How often do you bath your dog?

[slinkycat]

Mine seems to start smelling really "doggy" after a couple of weeks at the most even though he's short haired ( please don't point out he's meant to smell like a dog!)
Just worried that if I bathed him too often it wouldn't do his skin or hair any good, even though I use a gentle puppy shampoo.
He's my first dog so I'm a novice at this, but I'm sure my parents only bathed theirs every few months, maybe I just have a particularly smelly dog!

[tinkerbell23]

He gets groomed...but if he whiffs he gets bathed with baby shampoo! Also have a leave in spray that smells of apples!! Got it from pets at home! :0) pabs also geta dirty alot under his wee belly cos hes short so
If its raining sometime i have to carry him in front door and straaaight upstairs no mucky paws on mums cream carpet LOL x

[Buenchico]

There's only one smell nicer than that of a dog, and that's the smell of a wet dog!

(I love doggy smells; there's something wonderfully 'homely' about them).

I've not got a dog but every dog care programme I've ever seen on the telly has suggested that you shouldn't wash a dog unless it's REALLY necessary (e.g. if Fido has rolled in something particularly nasty!)

Chris

[slinkycat]

That's very brave Tinkerbell, cream carpets and dogs are not a good combination!
That's reminded me, I have some of that apple spray tucked away somewhere, it smells almost good enough to use on yourself!

[vodkancoke]

I'm with Chris, I love doggy smells. I no longer have a doggy but we used to get her groomed every 3 months and inbetween we would wash her with johnson's baby shampoo if she was muddy.

[slinkycat]

That's what I thought Chris, wouldn't want to overdo it but sometimes as soon as I walk through the door the house just smells of dog, whereas my parents' house never did

[Jan1957]

When we got our bichon from an old couple they had been bathing him once a week which is why he had such a bad skin complaint. Bathing them too often washes out the natural oils. We used to bath him once every six to eight weeks and use tea tree oil shampoo and lotion and his skin cleared up really well.

[slinkycat]

I tend to do Geoff about once a month, so hopefully thats not too often, maybe I ought to embrace the doggy smell!

[jules77]

An all over bath once a year, but only when moulting for my lot. I wash their legs, bibs and bums before a show, and go over the rest of their body with grooming wipes (baby wipes do a similar job). I also use a fresh baby cologne powder on them, it doubles up as an air freshener as once the dogs are sprayed with it the whole house smells of baby powder. One bottle lasts me 12 months, so a good investment.

http://www.petcetera....er-cologne-500ml.html

[tamborine]

Only if sticky bums from a meat diet. Dogs smell more than bitches. They need their natural oils in the cold.

[divegirl]

I agree with Chris....nothing nicer than a clean dog smell. I have Danes so they only get bathed when it's really hot in the garden and then I only do this to help the moult. My Yorkies are bathed maybe twice a year, again usually in the summer to get all the old coat out.
As long as you feed a decent diet and groom them regularly they shouldn't smell unless they've rolled in something!

Lisa x

[chrissa1]

I live near the sea so no problems with my Labs.

[tara20]

I never bath unless absolutely necessary. In her 15 years Tara was bathed 4 or 5 times (skin rash). Otherwise a rub down after rain and regular grooming is enough. Sandy is 3 and has been bathed once (this year during a heatwave - just to cool him down.)

[notasyoungasiwas]

I've had Bruno for seven years and bathed him about three times! I don't think it does his skin any good to be bathed on a regular basis (plus he's too big to lift into the bath!!). He smells OK to me and others who love him so that's fine by us. I brush him sometimes and he always looks lovely!

[Frank97]

I only bath Frank if he's been rolling in something, so quite often really, no only joking about once a year at the most.

[ladybirder]

Slinky I would agree that a dog should only be washed when absolutely necessary BUT make sure his bed is washed regularly because that'll smell. Also your sofa covers and cushions etc or anywhere else he lies. You might also like to consider buying an air purifier if it doesn't get better.

[slinkycat]

Judging from all your replies I think I'd better cut down on Geoff's baths!
I do wash his bedding regularly so that the smell of that doesn't transfer back to him, so maybe I'll try the doggy deodorant again!

[LoftyLottie]

I don't bath my dog unless she has been through something extremely smelly/sticky/nasty or has decided to have a swim in stagnant water. She is 10 and probably has had about 6 baths in total. She doesn't smell. I wash her bedding regularly. (and ours because she often sneaks upstairs onto our bed!)