starts to smell a bit (although she can go longer without one if she hasn't spent a lot of time outside). So yes, I only really give her a bath if I feel she needs it or if I'm having guests around, as she's very friendly (up close and personal) with absolutely everyone and I like her to smell nice.
 
Having just got my new puppy I am wondering whether you bath your dogs regularly or just when required ie. dirty, smelly,been rolling in something unmentionable etc. Dont their ears get into everything? .... including dinner ! icon_whistling

I just bath mine when I think she's looking a bit grubby, or for special occasions. Don't bath your dog too often as it will take all the natural oils out of her coat and this isn't good for her coat or skin. I do mine maybe once every 6wks - 2mths (ish)

You can buy or make a snood to put on you cavalier at mealtimes to stop their ears going in their dinner. Please see link below to give you an idea.

http://www.classiegrooming.com/page11.htm

If you can sew (I can't very well! - but if pushed I could probably, almost make one):wink: then they are easy to make, just take an oblong piece of material, sew the shorter sides together, and run elastic round the two ends, and Bingo!
 
I only give mine an actual bath with shampoo every few months unless they roll in something horrible :rolleyes:. But they do get wet, either from swimming, or wading, or me rinsing them off with water, regularly.

Many vets suggest washing more than every few months strips out protective oils from their skins and coats and can make them prone to dry skin problems and reduces the lustre of the coat. Others say bathing every few weeks is OK but generally I would not recommend more than monthly with shampoo -- you can just give a dog a quick rinse with water and almost any dirt will come out of the coat. For pee smells, just rinsing legs, belly and/or hind leg feathering will remove it. If you are lucky enough to be near a beach or lake, an occasional swim will keep dogs really nice and clean too! I don't know if it really matters all that much if people bathe dogs more often but personally, I wouldn't. A good brushing removes most dirt in the coat.

Many owners use a snood to keep ears clean at meals or when they have a treat. There are lots of websites that sell these. Do a search here on the term and a few threads with links will come up!

Puppies don't tend to need much bathing at all unless they get into something, step in poops (as often happens! :lol: ) etc.

It is important to only use shampoos and conditioners that are intended for dogs as the pH of their skin is completely different from people and human products are very harsh for their skin/coat.
 
Davecav, I have even seen instructions somewhere for making an easy snood out of an old t-shirt sleeve! :lol:
 
About once a month ..in between if he should get into something yucky..but no chance of that now that Im an inner city dweller. I allways used a good shampoo like Aloveen which is kind to the coat and skin.
 
I'm in the "every few months unless...." group. Clancy gets shampooed at the groomer every 2-3 months. If he has a seizure in between, he gets a quickie to clean the pee off (he always urinates during a grand mal). We've had the baby 6 weeks now and he's only had sink rinses if he steps in his poop. icon_blshing
 
Again, thanks everyone. Ive had an idea re. the ears in dinner problem. Whilst he is such a small puppy I could cut a piece off some tights to form a tube. Obviously with the foot off ! :lol:
 
My boy gets bathed every two weeks due to him being an active pet therapy dog. I think you have to be careful about stripping the coat oils however if you use a good shampoo you should be fine. I know a couple people that bathe every week. My other dogs get neglected to once a month, and I only bath that often because my daughter has allergies. Doctor recommended weekly baths but I found once a month was good enough to keep down pet dander.

ETA: I use spaniel bowl for food. Works great for me and no need to worry about the snood.
 
Pippin gets bathed every 2 weeks in summer - he is such a "swiffer" dog that he gets quite dirty underneath, and it needs shampoo to get it out properly. Maddie gets bathed every week in summer - vet advice to wash the pollens from her coat. Their bedding gets washed at least once a week in summer as well for the same reason. I use a lovely mild oatmeal shampoo and conditioner.

In winter they tend to wear jumpers when out, so I just rinse their paws off as and when needed, and they only get a full bath if they look dirty or if they are smelly (or when Maddie rolls in something :yuk: )
 
I sometimes use "Rub downs" on Leo. They are like baby wipes for dogs and can be found in the pet isle of most supermarkets.
Obviously they aren't as good as soap and water but they are quick and they do help, espcially if we've been out and he's a bit muddy. Then a good brush and he looks clean and smells a lot better too:grin:

He is taken to the groomer every 6 weeks for a bath and hair cut.
 
Having just got my new puppy I am wondering whether you bath your dogs regularly or just when required ie. dirty, smelly,been rolling in something unmentionable etc. Dont their ears get into everything? .... including dinner ! icon_whistling

Twice a month or when they get really dirty. I trim their hair and my cavaliers have a short coat so it's never been much of an issue for us.
 
Washing their blankets, bed ect

When you bath them do you wash their blankets, bed ect? If not ...when/how often do you do this?
Thanks,
Kristen
 
When you bath them do you wash their blankets, bed ect? If not ...when/how often do you do this?
Thanks,
Kristen

Since the dogs sleep in my bed, "their" blankets and sheets get washed once a week! Seriously, having had multiple dogs for many years, I'm pretty sensitive to keeping my home from smelling like a kennel. That means that I wash all dog beds, etc., every week and vacuum frequently. Getting a large front loader washer some years back made such a difference in ease of washing and cost also since they are more efficient and use less water.

There is a real difference in opinion on how often to bathe on the opposite sides of "the pond." I bathe mine every one to two weeks - much more often than is recommended on the other side but again, I have multiple dogs and they sleep with me. Since I'm allergic to seasonal pollens and they sleep under my nose, I bathe more frequently in spring and fall. I think the key to keeping skin and coat nice and healthy is the product that you use. There are so many good products now that are soap-free and contain a combination of natural cleaning botanical agents that leave the coats nice and soft, shiny and nourished. I use products by Tropiclean - not expensive esp. if you buy them in one or five gallon sizes. All of my dogs have lovely, soft coats and good skin.

Pat
 
I genreally bath mine every 2weeks. I'll wash feetand face in between. I was sondering though, his fur actually seems to get oily after about 10 days. Has anyone else ever experienced this?
 
I don't bathe Ruby anymore as with the SM I can tell she actually finds it intolerable now. She goes for a swim when we hit the lakes and still enjoys that- if she gets grubby I dry her off with the hair drier (which for some odd reason she actually LOVES) and then brush any dirt out. I have a spray that neutralises doggy odours which I use on her.

Charlie on the other hand rolls in every foul smell and substance known to man (and dog)! So he ends up being chucked in the bath every couple of weeks but I use the spray if it is only a smell rather than a substance!! :lol:

His new name is Mr Disgustington!
 
If I had my way I would bath mine every week but there SM doesn't always allow it. All are irritated by some aspect of bathing. I typically bath every 1-3 weeks. Whenever I find them too stinky to be cuddled with anymore. :yuk:

Mine always get oily looking after about a week but I figured that is because of all the fish oil I feed them.
 
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