# Baths



## Josiebear (Oct 16, 2006)

How often do you give your dogs baths?. Josie hasn't had a bath since September!. She'll be getting one next week and she'll probably won't get another until spring hits.


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## Sigurd's Mom (May 12, 2009)

Sigurd gets groomed every 6 weeks.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Stark just recieved a bath today (poop issues... eek!).

I usually don't bath them unless necessary (rolled in something REALLY stinky, poop issues - all over - so bad). 

I do however, take baby wipes (all natural ones) and wipe him down after a really hard play session with his slobbery friends or after playing in the mud.

I don't want to take away the natural conditioning in the fur or skin.

Less is more in my opinion.

Stark eats raw so tends not to get that "doggy smell" which is really nice.










ETA: When he was younger, I did bathe often (just with warm water - no soap half the time) just to get him use to doing it.


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## littledmc17 (Apr 9, 2008)

Brady and Missy usually get baths in May and then in October
Brady doesn't smell, Missy on the other hand does cause she rolls around and usually has Brady hanging off her neck


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## natalie559 (Feb 4, 2005)

every 4-6 weeks


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

Mauser has had one bath since I brought him home at 8 weeks of age. He's now 15 months.

I bathe my dogs when they NEED to be bathed. When they roll in something stinky or have an accident.

If they get muddy they get rinsed with just water.

The only exception are the Chinese Cresteds. Because of their skin they need to be bathed more often or they can develop black heads and bad acne.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Karlo has only had one bath, when I brought him home.
He wasn't dirty when I got him, but I wanted him to have the experience! He loved it.
All my dogs are fine w/ getting into the tub to be hosed(I have a handheld shower for them)
I hose down the dogs w/out shampoo when they get muddy, I don't use shampoo unless there is alot of mud/yuck.
Less is more, like Elisabeth posted.


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## UConnGSD (May 19, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: Lauri & The GangMauser has had one bath since I brought him home at 8 weeks of age. He's now 15 months.
> 
> I bathe my dogs when they NEED to be bathed.


Ditto with Wolfie who is now 20 months! He has had only one bath since we've had him. And because he eats RAW, he has no stinky-doggy smell, only the nice-comforting-doggy smell







We've had non-dog-owning in-laws remark about how nice he smells.


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## marksteven (Aug 2, 2008)

Twice a year, before the summer and usually before winter, last one was on Halloween, a good excuse to leave the house and go to the self-serv dog wash.


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## mjbgsd (Jun 29, 2004)

Cody and Isa get bathed every few months or so, or when they really need it. 

Akbar has gotten a few since I've had him to get use to bathing. Since he'll be shown, he'll be getting a bath everytime we show him. 

If a shampoo is all natural, it's fine to bathe your dog a lot.


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## Josiebear (Oct 16, 2006)

I'm giving her a bath next week because we're heading off to Michigan and my Father in Law is allergic to short hair dogs. Figure i should clean her up even though she's generally is a very clean dog. I will be bringing a spray bottle and brush with me so i can brush her down every day. Not that i don't that here already. I don't like to bathe too often because she does have itchy skin and i'm afraid of drying her skin out.


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## cassadee7 (Nov 26, 2009)

Why does a raw diet make them smell better? Does this work with the grain free kibble too?


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## GSDSunshine (Sep 7, 2009)

cassadee....Its magic!


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## BuoyantDog (Aug 21, 2009)

I give Glory a shower (in the people shower) once a month.


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## Bridget (Apr 5, 2004)

My dogs usually are bathed once a month. (I just noticed Heidi is starting to smell doggie, so time for the January bath). I use a natural shampoo that I love and it is called Earth Bath. Heidi tends toward dry skin so I use the Oatmean/Aloe Vera variety for her. The labs get the Rosemary/Basil for stinky dogs. I love bathing and grooming them; my biggest challenge is not bathing them more than once a month.


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## Tihannah (Dec 27, 2009)

I was just gonna post a question on this since my pup is not raw fed, and starts to get that "doggy" smell after about a week so. I haven't bathed her since X-mas because of the dry skin info and its killing me! I think my house is starting to smell like a shelter and not sure how much longer I can stand it. Going to Petsmart as soon as I get off. Any recommendations as to what would be best to eliminate the smell, and help keep her clean without drying out her skin??


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Earthbath is very good, and they also have waterless grooming foams: http://www.earthbath.com/dogs/dog-foam.php 

deodorizing sprays: http://www.earthbath.com/dogs/dog-spritz.php

and grooming wipes: http://www.earthbath.com/dogs/dog-gwipes.php


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## Tihannah (Dec 27, 2009)

I got her some Oatmeal Shampoo for dry and irritated skin with extra moisturizer. Hopefully, it won't cause her to scratch too much! I looked at the dry shampoo, but there were so many different kinds it was too hard to decide. We go back on Sunday to start our Puppy Classes, so I will probably pick some deodorizer up then.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

my dog is 2 yrs. and 7 months old. he's had two maybe three
baths. i use Earthbath.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

If you look through the Polls section you'll see one on bathing. 

Rafi gets one bath a year (in the summer) whether he needs it or not.







He gets dirty a lot because we do a lot outside but I just wipe him off with a damp towel.


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## GSDSunshine (Sep 7, 2009)

Another option that I like to use alot is the furminator brand waterless shampoo. its not drying and I love the smell. You bascially just spray it in and brush through and then towel off. Great for getting rid of the funky smell (we usually get it from the drooling dogs at the park and random gunk from outside). This way the pup still doesn't get washed often but still smells great and it pretty clean.


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## kelso (Jan 22, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: Cassidys MomEarthbath is very good, and they also have waterless grooming foams: http://www.earthbath.com/dogs/dog-foam.php
> 
> deodorizing sprays: http://www.earthbath.com/dogs/dog-spritz.php
> 
> and grooming wipes: http://www.earthbath.com/dogs/dog-gwipes.php


second this! Do not really bathe my dogs often, but lurve the Earthbath products!


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: cassadee7Why does a raw diet make them smell better? Does this work with the grain free kibble too?


My experience is that getting the diet right is what makes a huge difference. Many dogs that smell, really just need to find the right diet that works for them - that can be kibble, or a homeprepared diet.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

that's funny. i remember now. my dog had 3 baths
in 2.8 years. when my dog was 5 or 6 months
he was experiencing purebreditis. he had diarrhea
and he went in his crate on 2 occassions, yucky. 
that was 2 baths. the 3rd bath occured after he was
playing in the creek that he always plays in. we get
home after playing in the creek and within a day he stank, 
stunk and really smelled bad. that was his 3rd bath and that
happened last summer.



> Originally Posted By: BowWowMeow
> 
> Rafi gets one bath a year (in the summer) whether he needs it or not.


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## IslandStorm62 (Dec 12, 2009)

Mocha used to get a bath once a month and I had to bring our own oatmeal shampoo because the doggy paws place would water down their shampoo. He really did not stink that much (most of the time) because we brushed him down regularly and after walking around in the rain wiped him down. I gave him monthly baths so I could apply the flea treatment and I usually scheduled beach trips and muddy play for the day I planned on taking him for his bath. A lot of times he just got hosed down in the back yard and then wiped of.
Oh, when I grew up on a ranch on Guam, the dogs were 100% outside / free run dogs and they did not take baths; unless you count them runnig around in the salty beach water. Yes, life for our dogs back then was simple...


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