Baths - aaagh!

[Martina]

:eek: No, it's not that dramatic!

I've heard and read several different things about skin sensitivity and Ph balance in dogs regarding how frequently one should bathe them and my question is: How often should/can I bathe these girlies?? So far, they've had a big bath once a month. But last night, Lola smelled so badly that I kept soaping her up and rinsing her down - three times! And maybe she could have used a 4th. Is this okay? Is this normal? Should I bathe them every week if she smelled that badly? They are inside/outside dogs and love their outdoor playtime. I had to put a cortisone cream on Lola's belly last night after the bath, but she'd been having problems with a minor rash before the bath and seems totally fine this morning.

Gigi's at the hospital - but that's a whole other story that I'll get in tomorrow after she comes back ... :(

Martina

[gilazno]

you may want to try baby wipes in between baths to help keep them clean...as for when or how much i too have heard very mixed things on this. I would guess that if you are not seeing any negative effects from bathing them 1/month then stick with it but if you start seeing dry skin or flaking maybe cut it down. i think we bathe biggie about once every 3 months or so. dirty dirty doggie:-) just kidding, he does not seem to smell though otherwise i would guess we would bathe him a little more.

[Kelly+Manja]

I probably bathe manja about once every two months. He doesnt really start to smell until then. Although now an then he'll be a bit stinky but then the smell will fade naturally.(or maybe its that I just get used to it???)

[Martina]

I probably bathe manja about once every two months. He doesnt really start to smell until then. Although now an then he'll be a bit stinky but then the smell will fade naturally.(or maybe its that I just get used to it???)

Ha, ha, ha!! I know that I get used to their smells -- it's only when others tell me that they stink that I start smelling them more critically. And, I did do the baby wipes for a while, but they both HATED them. Gigi got to the point where she would run and hide - and she loves any sort of activity that's just her and me with all my attention focused on HER. As a matter of fact, she adores baths. So I started to pay more attention, and I think that she had a skin allergy to the baby wipes ... and of course, I'm so lazy, that if I can't use them on both of them, I don't use them on either of them. But I also just heard about doggie deoderant. I think that I'll give that a try.

Martina

[Carolyn]

Martina....as you know I have two Frenchies...Abby and Ferris. I have to say...I have never ever noticed an odor from either of them. They play both inside and out. Our yard is grass in the back and grass/dirt in the front. I prefer they play on the grass but when they are out front...they really stir up the dirt...especially during the dry summer months. I am wondering if your pups might have something else going on with the skin that creates the odor. ???? We give Abby and Ferris a bath maybe once a month and that's only because we know they must be filthy! Maybe I am just lucky but wanted to share my thoughts... hugs to your two.

[Martina]

Well, my two have had 3 baths in 4 days -- so NOT good for them! Buuuut, it's deer season here and they've been finding lots, and lots of guts in the woods ... and rolling and rolling and rolling in them. You think those little dog farts are stinky?!? Imagine them smelling like a rotten carcass - aaagh!! I even had to leave the party on Thanksgiving day because they came back from the walk smelling so horribly!

Unfortunately, Gigi's now having a bit of dandruff. I'm not surprised, but she HAD to have those baths! Now that we're back at our own house, with our own yard, I can let them play, play, play outside - hopefully without fear of stinky stinkiness!!

Martina

[Carolyn]

Martina....my two are both inside and outside in our yard. When the yard is dry...they do kick up a lot of dirt while chasing and playing. I brush off the dirt and they are fine, with no odor. My two haven't had a bath in months! Everyone once in awhile I will give them a bath just because it feels good to them and they always look so lovely after a bath. If yours have a odor (other than from deer guts) it may be from a skin condition (I know you know this). Personally I think once a month is too much under normal circumstances. Carolyn

[Martina]

I don't mind giving Gigi a bath because she sits so quietly and enjoys every aspect. Lola, on the other hand, is like a cat and fights to get out. And since they're non-bathing dogs, I don't have any special equipment - I just put 'em in the bathtub. Of course, I have a bad low-back so that after all these baths in so few days, I'm living on Aleve and walking all hunched over. I can't tell you how happy I was when I brought the girls in yesterday from their playtime and they smelled like sunshine and grass (we're having a couple of warm days here)! They smelled earthily clean - l love that smell!

But the deer-gut smell ... pee-yew! I had those two in this big room (with a window open) before I could set up for the bath the last time and you needed a gas mask to withstand the toxic fumes. It was horrible! Funnily enough, as much as Gigi enjoys her bath, it's also Gigi who LOVES the deer guts and leads Lola down the path of temptation.

These should be the last baths for a very, very long time!

Martina

by the way: Their skin is okay (except for Gigi's over-abundant-bath-related-dandruff [which is getting better]) and does not normally have a smell - thank goodness! No, the deer guts were just too wonderful to pass up ...