# How do you wash your pet?



## Nzisaren (Jan 17, 2019)

So I gave the dog a shower today for the second time. That's right, I went for my shower and he came along with me. My dog is very small so he just sat in the corner while I showered and didn't seem too happy about it.

I sprayed him all over with water, then stood him up with his front paws on my arm so I could get his underside.

So he sat and waited (or dreaded) while I finished my shampooing and soaping. Then I get out his doggie shampoo and lathered him up (he seemed to like this as he was wagging his tail a bit).

Then waited a bit, and got the water again and washed him all off. Then I got out, dryed off, got dressed, brushed teeth, etc. while he waited patiently in the shower stall. I figured this was good because he'd shake a bit and not be so wet when he came out.

So out he came, I bundled him in a towel and dried him off, but he was really itchy from the water and is now running around the house shaking and scratching at the floor, but he's all clean.....

So I pondered, how do other Arsians watch their pets? Unfortunatley I have no pics because i thought it might scare you to have shower pics of my dog, and in the back of your mind you'd sit there "he's naked while he's taking these pictures"..... So no you.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

I never bathe my dog(s). Just spot clean if there is 'something' really nasty in their neck from rolling into 'something'.
Other than rinsing with a garden hose, no bathing here. For drying off I have a pet dryer; turbo version of a blow dryer for people without the heat.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

I don’t wash them unless they swim at the beach I have a hose that connects to the sink and outside will either hose them or bath them off outside in warm weather. They don’t smell and feel clean. They do have doggy odor on those rainy days and snow so not furniture for them in those days. Our chihuahua will roll in something dead smelling- probably to keep the shepherds away - so he gets baths only when he does this.


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## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

Lol Jenny!Your little guy smelling like carrion would make him more attractive to my dogs
I just spot clean my dogs for the most part.Even mud if allowed to dry will brush right out easily.The very occasional bath is with a hose and warm water outside.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

dogma13 said:


> Lol Jenny!Your little guy smelling like carrion would make him more attractive to my dogs/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif
> I just spot clean my dogs for the most part.Even mud if allowed to dry will brush right out easily.The very occasional bath is with a hose and warm water outside.


Hee hee he smells so bad when he does that maybe he thinks it makes him more manly lol! Lol!


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## Kari01 (Sep 7, 2018)

My girl hates being washed, it's a real chore. I tend not to wash her unless she has rolled in something particularly noxious, which she seems to love to do! A bit of general mud or dirt I'll usually just wipe it off with a cloth or let it dry off and brush it out. On average she gets a full wash about every 2 to 3 months, which works fine for us. Also, if her head smells fine, then I tend to avoid washing her head and just giving it a wipe if it needs it because I don't think she really needs soap getting in her eyes and ears.


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

I use a self service dog wash (mainly for the power dryer and to pass off clean up duty) about twice a year, located in one of my local pet stores.
Otherwise walks in the rain and swims in fresh water streams/lakes suffice.
One of the boys has bed and sofa privileges, so I prefer clean smelling dogs.
They eat well and get brushed regularly, that all helps too.


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## Pawsed (May 24, 2014)

I'm in the no washing camp, too. Bathing can really dry out their skin and cause the itching you are seeing. I hose the dogs off when they are muddy, if it's warm enough, but giving them a bath is a very rare thing. Their skin and hair is much healthier with the natural oils that they produce and bathing removes those.


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

I bathe Shadow once a year, just to get rid of the last of the winter itchies. Usually in June or so and outside with hose and bucket. 
Sun dries her and the grass helps. I never understood the whole bathing thing.


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## Kazel (Nov 29, 2016)

I wash my dogs very rarely, mainly if they smell particularly ripe or if we've taken them to the river/lake. In cold weather I wash them in the tub with the shower head, usually wear shorts and a t-shirt that I don't mind getting covered in water. Or in the summer when we go to the river/lake, outside with a hose is how we usually do it. My female I've given her maybe two baths in the past 7 months. Would be more but didn't get to get out this last summer much as I moved and still figuring out safe places to take her. And one of those baths was because of a new food I tried that didn't agree with her and gave her dandruff/itchy skin.


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## sebrench (Dec 2, 2014)

Fodder said:


> I use a self service dog wash (mainly for the power dryer and to pass off clean up duty) about twice a year, located in one of my local pet stores.
> Otherwise walks in the rain and swims in fresh water streams/lakes suffice.
> One of the boys has bed and sofa privileges, so I prefer clean smelling dogs.
> They eat well and get brushed regularly, that all helps too.


I use a self-service dog wash also because I hate the clean up. We go about once a year.


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

sebrench said:


> I use a self-service dog wash also because I hate the clean up. We go about once a year.


