# Dirt



## faith5 (Dec 2, 2015)

My dogs are dirty & I'm getting ready to bathe them. The GSD last had a bath about 3 months ago. He's been needing another one for some time, but I didn't want to do it in the cold weather. 

I searched on the forum & was amazed to discover a large number of you don't give baths but a couple times a year.

To all of you who bathe your dogs infrequently, what do you do about dirt? 

I don't mean just globs of mud that you can rinse off with a garden hose. I mean the fine dirt that seems to sift down and cover each individual hair. It cakes onto your hand, clothing, or brush when you stroke or groom them. It seems to be mixed with body oil, as it is a bit sticky and doesn't just brush off.

I don't understand how so many of you can let your dogs spend significant time inside, lounging on the furniture, and not wash them frequently. I mean, your homes look nice in the pics, so obviously it works fine--but my furniture would be caked in an oily grime if my dogs lounged around on it.

Is it just that my dogs are especially dirty because we live in the woods? (no lawns around here!) Or are they especially oily & it causes the dirt to stick? Or do y'all do a huge amount of house cleaning & upholstery and carpet shampooing? Or is there some other trick I'm missing?


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## Apoolutz (Jan 19, 2013)

Gunner gets brushed twice daily and if he gets dirty I use huggies all natural baby wipes on him and he's good as new. Only gets bathed 3-4 times a year


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## GypsyGhost (Dec 29, 2014)

I credit the need for infrequent baths to the fact that my dogs are raw fed. They seem cleaner now than they were on kibble. And, they don't smell. I brush frequently (usually once or twice a day) and if they get really dirty, I wipe them down with Earthbath grooming wipes or use the Earthbath foaming dry shampoo stuff. I have never noticed an oily coat or residue on their hair.


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## faith5 (Dec 2, 2015)

Apoolutz said:


> Gunner gets brushed twice daily and if he gets dirty I use huggies all natural baby wipes on him and he's good as new. Only gets bathed 3-4 times a year


"when he gets dirty" means when he runs through the mud or something like that? or just when he lies down in the dust?

So when you use the wipes, do you wipe until no dirt shows up? Do you wipe only the top of the coat, or do you wipe "against the grain" to get it clean close to the skin? Do you wipe his whole body, or just the part where you see the dirt? How many baby wipes do you go through a week?

And are you saying, then, that when you brush him, the brush itself doesn't get all dirty and need washing after one brushing? No dirt clings to the teeth of the comb?

Do you think this is because you brush so often, that dirt doesn't have a chance to settle down onto the skin? How long does it take you to do one brushing?


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## Apoolutz (Jan 19, 2013)

If he gets really muddy I wipe with a towel then blow him off with air compressor ( which he loves) then brush and use wipes and brush again and just keep repeating until I get most of it off, Latin on when he's dry I'll brush again and that usually gets the rest off. I'll admit I'm a clean freak so he's gotta be clean, I also feed raw so there's no oily coat or odor. Do you feed a high quality food?


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## faith5 (Dec 2, 2015)

I'm sure I don't feed them what this board considers a high-quality food (Iams), although around where I live, people think I'm nuts for not just buying Ol'Roy because it's the cheapest. 

I'm actually online right now looking for a way to get an affordable, healthy dogfood. Cost and practicality are big considerations. We can barely afford Iams on a regular basis. I'm stretching our budget, as it is.

I had read that raw helped prevent dog odor, and was looking into that. I actually don't think my dogs smell that bad unless they roll in something. I always like my late GSD's scent, even though she always ate Iams. My GSDxchow isn't quite so lovely-scented, but he's not too bad. But all of them were always dirty unless I washed them.

I hadn't heard, however, that raw would make dirt less... present. I thought it was supposed to protect the oils in their fur, and isn't it the oil that makes the dirt stick?

Anyhow, all we have is dirt around our house...and leaves from the forest floor. Seems like that must make for a very different environment from a suburban home with a lawn. I can tell a difference just in my housekeeping, how much dirt gets in the house in contrast with living with a lawn.


