How often to you bathe your dog?

[Oriel]

We're relatively new to dog ownership. We have a one year old Border Collie who goes on fairly long walks off the lead in woodland and open downland. He usually comes back fairly muddy and dirty and so I shower him roughly once a week with a mild dog shampoo. Recently someone who has a lot more experience with dogs said she wouldn't do it that often.

His coat is lovely and glossy (he's on the RAW diet) and smells nice plus he enjoys his showers.

Am I overdoing the shampooing?

 

[PolarSkye]

We're relatively new to dog ownership. We have a one year old Border Collie who goes on fairly long walks off the lead in woodland and open downland. He usually comes back fairly muddy and dirty and so I shower him roughly once a week with a mild dog shampoo. Recently someone who has a lot more experience with dogs said she wouldn't do it that often.

His coat is lovely and glossy (he's on the RAW diet) and smells nice plus he enjoys his showers.

Am I overdoing the shampooing?

When I walk my two collie crosses, I just make sure they get a dunking in the river and a towel dry before they get in the car and then they spend half an hour or so in their crate when they get home - job done . Mine only get a proper bath when they need it - coat needs to come out, they are getting a little - erm - "doggy" . . . I'd be wary of stripping the natural oils out of his coat, if I were you - perhaps just hose off with plain water to get rid of the debris and shampoo once a month?

P

 

[MileAMinute]

Only when he rolls in duck/fox/cow/horse/anything else poo!

 

[PucciNPoni]

My border terrier maybe once every 3 months or so. My poodle anywhere from weekly to monthly, depending on how busy I am. If you use a good quality shampoo you won't strip out oils.

 

[ladyt25]

I havey had mine 1 and a half years and I think I've washed her maybe 4 times? She's actually just had a bath today - much to her disgust! She us just short coated though - I think if she had a longer coat she'd probably be washed more regularly

 

[FionaM12]

When he "goes off"!

Every now and then I notice he's smelling a bit ripe and it's off to the bath for him. He hates it.

 

[blackcob]

The white one is bathed before shows so as often as every couple of weeks in the summer, then not at all in the winter. The dark coloured one hasn't had a bath in about a year, she only gets one for rolling in fox poo or anything that won't come out with a wet wipe.

 

[Oriel]

Thanks for the replies... I think I'll continue to rely on my nose

 

[That old chestnut]

We have a giant breed dog and I haven't attempted to bath her myself since she was six months old. She goes to the groomers every three months and they do it. She has fairly long, thick fur and can sniff mud and water out a mile away. She tends to stay in the garden or the kitchen until she dries off.

 

[Umbongo]

My collie gets a proper bath a couple of times a year. When he is muddy from walks I will either wash off the muddy bits with water or get him to walk through a puddle/stream!

 

[Nicnac]

I take my bernese mountain dog swimming to the nearest lake. He loves it, it's good for his joints and cleans him up. I bathe him once a year, but it's a two person job in a huge bath as he's 11 stone. I took him to the 'poodle parlour' once, but at £90 I prefer to do it myself!

 

[vieshot]

My bc x gets put in the shower most days. Only rinsed off with water though. She gets a proper bath at the groomers every three months or so.

 

[PucciNPoni]

I take my bernese mountain dog swimming to the nearest lake. He loves it, it's good for his joints and cleans him up. I bathe him once a year, but it's a two person job in a huge bath as he's 11 stone. I took him to the 'poodle parlour' once, but at £90 I prefer to do it myself!

Even at £90, I am willing to bet your poodle parlour prefers you DIY it too I know it seems like an awful lot of money, but groomers can often do 3-4 or even 5 small dogs at £30 each in the time your big dog could be done.

 

[littlemisslauren]

My Border Terrier has a bath when she starts to smell minging, sometimes that is weekly other it can be months between baths.

 

[{97702}]

Never Just one of the reasons I have greyhounds

 

[blackcob]

There was a man at the show today polishing a black greyhound with a yellow duster.

 

[That old chestnut]

I take my bernese mountain dog swimming to the nearest lake. He loves it, it's good for his joints and cleans him up. I bathe him once a year, but it's a two person job in a huge bath as he's 11 stone. I took him to the 'poodle parlour' once, but at £90 I prefer to do it myself!