Funny thing is that sometimes I still feel pretty bad and if I have extra time, I clean up a bit for them


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Zoey gets a bath 1-2 a month. It’s not really a bath as much as it is a treatment for her allergies. I just tell her to get in the tub and she jumps right in which is remarkable as she really doesn’t like it. I use either the air compressor or the force air dryer to blow out Tuke and Rangers coats. That generally keeps them clean and they look great too. Most of the places they swim in the warmer months helps with the upkeep as well.


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## Gregc (Aug 10, 2012)

Only when/if necessary with this breed.


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## GSDchoice (Jul 26, 2016)

Well, being blessed/cursed with a white dog, we wash him about once a season ( if he looks grayish and smells strongly doggy ). 

We tether him to the back deck railing with his nylon leash, hose him down, shampoo with dog shampoo, rinse and let him shake shake shake!! Then a long walk in full sun finishes the drying. If cold weather, the hose is connected to kitchen sink for warm water ( $3 adapter ).

( I did think about bringing him in shower with me, but having no clothes and being in close quarters with a large animal that doesn’t really like baths...I felt nervous about that! Also thought he might slip on the slick shower floor, or get scared in the enclosed space. )


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## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

I just got back from washing the dogs. I’m a groomer, so I have access to the shop. I’d rather have a sharp stick in the eye, than bathe my own dogs. If they’re being shown, they get bathed more often, but it seems like they get a bath about every 3-4 months.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

I like mine bathed once a month but realistically it's never more than once every two months. Just too labor intensive. They go in my tub and I use the detachable shower head. 

I like good smelling dogs. Also, if they are blowing coat it helps so much to get the hair out. And my white dog gets this kind of clumpy undercoat sometimes that I can't seem to brush out. But he gets a bath and a good blow dry and his coat will look really nice and groom easily for awhile after that.

I love my blowdryer, partly for getting the hair out and getting them dry but also it helps me see their skin as I'm doing it and sometimes I find little things I'd missed.

Sometimes I use grooming wipes in between baths.


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## McGloomy (Mar 13, 2018)

I live in an apartment. So there's no option to bathe him outside. I did NOT know there's a thing called 'self-service pet wash.' So I thought either I have to pay $60 and up everytime he needs a bath (once every 1 to 2 months), or I just use my bathroom which always turned into titanic everytime. Then I found out about the self-service. So I always go there whenever he needs a bath. Plus they have the equipments needed, including and most importantly the big blow dryer.


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## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

Oh, forgot to add that I used the Cowboy Magic Rosewater shampoo on the girls, and they smell so clean.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

Right now I totally love Earthbath Mango Tango conditioning shampoo. I think I got the name right. I got a sample in a goody bag from a trial, and I love it. It lathers up and spreads through their coat so quickly and easily. because I bathe more frequently than some I would usually apply conditioner too to be sure I'm not drying them out. I really like the Earthbath conditioner except that it is just a bear to rinse out. Before, I was using another earthbath shampoo which smelled nice and seemed soothing to their skin but hard to distribute through the coat without wasting a bunch.

So this new mango stuff is great. It spreads easily without wasting and it definitely leaves them shiny and does not seem to dry them out.

I also have this Earthbath spray conditioner/detangler that smells super nice that I use between baths to be sure they are not dry and it does really seem to help with grooming afterward. Vanilla almond. Love hugging them in bed when they smell like that! 

I am always trying to save for a dog tub of my own...someday I'll get one!


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## Femfa (May 29, 2016)

I must be in the minority, haha. I don't bathe my dog often myself, only when her coat feels really gross to me because of her being out and about doing dog things. She sleeps on my bed, so I don't like having her smell. But I do have her professionally groomed twice a year. Once before winter, once during spring. I like to help along any major coat shedding.


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## sebrench (Dec 2, 2014)

Fodder said:


> Funny thing is that sometimes I still feel pretty bad and if I have extra time, I clean up a bit for them


You are a nice person.  The last time I went to ours, I had my 1 year-old and 2 year-old in the double stroller. I was hurrying to wash the dog and get out before the kids got restless. I can't remember if I gave the tub a courtesy scrubbing or not!


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## mkinttrim (Jul 3, 2011)

Both of my Shepherds love to roll in moose poop or bear poop. The moose poop is usually on the dry side but is sometimes runny, bear poop is almost always runny. What we did was to buy one of those cheap plastic play pools at the discount store for like $5.99 or so. It's about a foot deep and maybe 5 ft in diameter. We have a hot/cold water tap in the garage so we hook up a hose and fill up the "pool" in the driveway. We toss one of their balls in there and start the washing.


