[rmzbm]

I've been bathing Dakota in the sink every other day since we got him. I casually mentioned this to someone who said that's not good for his skin. (The shampoo I guess.) What do you all think?

 

[k9rider]

depends. if using a dog-specific shampoo of high quality then you can bathe as often as you need/want to. human shampoos are waaaay too harsh to use frequently, if at all.<br><br>
why are you giving him that many baths though???

 

[AlbertaJes]

That will really dry him out.<br>
I think I bathe my dog about every 3 months unless she gets really disgusting, like when she rolls in manure.

 

[rmzbm]

Yes, I am using a dog shampoo. He just seems SO CLEAN and FLUFFY after. And really gross if not shampoo'd.<br><br>
I'm overdoing it, hu? <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/dizzy.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Dizzy">:

 

[edamommy]

every other day????? Not good. We take our dog to the groomers every 2 months. Sometimes every 6 weeks if they do a lot of ocean swimming. In the winter my sammy goes every 6 weeks and our springer becomes our "wooly mammoth" and doesn't get groomed or bathed until spring... we brush him a couple of times a week and he's fine. And we clean their ears once a month regardless. And squeeze the ole anal glands every other month too. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/innocent.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="shy">

 

[rmzbm]

We've only had him 11 days...just throwing it out there so noone thinks he's really been damaged, LOL... <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/bag.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Bag">:

 

[gealach]

Jake gets a bath every few months. I am spoiled and I take him to the groomers to have it done. I tried doing it myself the first year or so that we had him, but they get him so much cleaner and fluffier than I can on my own.<br><br>
What kind of dog is he?

 

[Arduinna]

our pug gets bathed 2x a week now due to his allergies and itchy skin. the GSP rarely gets a bath, but they both choose to get wet in their kiddie pool pretty often.

 

[Scribe]

Isn't Dakota only a couple of months old? Pups that young shouldn't be bathed at all unless there is a pressing reason to do so (fleas, etc.).

 

[rmzbm]

Yeah, he's 2 months old. To me though he REALLY seems gross...I mean I'm not just being dumb - truely. His hair seems "sticky" after a couple days.<br><br>
gealach - he's a bulldog/beagle mix. Beabull extraordinare! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/love.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="love">

 

[christyb]

Lola's last bath was mid to late December 2005. She has no odor to her at all. We got her in November 2005 and for the next month or so fiddled around with her food and she stunk to high heaven! She was getting a bath every week but needed one after 4 or 5 days. Once she went 100% raw and no veggies, fruits or grains her odor has neutralized and now she is lovely!<br><br>
Most foster dogs I get in reek and get several baths within the first 5 days or so but by day about 7 of feeding raw no more baths necessary!

 

[rmzbm]

Well, there's no oder. He doesn't stink at all. I just have this *ick* about his sticky hair running all over the house. DH thinks I'm overdoing it but that it won't hurt him...he also thinks I'm obsessive compulsive! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol">

 

[k9rider]

what are you feeding dakota????

 

[rmzbm]

Iams Smart Puppy. I know Iams isn't that popular here but he strongly prefers it & that's what my cats eat. (Well, they don't eat Smart Puppy... <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngtongue.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Stick Out Tongue"> ) I also give him raw meat/bones & fruits and veggies.

 

[k9rider]

i give miles a bath every couple of weeks with a gentle dog shampoo. he's very active outside and constantly swimming in mud puddles and the like when we take him hiking. generally i just let the dirt dry on him and then brush it out of his fur, but he definitely starts looking ratty by the end of 3 weeks without a bath. he also gets stinky at daycare sometimes....dunno why??? maybe it's all the other pups' saliva that dries onto his cheeks!

 

[Scribe]

I'd say you're overdoing it and it might hurt him.

 

[k9rider]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>rmzbm</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7905858"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">Iams Smart Puppy. I know Iams isn't that popular here but he strongly prefers it & that's what my cats eat. (Well, they don't eat Smart Puppy... <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngtongue.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Stick Out Tongue"> ) I also give him raw meat/bones & fruits and veggies.</div>
</td>
</tr></table></div>
is there a reason why you won't feed raw exclusively?

 

[rmzbm]

OK, so what would be better? I gave him a bath this morning. So...hmmm...<br>
Would you say a weekly bath would be harmful? I just can't let it go months at a time, I'd be absolutly neurotic!

 

[rmzbm]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>k9rider</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7905889"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">is there a reason why you won't feed raw exclusively?</div>
</td>
</tr></table></div>
I want to feed raw exclusively. The reason I'm not right now is he doesn't really eat much of it. He eats the fruits and veggies well but kind'a scoffs at meat. I assume (I hope correctly) that as he grows he will become more interested.

 

[Scribe]

I'd stop bathing him altogether until he's at least five months old, then once a month or so, in warm water, staying inside until he's completely dry.