# Bathing too Frequently



## Osito (Jun 16, 2008)

I keep saying this but I am a new German Sheperd owner and have never raised a pup. I heard that its not good to bathe german sheperds more then 2-3 times per year, is that true??? If so then what do you do to keep them smelling better????


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## grmnshpd21 (May 5, 2005)

Molly is going to be 4 this year and I think she has only had 3 or 4 baths her entire life. I really only bathe her when she rolls in something stinky out in the yard.

She isn't really stinky otherwise so we don't really have a normal grooming routine. The only thing I do is brush her about once week to get the dead undercoat off of her.


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## Osito (Jun 16, 2008)

Why isn't she stinky, is there something wrong with my pup that makes him stink????


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## Liljah (Jan 20, 2008)

I only bath Shane once every few months, that only cause he manages to find something dirty to get into! Shane doesn't really smell bad...if anything, he smells like Frito's...which I don't mind! GS don't need to be wash all the time, but do you have to brush them!


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

i was just thinking about this the other day -- i used to bathe my dogs about once a month and never had any problems with a dull coat or dry skin (used natural shampoo with oatmeal, tea tree oil, etc...). i was looking thru my calendar and realized that they've now not had a bath in 6 months and they're still just as shiny and virtually odor free. thinking back over the last 6 months i have improved their diet & grooming habits, so at this point i'd have to equate it to those things. they're both on a canidae+wellness blend, and also eating raw about 3-4 days per week (which includes hole raw eggs and flaxseed oil). i could lie and say i brush them daily... but really its just a couple times a week.


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## grmnshpd21 (May 5, 2005)

I have also heard that diet can play a big role on how our dog's smell. Molly has pretty much been eating premium dog food her whole life and I've never noticed any unusual smells to her. She doesn't have "doggie breath" either. She does chew her nylabones every day and that helps keep her teeth clean, but she also enjoys a good marrow bone every once in a while. The vet even asked me if I brushed her teeth and we don't







I also make sure to wash her blankets often because I have noticed that those get a little smelly from time to time.


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## Osito (Jun 16, 2008)

So I think as I am reading a lot of information today, I need to get him on a better diet, I have to be honest, he eats junk. I don't want to tell you the kind of dog food I feed him, I might get kicked off the board for cruelty, but my hint is I get it at the grocery store. I am rookie so don't think I am being mean on purpose but my other dogs were fine on Grocery store food and I really can't afford alot of pet store food. Any suggestions???


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

Canidae i've found is the most reasonably priced high quality food. Also, if you look at it in terms the the amount of food you feed - you actually arent paying too much more. Grocery store brands use alot of fillers which requires your dog to have to eat more in order to meet its dietary and nutritional needs. high quality diets generally require only half the amount if you compare the suggested feedings.

I'm not sure what part of Ca you're in, but at Ralphs grocery store - the only decent food I've found is the Lassie/Natural Way brand.

Costco/Kirkland also has good quality food for a great price.


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## The Stig (Oct 11, 2007)

I bath my pup when needed, which is when she gets dirty.

So if she gets dirty say two weeks after her last bath, I will bath her. If she manages stay relatively clean for months on end, then heck, I won't bother with a bath. 

Her coat is in excellent condition, and does not have any odor. 

I do groom her coat daily. 

Her littermate however, has not been bathed ever. But he tends to just hang out within their large, enclosed property, so he doesn't really get too filthy.

The puppies are now 8 months. 

This is how I deal with baths. I know owners who oppose to frequent baths, but to me, that is all relative and totally dependent on necessity.


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## Lilly Pad (Feb 6, 2008)

When you feed the premium foods the dogs don`t eat as much so they sometimes only work out to be marginally more money to feed than the grocery store brands. Another bonus is less poop to pick up and fewer trips to the vets for health issues. I feed Orijen {not for growing pups. Too much protein}, and Honest Kitchen with some fresh meat mixed in but these foods are very pricey. I think Innova is more reasonably priced as is Blue Buffalo , **** Van Pattens food, and Wellness. I am sure others have done some cost comparisons to help you choose.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

> Originally Posted By: OsitoWhy isn't she stinky, is there something wrong with my pup that makes him stink????


Probably not. My dog eats Canidae, has always eaten quality food but she smells really bad today. Since her last bath, she has been swimming in the ocean, swimming in the pool, laying in a dirt pile (constantly) and running through the garden. 

She's just a dirty dog, always has been and there's nothing I can do except bath her often with puppy shampoo. EarthBath puppy is very mild and she doesn't get dry skin no matter how often I use it.


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## Maedchen (May 3, 2003)

_I have also heard that diet can play a big role on how our dog's smell. _

Absolutely!








The skin is the biggest organ of the body, so if your dog smells, it's bc he's detoxing all the junk inside of him through the skin.









I bath my dogs maybe twice a year -unless they roll themselves in something smelly- and they don't smell at all. They also don't have that greasy feel a lot of dogs (with unhealthy diets) have. 

Not only do you feed less amount when feeding a high quality kibble (bc the dog is getting more nutrients from it), you will also save $$$ long term, since your dog will be healthier for it.


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## Osito (Jun 16, 2008)

So last night I went out and bought quality dog food. I bought Canidae. I don't want my dog to be unhealthy, I don't want him to smell and I don't like picking up all of the poop.