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## Datura (Feb 16, 2018)

I put Dean in the tub, then I sit on the edge of the tub with my legs in the tub, and him between them. He then sticks his head under my armpit, and I take the shower head, wet him down, soap him up, rinse him off, then let him out to run around the house a few times while I change my soaked clothes lol


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

Sabis mom said:


> I bathe Shadow once a year, just to get rid of the last of the winter itchies. Usually in June or so and outside with hose and bucket.
> Sun dries her and the grass helps. I never understood the whole bathing thing.


Me Too! My hose nozzle has a shower spray. Fast and easy, when it's hot, once a year.


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## ausdland (Oct 21, 2015)

Hose, shampoo, hose. 
Mountain lakes and rivers are best.


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## mbaumser (Jul 24, 2018)

We probably Bath Diva too often. At least once a month sometimes more if she's sloping around in the mud or in salt water. She a weird dog....loves the water. So bath time is no problem. Actually it's a treat for her. I just put an extra long hose on the hand-held shower head. She saw the water on (testing for leaks) and she started getting excited because she thought she would be getting a bath. 

We've been using "Paws & Pals" Oatmeal Shampoo and Conditioner that we got on Amazon. She smells good and seems okay with.


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## wm97 (Dec 13, 2018)

With great difficulty.


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## CometDog (Aug 22, 2017)

I only bathe if something awful happens. Even if he gets muddy, I let him dry in his crate then give him a good brushing. I find a grooming regiment coupled with good diet keeps them smelling good, and like a dog but not "doggy".


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

CometDog said:


> I only bathe if something awful happens. Even if he gets muddy, I let him dry in his crate then give him a good brushing. I find a grooming regiment coupled with good diet keeps them smelling good, and like a dog but not "doggy".


From the trails when water is close by, retrieving from the water and voila, clean smelling dog! Yesterday she lagged behind on our property and came back holding 'something'. I knew that there were fleecy toys left out. It was a rotten squirrel skin; the remainder of somebody's meal. She dropped it on command :surprise:. By the time we were back inside I had forgotten about it. She never smelled bad and I didn't get sick. I think we worry too much about 'dirt'.
I have a rosemary bush to wipe my hand in and over their neck if a filthy scent doesn't get out with spot cleaning. Then forget about it.


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## CometDog (Aug 22, 2017)

wolfy dog said:


> From the trails when water is close by, retrieving from the water and voila, clean smelling dog! Yesterday she lagged behind on our property and came back holding 'something'. I knew that there were fleecy toys left out. It was a rotten squirrel skin; the remainder of somebody's meal. She dropped it on command :surprise:. By the time we were back inside I had forgotten about it. She never smelled bad and I didn't get sick. I think we worry too much about 'dirt'.
> I have a rosemary bush to wipe my hand in and over their neck if a filthy scent doesn't get out with spot cleaning. Then forget about it.


Valor had a FIELD DAY playing in the downpour we had the other day, apparently those Kong rope animals are more fun when soppy wet. I just let him go for it and have a ball. When he came in did a quick towel dry and crated him to chill out and dry out while I was making dinner. Brushed him next day, His coat was so soft and beautiful after. He smells...and I know this sounds weird...warm and nutty lol


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

CometDog said:


> Valor had a FIELD DAY playing in the downpour we had the other day, apparently those Kong rope animals are more fun when soppy wet. I just let him go for it and have a ball. When he came in did a quick towel dry and crated him to chill out and dry out while I was making dinner. Brushed him next day, His coat was so soft and beautiful after. He smells...and I know this sounds weird...warm and nutty lol


I do much the same. Towel off followed by a good brush the next day. Bud had maybe 5 baths in his whole life and Sabs maybe 4. I always thought Sabi smelled like a warm blanket. I loved it. Shadow always seems to smell faintly of grass or leaves? Bud had a doggie/musky odor that while not pleasant wasn't offensive. It simply wasn't soothing like the girls.


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## Craig Caughlin (Oct 17, 2007)

I wash my dog every week to two weeks with a special blend of shampoo I have created.


The ingredients are: Dr. Bronner unscented shampoo, organic coconut milk, organic witch hazel, organic aloe vera juice, organic green tea, organic avocado meat, jojoba oil and Eucalyptus oil for a beautiful fragrance.


I've tested it in our campus Chemistry lab and it's typically ~7.8pH.


Craig


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## Kyrielle (Jun 28, 2016)

Jack generally gets washed with Mane & Tail when he starts smelling ripe--about once a month. In the winter, we fill up a 5-gallon bucket with warm water for rinsing and a 1-gallon pitcher for washing. The rest of the year, we use the garden hose.

In warmer months, we sometimes wash him even less as we'll take him to the lake to go swimming for a ******* bath.


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Pushing through or playing in deep snow makes their coat look and feel great.


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