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## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

faith5 said:


> I don't mean just globs of mud that you can rinse off with a garden hose. I mean the fine dirt that seems to sift down and cover each individual hair. It cakes onto your hand, clothing, or brush when you stroke or groom them. It seems to be mixed with body oil, as it is a bit sticky and doesn't just brush off.
> 
> Is it just that my dogs are especially dirty because we live in the woods? (no lawns around here!) Or are they especially oily & it causes the dirt to stick? Or do y'all do a huge amount of house cleaning & upholstery and carpet shampooing? Or is there some other trick I'm missing?



Wow Faith, This is something I have never heard before. I can see how a dog could get dirty like that if they were producing huge amounts of oil in their skin. I don't see how a dog can produce huge amounts of oil through their skin or is it applied topically? 

Are you brushing a damp dirty dog and perhaps this is moisture and not oil? If you do - yes, you're going to make a muddy sticky mess in the coat. 

When it's "mud season" here, I don't let my dog run long in it, concrete helps for walks so it's usually only the feet that need wiping down. The brushing happens when she's dry and the brush when done is clean when I pull the shed hair out and there's zero odor. That's one of the keys in knowing you have a healthy dog - the condition of the coat and no odor.

View attachment 352442
View attachment 352450


Here's a couple of pictures of what I just pulled out of Summers brush - dry and fluffy undercoat with a few outer coat hairs. I picked them up and shook them against the white paper and nothing came out except a couple of broken hairs and there's absolutely no odor - so I don't know what you're experiencing?


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Apoolutz said:


> If he gets really muddy I wipe with a towel then *blow him off with air compressor* ( which he loves) then brush and use wipes and brush again and just keep repeating until I get most of it off, Latin on when he's dry I'll brush again and that usually gets the rest off. I'll admit I'm a clean freak so he's gotta be clean, I also feed raw so there's no oily coat or odor. Do you feed a high quality food?


::thumbup: We have sandy dirt, the compressor works great.


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## cdwoodcox (Jul 4, 2015)

My wife wanted to bath rosko bi weekly. He hated it. Dry itchy, dull coat. I told her no more baths. He hasn't been bathed in 6 months or so and he is doing great. Shiny coat, doesn't itch. He does get brushed daily. She will use baby wipes on his feet when he's in the mud just so he doesn't trash the house. I started with a salmon oil supplement about a month ago and he has never looked healthier.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

I think what you feed them matters. 

I prefer to bathe frequently. My female is a working service dog so in public many times per week. I try to make her look and smell as good as possible and shed as little as possible (I mean I groom prior to work so she isnt just blowing hair every which way). The pup is hoping to take over for her so he makes "in training" public appearances.

I think my preference would be once per month, but if I'm being honest that totally doesn't happen. The kid got about a thousand partial baths (front half or back half or right side or left side) because my old male was constantly peeing on him....he liked to roll down hills and he rolled through poop...and so on and so on

I do use a moisturizing conditioner for dogs any time I bathe too often. I think every 2 months is probably what we are realistically doing. My dogs have pretty good personal hygiene....they get their teeth brushed a couple times a week, I even wipe their butts when they have soft stools....this is because they are often in my bed and well.., no dirty butts smearing dirty stuff in my bed. And they like giving kisses and I like getting them and my dogs don't have bad breath at all. Lots of my boarder dogs have pretty foul breath. That would just bum me out.

I use nature's miracle grooming wipes each time I groom to take off loose hairs, takes out some dust and makes them smell nice. I know, I'm nuts, but they don't mind and I like them pleasant smelling


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## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

Faith - I was also food and budget challenged, (and still am There is a website called petfoodadvisor.com that "rates" dog food that I found very helpful. After hours of research between my grocery store and the website - I found one (and only one) that a regular grocery store carries that earned a "B" rating. All the rest were C's and most D's & F's - even Iams.

The one I found is Rachael Ray's Turkey and Potato grain free. None of the other varieties Rachael Ray offers (Salmon) etc earned a passing grade- only the Turkey and Potato. It's 25.99 per 14lb bag but my 80lb female only uses 2 bags per month (but she's a good keeper and that mileage will vary) - anyway, - less than Iam's which just is a fail for health content. 

