bathing question

[rabbitsarebetter]

I have two clients that come every single Friday to get there maltese's a bath. These dogs do not have any skin problems and have a very nice coat. I have no idea why they feel a need to bath weekly. Lots of groomers will tell you that you can even bath a dog daily if you use the right shampoo, while others will tell you that once a month is fine, and others will tell you only bathe if they are dirty.

What do you think?
I go with the once a month thing. However Ruckus gets a bath twice a month because he is allergic to grass and in the spring/summer he gets irritated, and in the winter/fall he gets dry skin.
Chance has a wonderful coat that doesnt even need brushing but a quick 3 mintue brushing once a week, and he fur repels dirt super good! I could get buy without bathing him but once every two months.

I keep my dogs cleaner and brushed more than most people. it really bugs me to have a slightly unkept, stinky dog in bed with me, and laying in my lap. And to me, if I cannot smell Ruckus medicated shampoo anymore, then that means he needs another bath. And with Chance, if he starts smelling like dog again he gets a bath.

[Toller_08]

I will not let my dogs go without a bath for over 4 weeks. That said, the Dobermans get either a weekly or bi-weekly bath as they get dirty really quickly. Well, not dirty according to most people's standards, but dirty to me. Dance could go forever without a bath if I let her, but she gets one every 3 weeks. She never really feels dirty or smells bad. And no matter how much mud she runs through or rolls in, it brushes out super easy once she's dry and she feels and looks as good as if she'd just been bathed... but I know she has to be at least a bit dirty so I bathe her anyway. Morgan should probably be bathed as much as the Dobermans, but I hate bathing her and then trying to dry her as both take forever, so she gets one once roughly every 3-4 weeks.

[Saintgirl]

I say good on your clients! Too often I see coated breeds coming in and needing serious dematting and a close shave because they are in such horrible condition. I have a bichon that I see weekly for a good brushing, wash and condition to keep her coat from becoming a disaster. The weekly bathing does not seem to have effected her skin and coat, and the result is a bichon with a BEAUTIFUL coat, and no matting!!! Breeds like maltese and bichons etc, require daily grooming and in the case of my client with the bichon, she is very busy and prefers to pay for a weekly groom instead of spending all of her extra time on the up keep of her dog.

[rabbitsarebetter]

I also have a lady who comes in with two chow chows. one is a show dog. She comes twice a month, but really should come weekly. twice a month they get a good bath, shampooing and conditioning. and they get a really good brush out. Two weeks later they look neglected! The show chow is the heavist coated dog i have ever seen in my life.

[bubbatd]

Ollie hasn't had one since March and still smells sweet !

[lizzybeth727]

My chihuahua gets a bath about once every two months. That's one reason I got a chi - low maintenance. Course, when I taught training classes and brought her to work with me, I'd bathe her much more often - about once every 2-3 weeks. She hates baths, so I figure, why do it more often than I really have to?

[Paige]

I never bathe the boys. I think they've had two since I've had them. They get rinsed if covered in mud but that's it. No shampoo. They have stunning coats too. All nice and shiny. You'd never know they were never bathed. They look beautiful.


Miley gets in the tub more often than I do. She gets so dirty and stinky.

[PoodleMommy]

Armani goes to the groomer about every 4 weeks and gets the works.... at least twice in between that I bathe and brush him and do a sanitary clip. Almost every day he gets brushed, face washed, and teeth brushing.

I dont see anything wrong with bathing a dog frequently... it is better then the many many dirty dogs I see.

[mrandrei]

My little poodle, Delilah, loves the water and, she, of course, enjoys bathing. We visit the salon every month and she bathes almost every week, sometimes even more. ;)

[skKi]

Pit hasn't been bathed professionally since he was about 4 months old. I bathed him once myself I think in December. I'd like to bathe him monthly, but I just hate how darn fluffy he gets after a bath! It's silly looking.

[ihartgonzo]

Gonzo could go FOREVER without a bath. His coat repels everything, it never smells bad, and it looks great... as long as I brush him out a few times a week.

Fozzie's coat gets dingy and kind of greasy, for my taste, after about a month.

I bathe them about twice a month, just for personal preference. They don't have dry skin at all, and their coats are awesome. I think it's mostly a personal choice... unless your dog's coat just gets dirty easily.

[Backward_Cinderella]

I'm a once a week kind of girl, but Aaron is seriously allergic to them, so if I don't bathe them, we have problems. He loves them though, and wouldn't trade them for anything (just like me) :) lol

[ACampbell0304]

I bathe my dogs once every 2 weeks...because I use flea and tick shampoo and that's when it's effectiveness wears off...but they usually need it by then as they get that "doggy" smell.
I can't say I ever have to have them clipped or dematted though, so that's a plus. I never understood why someone would get a long haired dog that requires a lot of brushing and then let it get matted or have it shaved because the fur is so out of control...that's just sad.
I admire people who have long haired breeds that can maintain a coat! I'm too lazy to pick knots and mats out and this is what I did to a stray that was matted really badly

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn29/APBTlover0304/meatball.jpg

You guys will laugh at me, but that's my handy-work with a pair of scissors and a really matted stray dog we called Meatball.

[Backward_Cinderella]

ACampbell, that looks really really good for a pair of scissors and no clippers. And kudos to you for helping that poor baby out!

[Suzzie]

i bathe my dogs once per week.

it REALLY helps in the winter when Roofus is full coated, with keeping mats under control... sometimes it's hard to find them in all that fluff and being wet you can tell where clumps are. Also I think being clean keeps his fur "slippery" and less prone to tangles, but that could just be me being weird. :)

I have a problem with too much doggie dander so it's a necessity.

[noludoru]

Whenever I think he needs it. He had one about three weeks ago and is really needing one now. God he's gross.

[doglover83]

I bring my puppy to the salon occasionally. She's a spoiled brat actually and always wants to get pampered. Everyday, I try to brush her hair.

[rabbitsarebetter]

I brush my sheltie daily. and bathe once a week now, i am trying to keep fleas away.

[Dekka]

JRT coats rock. They can romp in the mud, manure etc and are totally white as soon as they dry. Living on a farm though the do start to smell after about a month. So the get bathed. The whippet coats are almost as good and they don't roll in every piece of nastiness they find.

In the winter and all the nastiness is frozen we go a lot longer.

[BuckarooT35]

D.B. Cooper get a bathe once a month now that he is bigger. I coincide it with his flea control and heart medines so I will remember when I last gave hiim a bath. He doesn't smell despite that it is summery here in Missouri. He gets lucky to have another bath when we take him to the lake near the airport. He loves water so I have a kiddie pool in my deck for him. I change the water every two days.

[M&M's Mommy]

I bathe all three dogs weekly and brush Mocha & Muffin daily.

I take Muffin to the groomer every month or so to get her nails trimmed. Mocha & Missy wear theirs down all by themselves! ;)