Washing Labrador

[Buffyismyalterego]

Hi there

After some advice please! We have never wash or had professionally groomed our Labrador. I'd read somewhere that they have natural oils etc etc

We take him everyday for a walk in a flowing river so not stagnant water and it's kept him clean (as much as dogs can be!). Also brush him when shedding etc

However, after 7 years I've come to accept that he now has that 'doggy' smell and is also leaving the scent on our sofa covers and his bed. We are slowly becoming one of 'those' households that insists their house doesn't smell of dog...but are clearly living in denial 😆

I'd like to give him a wash with a doggie shampoo but just wanted to check if there was a specific way to do it or if this is really a big no no?

He had a hose down spray a few times before when rolled in something gross but never actually shampoo'd

Advice welcome or am I overthinking this?

Overthinking

What ever works for you get him wet outside, cover in shampoo and then rinse well.

Or pop in shower and bath (can take ages to clean up bathroom when they shake) add shampoo rinse and dry.

If he has not been in the bath before put in bath without water and standing on a towel put safe peanut butter on tiles so he licks that off and does not struggle in the bath.

If doing outside I put peanut butter on a wall for the dog to lick off whilst showering them.

be ready for zoomies around the garden when you have finished and possibly mud rolling

Nootie do a foam shampoo which you don’t have to wash off. It gets rid of the doggie smell and can be used between water washes Water lily passion is our favourite

its called foaming waterless shampoo. Soft lily passion by Nootie. Sold at Pets at Home

I get in the shower with ours a handful
of times a year. Fairy liquid works fine.

@Buffyismyalterego - watching with interest as I'm in exactly the same position with my Labradors!

Used to rely on them getting wet in streams or heavy rain and then a brisk rub down. Plus spot washing of fox poo necks etc. But the weather has been so dry lately and our nearest lake has suspected blue green algae.

I've no doubt that our house smells of dog - doesn't bother us at all but I do often find myself asking visitors what they think.

I have a bottle of dog shampoo sitting on the kitchen counter and have been trying to steel myself to get on with it for weeks! It will have to be an outside job with the garden hose and I'm hoping that if I do it while the weather is so hot they might even thank me for it! Smelliest lab is nearly 13 and very arthritic so I'm worried about hurting him if he struggles - which I'm sure he will.

Fairy liquid works fine.

Surely that's too harsh for a dog's coat? Does it not strip out natural oils?

Ahhh thanks so much everyone for the reassurances. Love my boy so don't want to mess up his coat

I think the bathroom won't survive the carnage (and hats off to poster who gets in the shower with their doggo!). So it'll be outside

@StrawberryPot I'll let you know how I get on and if the smell goes. I've just got a big standard doggy shampoo and conditioner so hope that'll be ok!

Unaware of what's about to happen 😆

Bathroom carnage would be the same with mine!. DS did once get in the bath with our youngest Labrador when he was a very smelly puppy of about 15 weeks. Practically flooded the bathroom! Little puppy is now 3 years old and very strong!

@StrawberryPot

Ive not noticed any issues. Perhaps it could be a problem if used more frequently but ours gets two or three baths a year without issue.

Much easier and less messy to send him to the groomers for a bath .

i find it makes them smell more. will try the foam recommended upthread

we have a dog paddling pool....cuts out the bathroom carnage.

I have a small terrier he just goes in the bath but the mess he makes is ridiculous. The idea of a getting in the bath with a big lab has really made me laugh 😂😂

Mine gets groomed twice a year. It really helps especially in summer when she’s shedding winter coat. Sooo much hair comes out! They also do her nails. At home she gets a wash with dog shampoo when she’s rolled in poo. She hates it. She’s too big to carry to the bath so I do it with the hosepipe outside. She then rolls all over the grass to try and get dry 😂

Buy a paddling pool or a baby bath if dog is smaller , fill with warm water , get dog in , shampoo , rinse and then a hose down on a trickle flow or a watering can.

I use a solid shampoo with Neem oil, it’s much easier to get the shampoo evenly through the coat with a solid bar and it has bug repelling qualities as well. We use the hose in the garden and we all get thoroughly soaked. The only problem is what a wriggler my lab is once you start washing her, it’s a real wrestling match.

We don’t bath (the dog) here often, but when she’s a bit stinky (ie. After a roll in something grim) we use Tropiclean oxymed oatmeal shampoo. It was recommended by the vet for our previous lab who was a rescue with awful coat and skin when we got her. It worked really well, so we’ve just stuck with that. Smells nice too. The hypoallergenic version doesn’t have any nasties in.

Ive tried to wash her in the walk-in shower, but it’s complete carnage, so she gets tied up outside and hosed down now. Can’t understand how a dog that will throw herself in any body of water or swamp is so averse to clean water at home….

Outside with watering cans, tied to a fence post. I use wash and go or mane and tail.
it’s very important to rinse thoroughly

Mine gets a bath pretty much weekly, she is a big fan of poo rolling, swamp diving, wading through mud etc. She gets bathed outside with the hose pipe and dog shampoo. Buy a special dog shampoo that is the correct pH for their skin. She gets a good rub down with a towel afterwards and then either lies in the sun or by the fire to dry off depending on the weather. Doesn't seem to do her any harm and she reluctantly stands still while you bath her then offers each paw for drying before smiling ready for her teeth to be brushed. I think she quite enjoys all the attention really

Thanks so much for the advice

I think I will invest in some higher quality shampoo as he does have a dry coat and I think the bog standard sainsbo one I bought will do but would prefer something a bit nicer for his coat

Well, it was an ordeal but only as I STUPIDLY took his collar off and left it inside so didn't have a good grip on him. And as he kept shaking on me I was too wet to go through the house and get it.

But he was quite good and bribed with a few gravy bones so I do think I'll do it once or twice a year as he smells so much better now and I gave his coat a good brush too.

However, 2 minutes after finishing he was rolling around in the dead grass and got covered in grass seeds so had to hose him again

All around, a very good boy 🐶

Our lab is quite happy to be washed, I only do it with shampoo a few times a year. If its cooler I have a washing up bowl, lukewarm water and a jug. He loves getting towel dried so he'll stand there quite happily usually. In this warmer weather he likes being hosed, I use the mist setting and he'll stand and be rinsed. To make it a bit quicker you can put the shampoo in a jog full of warm water, pour it all over their back and rub in to foam up, then start rinsing or hosing and rubbing it all round. Mine would find it too much of a big deal being washed in the bath I think. Good luck!

Our lab is only one and has only ever had a couple of baths after rolling in something stinky. Once you've got her in the bath she just stands there doing her most mistreated dog in the world impression! I've never used anything other than ketchup and a tiny bit of shampoo. Drying coat on straight afterwards which seems to make the most difference in terms of wet dog smell.

I washed all our dogs on Monday. I use a dog shampoo from Amazon, anything with at least 4* and loads of reviews.

Small Spaniels first, finished with the Lab. Downstairs bathroom, shower over the bath. Run the shower cool, rinse Lab, <lab shakes> rewet Lab, lather up with shampoo, rinse, <lab shakes>, keep rinsing and quickly wrap in towel before your 3rd shower of the day!

I was relatively dry until the Lab. Had a warmer shower after I’d wiped down the walls and floor!!