I also check the meat markdowns often and manage to snag 4 whole chickens every month or so when they go to half price (=75 cents a pound). Cook them up 2 at a time (skim off the fat) and freeze the meat and juice for "toppings" occasionally on her dry food. 

Just offering what I do. It works for me and my pup


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## faith5 (Dec 2, 2015)

Stonevintage said:


> Faith - I was also food and budget challenged, (and still am There is a website called petfoodadvisor.com that "rates" dog food that I found very helpful. ...


Thanks! I'll see what I can find there!


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## faith5 (Dec 2, 2015)

Stonevintage said:


> Wow Faith, This is something I have never heard before. I can see how a dog could get dirty like that if they were producing huge amounts of oil in their skin. I don't see how a dog can produce huge amounts of oil through their skin or is it applied topically?
> 
> Are you brushing a damp dirty dog and perhaps this is moisture and not oil? If you do - yes, you're going to make a muddy sticky mess in the coat....
> 
> Here's a couple of pictures of what I just pulled out of Summers brush - dry and fluffy undercoat with a few outer coat hairs. I picked them up and shook them against the white paper and nothing came out except a couple of broken hairs and there's absolutely no odor - so I don't know what you're experiencing?


Maybe I've not explained it right. It's not the mud of brushing a damp dog. I don't put oil (or anything) on their coats. And it's not something you'd notice if you just gave them a hug and a pat and scratched behind the ears. But if you brush them thoroughly--with an undercoat rake going against the grain, then with the grain, and then with a slicker brush & possibly a comb--you notice a rim of fine dirt built up around the edge of the brush/es and at the base of the teeth of the comb. Not mud. Nothing as big as a particle of sand. It doesn't look like flakes of skin. Just a layering of fine dirt which doesn't blow away. 

They're generally healthy dogs. Cuts or slight injuries heal without problems. No illnesses. No oozing from eyes or nose or obvious signs of bad health. No bad breath. 

As a matter of fact, my cats' coats are the same way. Obviously the cats don't get muddy, and they keep themselves generally clean. But if you brush them, you get the same kind of fine coating of dirt on the brush. 

I just figured it was from all the dirt around here, and that they needed baths more often.


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## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

Well Faith - I live with a dirt yard too and I do notice that weekly my glass table surfaces will pick up a microfine layer of dirt or dust or whatever. 

Because I chose to live where I do, it is of little consequence to me because it is just a part of living where I do. Lol - I used to love wearing white pants in the summer time and sandals... I can't do that here, they'll be dirty in 10 minutes

As far as I know, most of us don't forward brush, then back brush then slicker brush and look for fine fragments on the tines. You need to look at your fixation and overcome it on this Faith.... just leave it alone and stop digging girlfriend


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## faith5 (Dec 2, 2015)

Stonevintage said:


> Well Faith - I live with a dirt yard too and I do notice that weekly my glass table surfaces will pick up a microfine layer of dirt or dust or whatever.
> 
> Because I chose to live where I do, it is of little consequence to me because it is just a part of living where I do. Lol - I used to love wearing white pants in the summer time and sandals... I can't do that here, they'll be dirty in 10 minutes
> 
> As far as I know, most of us don't forward brush, then back brush then slicker brush and look for fine fragments on the tines. You need to look at your fixation and overcome it on this Faith.... just leave it alone and stop digging girlfriend


haha! 

That's sort of what I was trying to figure out: exactly how clean an everyday dog is supposed to be.

I know what you mean about clothing, & dirt on the table, and all that. As you say, you take in stride and just go on. You make adjustments and clean a bit more or expect a bit less, and it works. I had assumed that about the dogs--like the table, they needed a little more cleaning, and like the white pants, they wouldn't stay spotless. 

Only then I over-researched and it sounded like everyone had spotless dogs without really trying.

Sometimes I worry too much.


