baths

[puppy go luckii]

how often can i give my dog one?? bcuz he smells so bad but i just gave him a bath like last week lol

[Renee750il]

Puppy, if your dog is smelling badly so quickly there may be an underlying physical problem, like an internal yeast infection or some other type of problem. You might want to check with your vet if it's not just a "doggy" smell. Some people are more sensitive to a dog's natural smell than others. A trip to a good, reputable groomer might be a good start to see if it's a normal smell or something that needs to be addressed on a more serious note.

[smkie]

I swear that Mary' especially in the summer would need belly deoderant if she wasn't bathed as often as she is. lots of people are under the impression that dogs do not sweat but they do on their stomach and the bottom of their feet. It has the same glorious bacteria in it that our underarms do. I followed one forum discussing how often to bath and they were all up in a roar about to often is bad for your dog. I just wanted to show them mine and saw show me..cause mine get a bath every other day without fail. Bathed this often they smell as good as I do. Since they sleep in my bed they better! We have no dandruff, no skin problems, no insect problems, or hot spots..nothing but healthy skin. I use my shampoo (sauve) rinse well and just cause I like the way it feels I put some creme rinse on them as well. I use bluing to keep Victor bright white, (do that before the creme rinse or it wont work) Laundry bluing takes all the dingy color out of a white coat and is perfectly safe. Renee is right about health problems though, if it isn't a health problem , and you like a clean dog..bathing just isn't the big deal so many people make out of it. Your dog gets use to it and I can wash both of mine start to finish in 15 minutes. They have to lay down until they are dry. Teaching that did take a bit of effort, but the pay off was good.

[Renee750il]

LOL! I thought I was the only one who used a rinse on my dogs. Not only does it make them nice and soft, it helps get any soap residue off of their skin so they don't get itchy.

[becca_4321]

Princess is so scared of bathes! First I thought maybe she'd never had a bath so I went so far as to have her watch me give my daughters dog a bath to show her it was ok. That didnt work. Then we had a groomer do it, she did better for the groomer but with her being short haired its not like we really need a groomer. So we installed a hose so she wouldnt have to be a tub of water. Still she is scared to death! She pants, shakes, its like she's about to hyperventlate! I always feel so badly for her to be that scared. She doesnt try to get out of the tub, she sits still as if she's frozen. I even asked the guy who gave us Princess if he knew of any reason why she might be so scared of a bath.
Well I feel bad now because its so muddy out and after Princess was outside all afternoon she needed a cleaning. But because of this I dont give her a bath very often at all.

[smkie]

I think you need to start the bath experience all over for her. Fill the tub only an inch or two...sit on the side and put your feet in there..massage her, and sing with your sweetest dog talk...then take her out and lovingly dry her feet, give a treat if she is treat oriented, but think the massage will do it. Rub her with the towel gently but with lots of animated fun. Make it fun. Victor smelled really bad and hit the tub the day I brought him home. That was a fast desperate bath but had to be done. He was scared to death. Today he sat there while i ran the detachable shower up and down his back, with a look of bliss on his face. I hope you get to this point because then it is like bathing a baby,,just another time to have close moments together. Mine love the blow dryer too!

[Khristine]

sorry if i ask a dumb question.. but what's a cream rinse? is that some sort of conditioner you add on? would it help with dry skin for my pup? :)

[Renee750il]

Yep, that's all it is. Just a conditioner that softens and moisturizes the hair. It probably would help with her dry skin. You might try Neutrogena.

[candy722]

I only give my dog a bath once every 2 weeks. I still think it's too often but I can't help it because he starts to smell.

[Khristine]

Renee, you mean like the neutrogena we use? :D like any conditioner? ;)

[2pups622]

I Bathe Brownie Once A Week And Kayko Every Other Week

[smkie]

I use the same shampoo I use on my own head..sauve, but I like pantene for the conditioner. Makes them really shine and smell great. Rinses out better too. I have been washing my dogs this often for better than 20 years. It is the dogs that don't get a bath regularly that not only smell, but have scalyskin, or dandruff..People certainly get itchy and yucky when they don't wash theres often. I have not only washed my dogs that way but also Jim's shepard, and lab, and my Mother's beagle and mutt as well. A good clean dog is a pleasure to everyone, nice to touch and be around, good for the carpet and the furniture too. We never have a doggy odor to our home and I have carpet even though I don't want it.

[gaddylovesdogs]

I bathe my dogs once every month.

[Renee750il]

Renee, you mean like the neutrogena we use? :D like any conditioner? ;)

Yes, the same stuff. It's a very pure, hypo-allergenic product so you don't have to worry about allergic reactions. Not all dogs have allergic reactions, but it's easier just to avoid them than to fix them. lol! I'm a real believer in avoiding trouble wherever possible . . . :p

If you want to use a flea shampoo, I really recommend one with the flea killing ingredient called Neem. It's a botanical and very benign to anything but bugs. It's the only flea shampoo I can use on the dogs without having my hands swell and hands and arms itch for two days afterward. Kills those jumpy little buggers too! :D

[nicco]

I just want to say that where I work some of the dogs come each two weeks to be bathed and "pampered". And it's ok..

[gaddylovesdogs]

We use doggie shampoo and a sometimes natural human shampoo. We just bought some really great smelling mango coconut stuff. MMM.

[bubbatd]

Guess I'm a bad Mommy !!! Chip gets a bath only once a month or so. He doesn't smell doggy and his skin is great ! I use Kay Lambert's Fresh n' Clean shampoo and cream rinse. The fresh smell last so long !