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## grmnshpd21 (May 5, 2005)

When switching him over to the new food, make sure to switch him over slowly as to not upset his tummy. Sometimes switching food over cold turkey messes with their stomachs. So add a little bit of the new food to the food he is used to eating and then slowly increase the amount of new food to his diet as you decrease his old food. It usually takes me about a month to get Molly completely on a new food if we have to switch. Just some suggestions


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## denwil2007 (Apr 15, 2007)

show people bath their dogs frequently, sometimes twice a week depending on how many shows and the amount of goop they put in it. Chopper seems to take it quite well. But usually I put him on the table and blow him out with a high powered blow dryer. It blows the hair and dirt off his skin/coat and distributes natural oils.


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## Osito (Jun 16, 2008)

Does that mean you don't bathe Chopper, you just blow him off?? Or do you do both???? Oso is at the groomer now and they said that his skin doesn't seem to be bothered by the bathing. I don't see any signs of skin irritation and his coat is beautiful. The only raw spot is on his nose because he is digging a tunnel all the way to China, hahaha. Yes, he is a digger.


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## Osito (Jun 16, 2008)

Thanks for the suggestion on the food, I read that somewhere else so that is what I am doing even though he doesn't seem to mind the change in food.


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## BrennasMom (Mar 2, 2008)

My dog gets bathed monthly-Three days before I put frontline on, she has a great coat and skin. Her only skin problems have come from brushing too hard and fast so now instead of brushing her I will just blow her off with a high velocity dryer. I'm a groomer and she follows me around at work so I will just point the dryer at her sometimes while I'm drying another dog.

I have noticed since switching to canidae her coat is softer and shinier than ever before, diet definitely helps!


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## gsd_newbie (Aug 23, 2011)

I bath my dogs quite often, twice a week. I think they enjoy bathing, maybe it is to hot here.


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## Caledon (Nov 10, 2008)

I only bath her every once in a while, maybe once in the spring, twice in the summer and once in the winter. I just love the way she feels after a nice bath. Other than that, I brush her daily and she does not have a doggy smell, unless she is wet, and that is not too bad.

She tends to get dirter in the winter because of the the sand on the sidewalks.


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## malinois_16 (Aug 8, 2010)

Diet plays a huge role. I used to feed kibble and Lincoln stunk, he has been raw fed for over a year and he doesnt stink. I do rinse him with water monthly to get allergins off his coat as he does have allergies.


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## Salix (Feb 13, 2011)

As some have already mentioned, diet seems to be very important. When Denver was on a mostly chicken-based diet or red meat even though Royal Canin and Blue Buffalo, he had strong musky odor that stunk to the high heavens. I had to shower him nearly every week! ....Of course this had consequences. His skin dried out and became flaky and his coat showed signs of severe doggy dandruff. I tried oatmeal shampoos and everything for sensitive skin. Didn't stop the dandruff and dry skin. I put him on salmon oil and his skin improved tremendously but still a little flaky. 

Switched entirely to salmon based premium food PLUS salmon oil every two to three days and zero problems with skin or stink. I love his smell...smells like warm hay or grass. Nothing like the stink from the animal meat kibble.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Some people seem to be quite sensitive to "dog" smells. I do not mind dog odor at all, that is, "normal dog odor", and our dogs don't get more than 2-3 baths a year. 
But yes, diet can play a huge role - we also use Kirkland Signature on all but our allergic dogs. If you don't have a Costco, try to find Diamond Naturals. You won't be paying a lot more than what you pay now for a grocery store brand and there's no by-products, corn, wheat, or soy. Soy, wheat, corn and by-products would make a dog stinky I think.

BTW can you describe the smell?


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## tami97 (Sep 15, 2011)

I give Shasta one after we go to the dog park. Sometimes 2 times a week or so. She gets in the lakes there, so we give her a bath. I cant keep her out of the water. If Im not careful she will get into the bath with me. yuck lol


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## e.rigby (May 28, 2011)

I typically bathe my dogs once every 2-3 months. A high quality food will greatly reduce the doggie odor... but if you want, you can get those bath wipes at a petstore that will clean the surface of the coat -- that along with a good brushing should help out in between bath time.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

We use baby wipes, much cheaper and I think almost identical to "pet wipes". Since we have a rescue and often need to "clean up" a dog's coat for minor issues without throwing the entire pet in the tub, the baby wipes come in very handy!


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## VonKromeHaus (Jun 17, 2009)

I am a groomer and groom my own dogs every 8 weeks about. If you are using high quality shampoos and conditioners you don't need to worry about drying the coat out or stripping the oils IME!


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## Salix (Feb 13, 2011)

msvette2u said:


> We use baby wipes, much cheaper and I think almost identical to "pet wipes". Since we have a rescue and often need to "clean up" a dog's coat for minor issues without throwing the entire pet in the tub, the baby wipes come in very handy!


Yes! In my corner of the globe, more than _three _times cheaper!


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Salix said:


> Yes! In my corner of the globe, more than _three _times cheaper!


They are about that much cheaper here, too! I think they just repackage baby wipes as dog wipes so they can charge more :crazy:


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## e.rigby (May 28, 2011)

I guess I should start buying baby wipes  they do come in handy when you have 5 dogs and just need to do a touch up job!


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## pfitzpa1 (Apr 26, 2011)

Does hosing down with cold water to remove sand constitute "bathing"? I do this a couple of times a week. Her coat has recently seemed dry around the hind quarters.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

It could be your water is hard, or the sea water (assuming the sand is from the ocean) is changing the pH of the skin.

You may want to use a mild shampoo and even some conditioner, but keep in mind it's better to hydrate from within, using a good quality food and even salmon oil if the coat seems dry. The coat gets it's oil and shine from the skin.


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## jetscarbie (Feb 29, 2008)

My oldest male never gets a bath. He hates getting dirty. I swear, he tip toes around mud puddles. He does get a good hose off during the summer.

I also use baby wipes.


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