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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

How often is too often to bath a dog?

33 replies

TheCunnyFunt · 27/12/2015 22:49

We got a Border Terrier 4 weeks ago, she stinks of dog. The day we picked her up they gave her a quick dip which wasn't really effective tbh.

I bathed her on christmas eve because she rolled and was filthy. She stinks already. We're not used to stinky dogs! Our other dog is s greyhound and he doesn't smell at all!

We hoover almost daily now, use Shake N Vac on every other hoovering job and we hoover both the dog beds thoroughly. The BT's bed has been washed a couple of times (GH's bed is a waterproof cushion that just has a brief hose off occasionally) but it takes a while to dry so I think I need to get her something with a removable cover.

How else can we control the smell other than frequent bathing? (Although the bathing idea is appealing to me, the dog shampoo smells of baby powder! It's lovely.)

OP posts:
merrymouse · 27/12/2015 22:51

diet can really affect dog smell.

PacificDogwod · 27/12/2015 22:55

Does she just have a 'doggy' smell or a more nasty offensive stink? If so, I'd get her checked by the vet.

Our DHound (greyhound) has been with us for 8 months now and has never had a bath and does not smell at all (well, his farts could clear a room… Hmm) which I realise is a breed characteristic, and as far as his Fear Of The Gardenhose goes, ANY bath is a bath too many Grin

Sorry, not v helpful, but I'd get some veterinary advice if she is particularly stinky.

centurylooser · 27/12/2015 23:03

Have you checked her ears? How old is she - could it be teeth? Or is it just the stinky puppy piss thing?

honeyroar · 27/12/2015 23:04

We got a small terrier type dog in August. We have a couple of labs too. We have always had big dogs before. She does seem smellier. I put it down to her being lower to the ground. She avoids mud and bogs much more than the bigger two, so should smell less! She has a longer fluffier coat though. Don't bath too often, and I don't use scented products. She has an allergy and anyway i don't think it's right somehow.

We use fleece blankets on tip of the beds, it's easy to wash.

sweetkitty · 27/12/2015 23:06

A woman I often walk with baths her lurcher every day! I know it's muddy just now but he's a shorthaired dog I think that's a bit excessive. I only bath mine if she rolls. There's doggy deodorant you can buy for the smell.

Floralnomad · 27/12/2015 23:08

i would send her to a groomer and have her hand stripped and bathed regularly and then get some dog sprays to use in between if necessary , short hair definitely helps though .

ChipsandGuac · 27/12/2015 23:09

I have a (lovely but rather bonkers) friend who bathes her dog every day too. It's a coton de toulier and she cleans it after the morning hike. That dog is not allowed to smell of dog. Ever!

Mrsmorton · 27/12/2015 23:09

Our vet says once a year is excessive...

mudandmayhem01 · 27/12/2015 23:14

Do dogs find it distressing if they smell of artificial scents? a dogs sense of smell is 100x stronger than ours and they use scent to mark territory and find out information about other dogs. I feel sorry for a dog that is bathed everyday. I also think most dog owners houses smell of dog but you just get used the smell of your own dog.

merrymouse · 27/12/2015 23:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

merrymouse · 27/12/2015 23:15

Wrong thread!

TheoriginalLEM · 27/12/2015 23:17

fogs only need a bath if they have rolled in something offensive. is this a puppy? i wish they could bottle puppy smell

sweetkitty · 27/12/2015 23:18

I totally agree I do know a few bonkers people who bath their dogs every day. The one with the lurcher says she washes his harness twice a day too!!! Our dog only gets washed if she stinks of eau de fox poo then she knows she has to do the walk of shame to the bathroom I find the smell of wet dog worse than doggy smell which I find quite nice (weirdly)

cranberryx · 27/12/2015 23:21

I found that regular brushing can help with the smell, also once a month is about right IMO. I have Samoyeds and anymore than that can affect a dogs natural oils and cause irritation I have been told.

Some dogs just naturally have a more 'doggy smell' - I think it's very breed specific. My Sammies don't smell of dog, but my MIL's Tibetan spaniel really does!

TheoriginalLEM · 27/12/2015 23:21

i love the wet dog smell too

Original poster
TheCunnyFunt · 27/12/2015 23:29

No she's not a puppy, she's 3-4yo. Her teeth aren't great but her smell is definitely dog smell.

OP posts:
Original poster
TheCunnyFunt · 27/12/2015 23:33

Daily? Shock that can't be good for them surely? The only time my greyhound has a bath is the morning before I collect him from kennels. Last time they didn't have time to do him like they usually do and he absolutely stunk of dog. Stopped via the pet shop on the way home to buy shampoo and he got bathed in the garden with a tub of warm water and a cup :o

OP posts:
Original poster
TheCunnyFunt · 27/12/2015 23:33

That was back in August.

OP posts:
MackerelOfFact · 27/12/2015 23:56

I think longer-haired dogs are pongier than short-haired breeds - I guess dirt, debris, oils, dead skin and other smelly things get trapped in their fur more easily. Plus they probably sweat more!

If your dog likes swimming, just a dip in a local lake, river or sea can freshen them up nicely, even if the water isn't that clean - once they're dry they smell much less doggy.

Original poster
TheCunnyFunt · 28/12/2015 00:08

Nothing like that round here. We have the river trent about 5 minutes walk away but 1, the currents are far too strong and very dangerous, and 2, she'd come out filthier than she went in :o

OP posts:
GissASquizz · 28/12/2015 00:10

I bath the spaniel every 3 months or so. I bath the poodley thing approx once a week. The reason? We go on lots of muddle hikes. The spaniel loves to swim, so keeps himself fairly fresh by swimming in the lake. The poodley thing likes to roll in fox shit. And his woolly coat mutts up and holds the poo/mud/leaves. A good wash and a decent conditioner is the only way to let him be a dog.

mudandmayhem01 · 28/12/2015 00:11

Dogs don't sweat,( well only through their paw pads) that's why they pant!

abetterhairbrushisneeded · 28/12/2015 09:12

It depends on a lot of things. A new-to-you dog will have a smell you need to get used to. Diet is important. Different breeds need different things. We have spaniels and the recoomendation is for about 6 baths a year. We find ours smell every other month! Sometimes they either eat something rancid or roll about in something rancid. Sometimes ours get bad breath when they need to take a drink of water - their breath is always improved by a drink of water!

Noofly · 28/12/2015 09:50

I take it that the anti-frequent bathing people don't own curly dogs who like to lie/run in the mud which then sticks to them and can't be brushed/rubbed off? Grin

At this time of the year - well, actually at 99% of the year other than the odd dry summer day- our dog is in the bath every day. His afternoon walk is off lead through the fields and woods and he invariably ends up caked in mud right up his legs and on his belly.

I don't use shampoo, just rinse him clean and that gets rid of any smell without bothering his skin (he has allergies). When he has rolled in poo, I use ketchup.

Have you tried bathing her without using shampoo- I.e. is it her that's smelling or everything that she's picking up outside?

ingeniousidiot · 28/12/2015 11:22

Ours usually has a Christmas eve bath - upstairs in a full tub of hot water and doggy shampoo (although he missed last year). It's been lovely to have a soft silky clean dog for a couple of days, but he's been back round the yard today (farm) and in the wood, so has had a quick hose off at the door before he's allowed to come in and dry off.

He's rinsed as needed when he's muddy/stinky, so often in fact that he 'shakey shake's to get the water off on command.

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