Wow £90!! We have a Leonberger who is a similar size to a Bernese and we pay between £30 and £35 for the full works for her; bath, thorough groom, nails clipped if necessary, fur between pads and around ears trimmed, ladybits tidied up etc. Our groomers own 3 Leos so we are happy they know what to do with her. She loves going and definitely is better behaved whilst being groomed by them.

 

[Alec Swan]

There was a man at the show today polishing a black greyhound with a yellow duster.

A bit light on his loafers, was he?

Alec.

 

[PucciNPoni]

Wow £90!! We have a Leonberger who is a similar size to a Bernese and we pay between £30 and £35 for the full works for her; bath, thorough groom, nails clipped if necessary, fur between pads and around ears trimmed, ladybits tidied up etc. Our groomers own 3 Leos so we are happy they know what to do with her. She loves going and definitely is better behaved whilst being groomed by them.

Gobsmacked that they'd charge so little! I charge £30 for a yorkie!! Something big like a Leo is about £90-£120 in my area!

 

[{97702}]

There was a man at the show today polishing a black greyhound with a yellow duster.

PMSL BC I must try that with mine Do you think they would appreciate a quick blast of Mr Sheen as well?

 

[Oenoke]

My Border Collies get a proper bath with shampoo about twice a year, if they get muddy on a walk they may get hosed off when we get home, but usually it's left to dry, then brushed off.

 

[blackcob]

You may laugh but I could see my reflection in that dog's coat!

 

[{97702}]

Pah thats nothing, I can see my face in Unwashed Amy's coat

 

[patseyr]

When ever they fall into the slurry pit but that has only happened once!!! and it took about 4 washes and blow drys to get the stuff off.

But I find it impossible to keep our collie clean after bringing in the cows twice a day, when shes working the only thing that she sees is the cows and will go through or lie in anything when shes working. She comes back looking like a mud monster!!!

She some how manages to get herself clean again before the evening milking!
I do try and keep her coat brushed every week or so, but its nearly impossible!

 

[That old chestnut]

Gobsmacked that they'd charge so little! I charge £30 for a yorkie!! Something big like a Leo is about £90-£120 in my area!

I would definitely bath her at home if I had to pay that much. To be fair, we did pay £50 the last time she went as she was in the process of dropping her entire coat the minute we had a warm day. It took the two of them almost 2 hours and it seemed we left an entire dog's worth of fur over their floor.

 

[PucciNPoni]

I would definitely bath her at home if I had to pay that much. To be fair, we did pay £50 the last time she went as she was in the process of dropping her entire coat the minute we had a warm day. It took the two of them almost 2 hours and it seemed we left an entire dog's worth of fur over their floor.

Okay, even still - two people working for £50 for two hours (counting the clean up time too) £25 per hour / 2 people is 12.50 each per person per hour. That would be not too bad if that was actually their income. Generally speaking most grooming businesses have to pay overheads before they get a penny for themselves. So even if their rent was cheap, their leccy and water won't be. Taxes, rates, marketing/advertising, telephone, shampoo all take a pretty big chunk out of daily takings. Oh yeah, and chiros for the groomers after doing the biggies!



Sorry, I seem to be having a rant LOL - but it's one of those things I think people just don't realise the economics of dog grooming. It's actually a very low profit business even with seemingly high charges.

 

[That old chestnut]

Oh, I'm not saying it's not worth £90, it's just I wouldn't want to pay that every 3 months. It's made me realise how lucky we are with our groomers and their charges.
I'm self-employed as well and my expensives are very high including staff wages. Something my clients don't consider so I understand what you are saying.

 

[Toffee44]

I get my baths everyday. Puddles, stream, pond or pony troughs

Dylan xx

 

[noodle_]

not often until they really humm.....then they get a bath

the go in the fresh water pond often in summer...so thats all good

once a week with mild shampoo wont do any harm in stripping oils imo....

 

[burtie]

My dog swims in the river most days unless it is seriously below zero. He has never had a bath in the almost 2 years we've owned him and everyone comments on how nice his coat is and how un-doggy he smells. Mostly he smells a lot like digestive biscuits!