[Debi]

I've always been worried about giving a bath, then not getting them dry enough prior to going out for a potty break when it's so cold in the winter. Maybe I'm just thinking of my mom "you'll catch a chill, then a cold!!!" lol I think my mom panicked at the thought of us having 'damp' hair when we left the house.........some things are so ingrained. :rolleyes:

[Renee750il]

:D Debi, my Mom did the same thing - and she's an RN so she knows better! To this day I have a habit of running around with damp hair until it dries on its own . . . and it still drives her nuts . . . (shame on me, lol)

[gaddylovesdogs]

After baths I just let my girls run around and dry off, lol. If it's in the summer I don't let them stay outside (I bathe them outdoors in warm weather) because I know they'll find something gross to roll in. I gave May a bath on Sunday...she now smells like mango....mmmm.

[smkie]

You must have a bigger water proof home than I have..if mine ran around you could kiss my pencil sketches good bye! Mine have to lay down and be covered up until they steam dry. I am always worried about chilling ever since I read the james Harriot book. Victor would rather run around but Mary, my old dear Mary likes to be WARM and snuggly.

[gaddylovesdogs]

You must have a bigger water proof home than I have..if mine ran around you could kiss my pencil sketches good bye! Mine have to lay down and be covered up until they steam dry. I am always worried about chilling ever since I read the james Harriot book. Victor would rather run around but Mary, my old dear Mary likes to be WARM and snuggly.
LOL. We just let them run around and get everything else wet while we clean the soaked bathroom ;).

[Khristine]

since the topic of human shampoo was brought up.. i was wondering.. since there are different types of neutrogena shampoo... specifically which is decent enough for my pup? ..

has anyone used dove shampoo? cause i know it has 1/4 moisturizer in it and is not harsh? :D .. but i would want to try pantene, because it makes my hair soft too! :)

[Renee750il]

I'd go with a moisturizing type. Baby shampoo is a good choice, too.

[bubbatd]

I'd stick to a dog shampoo...we take oil out of our hair, but dogs need their natural oils for healthy skin.....

[Renee750il]

Most dog shampoos I've tried have made me itch so badly, even the ones that aren't flea killing, that I've always figured they had to be pretty irritating to dogs' skin, and I'm not much for harsh, stripping shampoos anyway - makes my head itch, lol! One thing I do like to use on the dogs in the summertime is a tea tree oil shampoo; it really helps with all the potentially fungus rich stuff mine roll in in the summertime. :eek:

[Khristine]

so how's this.. i'm going to get him some tearless baby shampoo.. and for conditioner? pantene? :D :confused:

[bubbatd]

Renee..have you ever tried Fresh n' Clean ?? It's expensive but I buy it by the gallon and water it down .....brings it down to normal shampoo prices. Haven't used anything else for over 20 years.

[Renee750il]

No, I haven't ever seen it, truthfully. One thing I did find that was good and didn't bother me - or the dogs, was the old LOC (Liquid Organic Cleaner) put out by AmWay. I just hated dealing with the AmWay people, though. [shudders] I was tickled to find out about the Neem based flea shampoos, since they killed the fleas and didn't cause any adverse reactions AND supported Rain Forest based products.

In truth, I don't do dog baths on a regular basis - only when they stink in a way that can't be brushed off with the dried cow muck, lol! It's usually a spur of the moment thing and they get the benefit of my organic shampoos and conditioners! My little beauty queens, rofl! It's no wonder they're an egocentric pair of princesses. Move over, Paris and Nicole! And my girls actually do real work, too!

Bimmer is so fastidious about his hygiene that he rarely needs any emergency bathing, just good brushings and an occasional bath. He's a real pleasure; he's got the most beautiful pelt - he shines and shimmers in the least bit of sunshine.

[pitbulliest]

I give my dog a bath about once a month...sometimes more often in the summer when I use doggy bug repellent (since I don't use heartworm medication unless there are alot of mosquitos)...so she starts to smell like citronella so I have to wash her up...

I use oatmeal pet shampoo on her and its pretty good...

[Khristine]

My Puppy is due for a bath.. i gave him one like two weeks ago.. but didn't get his head.. and it stinks! ... can i use q-tips to clean his ears?

[Renee750il]

I'd really suggest, especially since he's a wiggly puppy, that you use a cotton ball or pad so there's no way it can inadvertently jab down into the ear canal if he jerks his head.

[Ash47]

Yes,
A cotton ball is better. Soak it in peroxide and clean as good as you can. Don't probe too far as Renee said.

[Gustav]

I very rarely bath Gus! Only if he's been rolling in Fox muck or something else equally disgusting! He goes for a swim every day in the summer, and I brush him regually. He doesn't smell at all doggy and he has a lovely shiny coat, his skin is perfect and he hasn't got fleas.
I was wondering if I should still be bathing him anyway?! Because it's really a three man operation, two to hold him down and one to bath, no matter what you do he always ends up really distressed and then we all end up really distressed!! I think something must have happened to him in the past, but we shall never know!
I can't really afford to take him to the groomers regually, but if that's what he needs then thats what he needs! Any advice gratefully recieved!

[Renee750il]

LOL! He's a guy, he doesn't need no bath until he's stinkin'! :D

[Gustav]

LOL! He's a guy, he doesn't need no bath until he's stinkin'! :D

Yep, and even then it's a struggle!! Once I covered him in shampoo and took him down the river to swim it off!! Naughty I know!! But much easier than struggling with a 70lb dog who doesn't want a bath!!
Why does he love swimming so much and hate the bath?!! :rolleyes: