How often to you bathe your dog?

[zoelouisem]

I've bathed my nearly 2 year old terrier twice since I got him as a puppy. Once when he rolled in some other animal pooh. And once when he went wading in over flowed drain water mixed with muck heap water!!
Apart from that he's not really smelly and has a beautifully shiney coat. And he's over half white too he never seems to look grubby either.

 

[NaeNae87]

My Border Collie gets bathed once she starts to smell doggy - or if she rolls in something gross. She has a beautiful coat and everyone comments on how soft and silky her coat is.

 

[MollyMoomin]

LOL at Dylan picture!!

Herman used to get bathed, as Blackcob said, whenever he rolled in something that couldn't be dealt with by a baby wipe OR if we'd been to our local forest walk - it's ALWAYS wet in there even in the height of summer and he'd come home black and covered in twigs/little burrs. Plus he was a bog monster and would cross from side to side of the tracks in order to trot through EVERY puddle. He was long haired and fed Royal Canin.

Otto OTOH is a bit of a fairy and hates getting wet. He's 10 months old (today!) and is yet to have a bath at all. So far everything has been baby wipable and he seems to have some sort of mud repellant in his coat. Even when we go to Stainburn he comes back immaculate!! He is short haired and fed Acana.

(I mention the feeds cos everyone comments on Otto's coat and I do wonder if it contributes to how mud repellant he is.)

 

[MurphysMinder]

Depends what you mean by bathing. The current two have never been bathed, they have had the occasional blast with a hose and a bit of shampoo if they have rolled in something particularly obnoxious but that is about it. They do immerse themselves regularly in the horses water trough for a freshen up . When I used to show I used to bath the dogs before a very important show (e.g. Crufts), but you had to time it right otherwise their coats would be all fluffy and nothing like a working breed.

 

[blackcob]

I have that dilemma with R, too soon before the show and he looks like an overgrown samoyed, all fluffy and static, but do it a few days before and his legs get stained yellow again.

As much as I have grown to like piebalds I will never have a white dog again, he looks unpleasantly grubby for six months of the year and I spend the other six months picking clots of his fur out of the plughole.

 

[satinbaze]

After bathing and blow drying ready for a show I use a dry dog coat on lily to ensure she is a flatcoat retriever rather than a "punk coated" one

 

[paisley]

Wash the whippet? As in with actual water? I would be dis-ownered by him!

 

[Kaylum]

I wash mine every couple of weeks and she is also washed and clipped at the groomers. I hate going into someone's house and stinking their dog. The problem is they can't smell them as they are used to the smell. I always ask my friend if she can smell the dog when she comes round. Think about it they wee and it splashes on their legs it smells.

 

[PucciNPoni]

After bathing and blow drying ready for a show I use a dry dog coat on lily to ensure she is a flatcoat retriever rather than a "punk coated" one

How long do you keep the jacket on to re-lay the coat?

With my gun dogs, I wrap a towel on them while they're soaking wet and pin it really tight and then dry the furnishings. I've only got three hours to finish a gun dog, so this is the fastest way for me. However, your way sounds easier

 

[CorvusCorax]

Mine is in the river or the sea most days.

I also give him a bit of a going over with my hands most days to stimulate the oils in the coat, check for parasites etc. Hate seeing GSDs with big lumps of hair hanging out of them!!!

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Demon dog

Bath time

Drying off

The youngsters have Teflon fur, nothing sticks, maybe the diet? It all ends up on the floor. Big dog needs a brush occasionally to get mud off.

The pups had a bath as soon as they came home cos they both threw up in the crate all the way home.

 

[lottiepony]

Usually when my mum points out she smells a bit 'doggy'. in fact she had one this weekend as she was one stinky hound. Clearly by looking at the photo you can see what a cruel mummy I am!

Ruby Bath by lottiepony, on Flickr

 

[Sealine]

I've only ever had GSDs and I've never given one a bath. If very wet and muddy they get their legs and under-carriage hosed off.

Our previously owned dogs weren't keen on water but our current dog loves water. We've just spent a week in Cornwall where he swam in the sea, a lake, and paddled around in numerous streams. He does get brushed a couple of times a week.

 

[Kaylum]

If you have a person in your house which has allergies its a good idea to keep your dog bathed regularly. Its a reason why some people think they are allergic to animal hair as they dont realise animals harbour dust mites.