how often should i bath my dog?

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katej215
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Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:05 am

how often should i bath my dog?

Post by katej215 »

Hi there,

I've always been keen on not over washing my 8month old pup as dont want to dry out her skin- particularly as she is a wire haired breed, whom I've read can be prone to skin problems. However every weekend when we take her further afield for her walks she has a right old time of it -running in streams, rolling in goodness knows what, and generally getting absolutely filthy. Unless she smells of something foul, i've just been towelling her dry after her walk - however my partner has just been diagnosed with scabies :shock: - which i'm presuming has been picked up from the dog..Altho the dog seems fine ..she gets her monthly Advocate /have her booked in with the vet for a check..

Anyway - my question is - is it too much too wash my pup with pup shampoo every time she gets herself in a state (has been every weekend so far??)
bendog
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Re: how often should i bath my dog?

Post by bendog »

Yep, you are exactly right. Don't bath them. If they've rolled in something gross then a bath might be the only answer - or else just wash the dirty part.

I don't think bathing more would prevent scabies anyway
ladybug1802
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Re: how often should i bath my dog?

Post by ladybug1802 »

I personally wouldnt wash her every time shet gets dirty. I have had my dog 2 and a half years and he regularly jumps into water, through mud etc and comes back looking filthy (he is tan colour and has long 'trousers' which get covered in mud) but I just towel him off (like you said) and wait for it to dry. Most of it then falls of and I then hoover it and brush through his fur!

I have bathed my dog once, when I first got him from the rescue centre because he was very grubby. I havent done it since, and dont intend to...and they dont need it. Apart from irritating the skin, and there being a high risk of not rinsing the shampoo fully, it strips the coat of its natural oils which have water repelling properties.

The scabies thing I cant comment on Im afraid!
katej215
Posts: 302
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Re: how often should i bath my dog?

Post by katej215 »

thanks guys
bendog wrote:I don't think bathing more would prevent scabies anyway
i'm presuming OH has picked this up from our dog rolling in something - so not sure how to prevent this happening again? (she zooms around so much it would be easier said than done) couldnt face another major disinfect of everything (including ourselves...)
JudyN
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Re: how often should i bath my dog?

Post by JudyN »

A quick google suggests that you can't catch scabies from dogs or cats, but they are caught from human-to-human transmission in the same way as head lice, so I don't think you need to worry about bathing your dog. My sister-in-law caught them at university because she never changed her sheets, apparently, but I'm not suggesting for a moment that this is the case for you :lol:
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Suzette
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Re: how often should i bath my dog?

Post by Suzette »

I agree that washing your dog weekly is not a good idea. But washing them once in a while won't do any harm either unless you have a dog with unusually sensitive skin or a skin condition that might be affected by bathing. I've had dogs my whole life and have given maybe four baths in all. I find a good brushing does the trick almost always and/or a good rub down with a damp cloth. But if you ever do need to bathe (and the truth is, sometimes you just do -- like the time years ago when my golden retriever rolled head to tail in some disgusting, horrid smelling muck on the edge of a stream :shock: ) then a shampoo designed to be super gentle (I like the oatmeal based ones) would be a good choice to have on hand.
My avatar is Piper, my sweet Pembroke Corgi. b. 5/11/11
Ari_RR
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Re: how often should i bath my dog?

Post by Ari_RR »

We wash Ari, perhaps every other month or so. Just need high quality shampoo and conditioner.
He has short hair, though, so rinsing him is not that difficult with a hand-held shower.
We wash the cat too...
Not that they love it, but they take it well enough.

And it's fun after the bath, when towels come out :lol:
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Suzette
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Re: how often should i bath my dog?

Post by Suzette »

I love that picture of Ari! :D :D
My avatar is Piper, my sweet Pembroke Corgi. b. 5/11/11
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Nettle
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Re: how often should i bath my dog?

Post by Nettle »

Scabies - dab on neat lavender oil. Cures it AND stops the itch - and it's safe.

My dogs go all their lives without being bathed. If they roll in something grim, I spot-wash that area.

Some heavy-coated dogs do benefit from a bath once in a while, but the less it gets done, the better. Good thorough brushing is a must, though.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

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ladybug1802
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Re: how often should i bath my dog?

Post by ladybug1802 »

Yes Im with Nettle....Dylan gets sooooo dirty sometimes, like the other weekend the bottom third of him was basically covered in mud! But I just towel the worst off, let it dry, then brush the remainder off. I may bath him if he got REALLY bad and rolled in something disgusting that covered a lot of his body, but otherwise I would just spot wash.
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