How often do you bathe your dog/s?

**Samantha Puppy** · 12-08-2003, 09:57 PM

I've washed Samantha about 4 times in the 15 months I've had her. However, I just made her very first official grooming appointment for December 20th so she can look pretty for Christmas.

**Shelteez2** · 12-08-2003, 10:03 PM

Originally posted by wolfsoul
Most dogs don't produce natural oils from their skin. The only breeds that can do that are labs, goldens, chessies, flat coats, tollers, and curly coats.

Then how do you explain the constantly greasy dogs that I see at work. Yorkies, shih tzus and shih tzu crosses being the worst.

**Twisterdog** · 12-08-2003, 11:03 PM

The entire bathing debate boils down to this - matching the Ph of the shampoo with the Ph of the skin and hair. Humans and dogs do not have the same Ph. Therefore, you should never use human shampoo on a dog. Professional grooming shampoo is Ph formulated to match the canine Ph. You could wash a dog every week - or theoretically every day - with a properly Ph balanced shampoo and it would be fine. If you use human shampoo, baby shampoo, or cheap dog shampoo from Walmart or the grocery store ... you are stripping away the oils from your dogs coat faster than it can replenish them. Therefore, dry skin and coat. Done properly, you can bathe your dog as often as you want. I groom many, many dogs that come in every week, every two weeks, every three weeks for baths. Their coats are beautiful.

My dogs get baths whenever (a) they start to get stinky and (b) I feel ambitious enough to wash all ten of them. These things generally coincide about once a month.

ALL dogs have oil glands. ALL dogs produce natural oils in their skin. People have sweat glands that use water from their bodies to detoxify and control body heat; dogs and cats have oil glands that exude oil for the same purposes. Each primary (guard) hair of the coat has an associated oil gland. Many dogs grow more than one type of fibre in their coats, the softer, finer fibres are known as secondary (undercoat) fibres and may not have an associated oil gland. Demodex (mange) in a dog is caused by tiny, cigar-shaped, eight-legged mites that actually reside and feed in the hair follicle and oil glands of the skin.

**shais_mom** · 12-08-2003, 11:09 PM

I bathe Keegan every 2-4 weeks. I just seem to know when its time, b/c her coat starts to feel funny. Kylie and Keegan just got baths today. When it is really hot out, I do bathe Keegan outside. Tho she doesn't like it at all, and I am not sure if it is more work INSIDE or OUTSIDE. But it saves on my bathroom drain.
I had my greyhound for 2 years and only bathed her twice. And I got all sorts of compliments on her coat and how soft she was.
A groomer explained it to me once that the reason why the little breeds like Yorkies get greasy is that their hair is a lot like ours, so it needs to be taken care of like our's. I don't know about the other breeds, that's just what she told me about yorkies.
Jordan, maybe, (only maybe) that the reason the soap left Timber greasy is if you bathed her outside maybe the cold water from the hose doesn't cut thru the natural grease and soap from her thick coat. I know that from pics, her fur is very very thick. Kinda like if your hair hadn't been washed for awhile and you tried to wash it with cold water. Not accusing you of anything. Just an idea.

Maybe the next time, you can fill a bucket with warm water and rinse her with it as a final rinse. All tho I understand that it would be difficult without help, if she won't stand still. Maybe a friend could help. If you already do do this then I apologize, it was just a thought that ran thru my head!

**tikeyas_mom** · 12-08-2003, 11:47 PM

i have only bathed Tikeya once befor in her life, and that was when she rolled in a dead fish

lol. I didnt even wash her whole body only the smelly parts of her lol. baby gets bathed 1 every month to keep her coat nice, Oscar always gets dirty so he gets bathed more often

**binka_nugget** · 12-08-2003, 11:54 PM

My boys get one every month or so. Kai could easily go on for more than 2 months without looking like he needs a bath but I try to give it every month or so because after 3 months of not bathing him, the water is FILTHY. I don't worry too much about the oils though. After feeding them regular weekly eggs, I've noticed that their coat comes right back to shiny and healthy looking.

**jazzcat** · 12-08-2003, 11:55 PM

I use to bathe Disney about every two to three weeks but then she began having severe skin allergies a few years ago and I started bathing her about every 6 weeks unless she gets really stinky.

Bless her heart, I must have bathed her over a dozen times when she was sprayed by the skunk back in Sept.

**Miss Meow** · 12-09-2003, 02:20 AM

Our vet said to bathe the German Stink Hounds no more than once a month, but they get that doggy smell after about two weeks without one!

I rub a little olive oil through their coats after bath time and give them oily fish each week. I haven't tried eggs yet, must give it a go

**dukedogsmom** · 12-09-2003, 06:56 AM

I've been bathing Duke once a week with some shampoo made for dry skin. But, he's still itching like crazy and I can't feed him the fish or anything similar all the time because of that pancreaitis that he had. If I don't bathe him often, he feels all dirty and is still itching. I've just started giving him Benadryl but it makes him so sleepy that I just give it to him at night. Anyone have any suggestions?

**Logan** · 12-09-2003, 07:39 AM

I probably don't bathe mine often enough if the truth be known.

We do brush them frequently and I will say they get bathed a lot more in the summertime. I used to take Honey and Lilly to the Groomers maybe 2-3 times per year for a good bath and grooming, but with 4, my budget won't allow for that luxury anymore.

I woke up this morning wishing for a hot water connection outside so that I could bathe them before Christmas. I can't stand the thought of having to put them in the bathtub to do it! One day, I hope to have a "bathing station" outside that I can use year round.

Then I'd probably try to bathe them at least every six weeks or so.

**DoggiesAreTheBest** · 12-09-2003, 07:42 AM

Drake gets bathed once a month. He has gone without a bath once or twice for 2-3 months and he was fine. His coat was shiny and he never starts smelling unless he has rolled around in something stinky! He gets bathed in an oatmeal shampoo and then conditioner that I bought a groomers. I used to let him air dry but I have blow dried him the last 3 times. He gets brushed everyday (big shedder). His coat looks and feels great!

**pitc9** · 12-09-2003, 09:13 AM

I only bathe them when they need it.

In the summer time, I always give them a bath after we've been walking in the river!!!

**wolfsoul** · 12-09-2003, 09:59 AM

Originally posted by Shelteez2
Then how do you explain the constantly greasy dogs that I see at work. Yorkies, shih tzus and shih tzu crosses being the worst.

I don't know lol. But the retrievers are the only breeds that can produce natural oils from the skin.

**DogLover9501** · 12-09-2003, 10:26 AM

Piddle and Wiggles get bathed once a month at the groomers, and Jasper will probably get bathed once a month or once every 6 weeks

**isis** · 12-09-2003, 12:00 PM

Emma needs one!! Sully gets one about every month. He goes to Salty Dogs Grooming and boarding. (also gets boarded there) Emma isn't old enough to go there, so we wash her in the bath tub.