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## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

faith5 said:


> haha!
> 
> That's sort of what I was trying to figure out: exactly how clean an everyday dog is supposed to be.
> 
> ...


lol, yea - me too. What's got me lately is the carpets- OMG, as best we can wash them - we're only getting the surface and should we get the underlying pads wet we're in for a problem because they are laying against wood underlay. 

My house was built in 1923 so I have hardwood plank floors. I have torn up all the wall to wall except for the bedroom (which is next) and replaced with area rugs. I now have enough area rugs to be able to change them out every 6 months. In the summer I take them out and scrub and power wash them, let them dry and roll them up in storage for the next year to come. 

I guess that's my "thing".lol I must look like a 1920's maniac out in the yard beating the heck out of the carpet with a tennis racket before I wash them.

One thing I scored on a few months ago at a thrift store is a 10 foot commercial runner carpet like you see in high traffic businesses at counters. They cost about $500.00 new for that size but are designed to remove dirt and capture it somehow. I have this runner right from my back door into the kitchen and it has really helped. 

Whatever - one blessing I have found is the older - I get the less I worry about things. I seem to be chasing and enjoying all the good thoughts and leaving the others behind. 

It's been good talking with you tonight. Thank you


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## viking (May 2, 2014)

Do you have a Costco within reasonable distance? They sell Nature's Domain in 3 varieties which is affordable and good. I feed it and add a little extra protein, cooked chicken, turkey or beef with every meal.

My dog doesn't smell. I bathe him more often than a lot of people on here talk about, maybe every couple months but he gets cleaned up whenever he's dirty (daily-ish) but he's a white shepherd so its obvious when he needs to be cleaned up. I use baby wipes (for mud) and also those 1 square foot yellow, super-absorbent towels they sell at Costco for cars. I use the baby wipes on his paw pads though too so we go through a lot of them.

I don't like when he gets that dirty oily-ness that sticks to the fingers either so I keep him clean but I admit I don't really worry about it either. If he's getting dirty, I clean him up.


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## cloudpump (Oct 20, 2015)

Check out tractor supply if there's one near you. 4health is decent, $32-$37 for a bag of 32lbs. Or canidae is reasonable


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## faith5 (Dec 2, 2015)

cloudpump said:


> Check out tractor supply if there's one near you. 4health is decent, $32-$37 for a bag of 32lbs. Or canidae is reasonable


Thanks! No costco, but two tractor supplies locally!


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## Rosy831 (Feb 27, 2016)

My dogs are on the 4health brand and I'm well pleased with it! The boys love it, their coats are so shiny and I just smelled them and they don't stink! LOL! But the shedding is just gonna happen.

I also brush mine daily and then run over them with babywipes to remove the dirt from them running and playing, and they wipe their feet on command, not well mind you but every little bit helps!


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## faith5 (Dec 2, 2015)

viking said:


> Do you have a Costco within reasonable distance? They sell Nature's Domain in 3 varieties which is affordable and good. I feed it and add a little extra protein, cooked chicken, turkey or beef with every meal....
> 
> I don't like when he gets that dirty oily-ness that sticks to the fingers either so I keep him clean but I admit I don't really worry about it either. If he's getting dirty, I clean him up.


No costcos around here, but I'll make a note of the dog food in case I find it somewhere else. So glad you seem to know what I mean about the "dirty oily-ness". I think we'll try something like a monthly bath during the summer and see how things go.


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## faith5 (Dec 2, 2015)

Stonevintage said:


> lol, yea - me too. What's got me lately is the carpets- OMG, as best we can wash them - we're only getting the surface and should we get the underlying pads wet we're in for a problem because they are laying against wood underlay.
> 
> My house was built in 1923 so I have hardwood plank floors. I have torn up all the wall to wall except for the bedroom (which is next) and replaced with area rugs. I now have enough area rugs to be able to change them out every 6 months. In the summer I take them out and scrub and power wash them, let them dry and roll them up in storage for the next year to come.
> 
> ...


Power washer... that's what I need for our rugs! Brilliant. I've tried beating them, but you have to have a pretty good set up for that: something strong enough to hold the rug and withstand the beating as well.

That's some thrift store find! Nice--I can imagine that really helps.

Good talking to you, too!


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