How often do you bathe your dog?

[BlueSlice]

I have a short haired dachshund so understand it’s much easier to pop him in the bath after a muddy walk than it is for a larger dog or a dog with a double/wool/long coat.

But;
I was walking on the beach with a friend who has a spaniel mix puppy (9 months) and both dogs were going mad for rolling on a rotting washed up fish, plus running in and out of the sea and digging up the sand. By the end of the walk they were filthy. (And had had a lovely time.)

I said I’d bathe mine when we got back but my friend said she had never ever bathed him yet and would just rub him down with a towel.

Aside from the fact they stank, I can’t imagine never washing your dog! I feel like my home would be filthy if I had a dirty dog living in it and I imagine the dog would feel a bit better for being clean (sand makes him itchy). I pretty much always bathe him after a dirty walk, especially if he’s rolled in something.

What do you do?

Boy dog who is 10 has never had a proper bath, just given him a sniff and he doesn't smell. He has had a strip wash when he has rolled in dead things though. Girl dog does get smelly for some reason and is way more amenable so probably has a bath every month or so in summer but not so much in winter as we don't have central heating and now she is getting on a bit I worry about her getting cold.

Weekly

I have a mud daddy that gets used daily in the winter after running around the field. Thats just warm water tthough to get the mud and grit off. I've given one dog 2 shampoo baths in her nearly 2 years and the other no shampoo baths in her 1 year of life. To be honest I have been contemplating bathing them both as its quite a while since they had a good rinse down.

@Springersrock OH MY GOOD GOD!!!!!!!!! I would have freaked out

@Esssa would you recommend a mud daddy? Have just googled it and am considering getting one to keep in the boot.

@OnlyToWin I think its great. I have the large one as I traded it for some lighting for a friends stable. It washes a filthy GSD and a Lab plus 2 pairs of boots with water to spare. If you don't have a small dog or have more than one I would probably get the medium sized one to make sure you don't run out of water. The large one is bulky to keep in the car but will sit in the foot well nicely if you've room. The boot is full of dog!

We moved house almost a year ago and I don't think either dog has been in the bath at this house.

They get brushed once dry if muddy, might get housed down if exceptionally muddy (but generally they just go in the stream at the end of the walk.

They have been bathed for fox shit and once for fleas (it was bad, we tried everything and anything) in the past.

They're working cockers, DH trims his, because she gets knotty and hates being brushed, I leave mine, her coat is slightly less woolly and she doesn't mind being groomed, so I just do around her undercarriage for cleanliness (otherwise her coat dips in the wee puddle if she goes on a hard surface).

About four times a year

Never. I have labradors and you would never see more shiny coated dogs in your life.
The swim, they roll in poo,they roll in mud and go in swamps. In they roll in poo - I hose them down when home but no shampoo and I sometimes towel dry but that's it. Highly damaging to their coats. They do get at least one or two good "hard" brushes a week. Everyone comments on their coats. And no they don't stink but I like a dog smell and have air freshners.

@Esssa thank you 😊

I don't really.

Never for our short haired dog, it would ruin the waterproof quality of the coat and it's not needed. I dry her with a towel and brush mud off when dried, never had a problem with smell.

Every 12 weeks when ddog goes for a clip. Unless she has rolled in something disgusting in which case it's as required

I really want to know how you hose off poo without shampoo and don’t leave a smell? My delightful girl ends up with it crusted in her eyebrows . I have a bottle brush for cleaning it out of her collar. I often have to sluice, shampoo, rinse, shampoo, rinse to get the stench off her. Is there a technique?

She’s double coated if that matters.

When she gets dirty she goes in the shower (easier than a bath for a medium sized dog). Maybe 4-6 times a year? Could be twice in one month, or 2-3 months between.

About every two weeks.

@AuntyPasta

I really want to know how you hose off poo without shampoo and don’t leave a smell? My delightful girl ends up with it crusted in her eyebrows . I have a bottle brush for cleaning it out of her collar. I often have to sluice, shampoo, rinse, shampoo, rinse to get the stench off her. Is there a technique?

I have a powerful hose -but when they roll in shit -be in any sort of animal shit- I normally get them to go into any water on the way back to get it wet. But I use a hose and my hand.

I have a terrier mix and he gets showered about once a fortnight. Probably more frequently in the winter as he gets so muddy being quite close to the ground!

I couldn't cope with a stinky, dirty dog.

About every 4-6 weeks with shampoo. If he gets muddy he just gets rinsed off, or if it's dry it just comes off with a towel.

The only time mine won’t go in water on a walk is after she’s rolled in something. I wear gloves and sluice/rub the stuff away but she still smells of it. One lot actually dyed the white dots on her collar yellow and it stayed that way after 12 hours of soaking in various stuff.

Have to say I'm shocked at those who hose down their pets. Seems cruel outside of very hot weather.

I bathe my 12-pound chihuahua with a natural olive oil dog shampoo about once a month, or more if he rolls in something. He really loves being clean and fresh; happily stands in sink and enjoys the rubdown with clean towels.

Kind of feel sorry for dogs who don't get to experience cleanliness.

Luckily my dog hates water, so the baths are just during the 6-week groom rather than daily river dives. But if ever she does get dirty/muddy/very wet I put her in the downstairs shower. Wet unwashed dog is a no-no!

About once a year for my double coated mongrel. I would bath him if he had rolled in something disgusting tho but not for normal mud etc it brushes out when dry and he cleans himself.

Have to say I'm shocked at those who hose down their pets. Seems cruel outside of very hot weather.

• I bathe my 12-pound chihuahua with a natural olive oil dog shampoo about once a month, or more if he rolls in something. He really loves being clean and fresh; happily stands in sink and enjoys the rubdown with clean towels.

Kind of feel sorry for dogs who don't get to experience cleanliness.*

Mine gets hosed off in his own bathroom. We hose him off with a shower attachment with warm water so I wouldn't feel sorry for him as he is very spoilt.

And even if we did it outside rather than in a bathroom if you have a dog that jumps in streams or big puddles in winter hosing then down outside is no different to what they do themselves. If you owned a lab, spaniel or other dog that is inclined to swim in water or mud you would understand.