Baths (how much, lab, yorkie, skin)

[Dashdog]

Is there anyone else out there that does not give their dogs many baths? Dazzle will be 6 in Aug and Chaos is 3 and neither has had more then 3 baths in their life time. They go to the beach they play in mud and even have been wading in some swampy type water on walks at times but by the time they get home they tend to be dry so I brush or comb them and that is it. ( no they do not have short slick coats) They shine and have no odor as they eat healthy food and get a ton of exercise. Some lady was petting them and snuggling with them today and asked what I bathe them with and I laughed and said they have not had a bath for over 1.5 years and she got sort of upset that I do not bathe them My dogs have healthy skin, healthy coats, no odor so why should I give them a bath? So many people I know have dogs with skin issues besides diet I think people over bathe their dogs and dry up the natural oils. Someone asked me how much I spend grooming my dogs and the answer is very little if any!

[Dogmama50]

I usually give Sophie a bath a couple times a year and she isn't stinky either and has a nice coat. I mostly do it to help along the shedding process, she loves a good scrub and then rolls in the grass.

[patriot201]

I bathe my dog only when necessary (when she is stinky due to accidents or too much time in the pond). She usually winds up getting a few baths per year (2-4?). My previous dog got approximately 6-8 baths in his entire 15 years of life, though.

[ReturningWest]

I don't do it unless I have to due to rolling in stinky stuff or something like it. I just do good brushings every week.

[Dashdog]

Originally Posted by Dogmama50

I usually give Sophie a bath a couple times a year and she isn't stinky either and has a nice coat. I mostly do it to help along the shedding process, she loves a good scrub and then rolls in the grass.

I hear you there as I use to give Jazz a bath as soon as she started blowing her coat, being a double coated dog it was a good way to get much of it out especially when I used the high power blowers on her to dry her. I use a self wash place and was always happy I was not the one that had to sweep up as man her hair flew everywhere it was like a blizzard in there one time when I had her on the drying table and on another table was an aussie being dried. There was a man with a lab in there and he got very annoyed because of all the hair flying around with the two dogs being dried.

Dazzle and Chaos both have single coats and their hair is longer so they do not shed enough that it requires a bath/blow dry to help with the shedding.

[bowian]

My dog isn't a stinker, and her hair and skin look good, so she will get a bath about 3 times a year. Good thing, since she hates baths.

[gouligann]

I also don't bath my dogs often. Usually 1-3 times a year. I brush them and clip them regularly.

[latetotheparty]

none of mine get baths in the winter unless they have gotten into something stinky.....

Bailey has kind of oily skin... it has improved with being on thyroid medication, but still a bit oily.... so she will get a couple of baths in the summer.... in fact, she needs one now to help her blow that undercoat.... I used to take her to a self wash place, but since her knee injuries, we haven't been there.... although I might just do that this week....

the three little dogs can be done in the kitchen sink .... Bailey and Dave get there's on the deck with the hose.... Dave and Chico could probably go the rest of their lives with no baths.... but Roxie and Max get into too much dirt.....

[foxywench]

the cresties are regularly bathed but that's because as a breed they NEED it (their pores get clogged ect just like ours)
but keira my dobe, shell be an "as needed" basis, even as a working service dog I find all I need ot do is whipe her with a babywhipe once in a while and shes sparkly, but im sure good diet plays a part in that too.

[nurseygrl]

I had a Yorkie previously and he got bathes once a month, right before we put his flea medication on. He was quite the stinker though. Hated baths, loved the blow dryer. Weird little guy.