How often should I bathe my dog under these conditions (see below)?

1. 83

   Laura Schneiderposted 12 years ago

   How often should I bathe my dog under these conditions (see below)?
   
   My adult black Lab gets a bath about once a month, more often if she gets into something dirty or stinky. The problem is, she has very dry skin and sheds a lot. I use shampoo for dry skin and shedding (I've tried several brands), all with no luck. My vet just offerred a  prescription shampoo that worked the same as the over-the-counter kind: no difference. I brush her every day or every other day with a Furminator which seems to catch a lot of hair, but yet she sheds and has visible dandruff on her beautiful black coat. Help?
   
   

   replyreport
2. 68

   Cat Rposted 12 years ago

   I don't bath mine that often. Especially in the winter. If it is only mud, I rinse them off or brush it off. They need the skin oils in the winter to stay warm/water 'resistant'.
   
   I would look at what you are feeding and see about some vitamins and such for dogs that gear towards coat and skin.

   replyreport
3. 79

   jandeeposted 12 years ago

   I bathe my Boxer with water-no shampoo about the same time,monthly, but I do wash his paws every time he 's had a walk such as woods,park.  I put a little anti-bacterial wash in a  bowl of water for this,

   replyreport
4. 81

   Brett Winnposted 12 years ago

   Laura, I'm not a veterinarian, but I do have a wealth of dog experience. If I were you, I would bathe him in diluted Murphy's Oil Soap. It is vegetable oil based and non drying, and has the added advantage of rinsing extremely rapidly (saves time) and well. Lukewarm to cool water is better than hot for soothing irritated skin. The dry skin and shedding may be a statement regarding his diet ... make sure he's eating a quality diet (meat the first ingredient, low or no corn/wheat additives) and supplement him with a teaspoon of Salmon Oil every day ... all might help greatly, if you're not already doing these things.
   
   Something else that might help ... instead of giving him a full out bath, make a mixture of Seabreeze and water, 50/50 (you can also use Listerine, but Seabreeze smells better, lol) and spray it onto a hand towel until the towel is damp and just wipe him down. That will remove excess hair, dust, and oils from being pet that then in turn attract dust and dirt.
   
   I hope this helps!
   Brett

   replyreport
5. 82

   Maria Ceciliaposted 12 years ago

   Depends on the weather if too hot once a week. If cold as long as they dont smell bad i wont bath them. Use shampoo the one that included oatmeal in the label

   replyreport
6. 86

   Linda Blissposted 12 years ago

   Hi Laura. I'm not sure this is a shampoo issue. What food are you giving your dog? Some commercially prepared dog foods that you buy in the supermarket are not very good and it could be that he would benefit from different type of food. Look up your brand of dog food on the internet and see if you could try a better, perhaps organic type.
   
   I'm giving my dog a table spoon of olive oil in his food every week and his coat is always shiny and glossy, and doesn't shed more than what's normal. I also feed mine a raw diet which is supposed to be good for allergies, if you have time why don't you read up about it and try it out?
   
   I'm also not sure you need to bathe him that often - it might actually dry out his skin more?

   replyreport
7. 82

   Seeker7posted 12 years ago

   Hi there - glad to know that there is another dog that only loves the smelly and muddy puddles - like my Collie, Roy!
   
   There is some great advice here and I can't do better than that for you in regards to washing. However, I had one dog and it wasn't the washing that was causing dry skin but his diet. When we changed his diet into a more natural one, and that also contained natural oils, there was a huge difference in his skin - which was dry and flaky. Although we kept an eye on his skin, we didn't have much bother after that. Our vet told me that some of the ingredients in some dog foods, especially if they have additives and some of the proteins, can cause a few issues with dogs and having problems with the skin was one of them.
   
   Hopefully this will help a bit along with the other advice that has been given.

   replyreport
8. 60

   SnowsGhostposted 12 years ago

   I have a similar problem with my lab. Since it is more of a skin issue you may want to try switching to a different food. If that doesn't work she may have some type of skin allergy, especially if she is itching or licking a lot.

   replyreport
9. 76

   Mardiposted 12 years ago

   Deciding how often to bathe a dog is important for their coat and skin. Most breeds should be bathed as infrequently as possible so get off that routine bath cycle for your dogs good health. read more

   replyreport
10. 60

    Dubuquedogtrainerposted 12 years ago

    I wouldn't use the Furminator every day - it can irritate the skin. Evaluate the food you are feeding your dog - dry skin can be due to nutritional deficiencies. Feed a good quality food, preferably one with fish oil.

    replyreport