How often do you bathe your doodle?

[Taylor & Huff]

I got to wondering, how often do you bathe your doodle? I know that some people give their dog a bath every six months. Doodles aren't just dogs though, so how often do you bathe your doodle? Huff gets a bath once a week. He just got one yesterday:)

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

I agree Karen. I do air dry mine mostly and they get Fish Oil and EPO everyday as well considering the dry climate we're in.

[Adina P]

I don't blow dry my dogs.  I did when I'd give Rosco a bath the same day he'd have a therapy visit or else he'd be too damp...but otherwise I let them dry on their own.  I don't have thick, densly coated dogs though so that makes a difference.  And I figure on warm days they probably feel great being cooled off.

[Clifford, Cloud, Jake..and Kim]

If Clifford and Cloud even sniff a speck of mud they are rolling around in it so they end up getting feet and belly washed at least once a week and a full sudsing about every two weeks - unless it rains every day like it has been and then more often.  I get in the tub with each of them so it makes it easier to do than if I bent over the side.

 

We bought a mini shop vac with a long hose attachment just for drying them.  It will never be used for anything else so no worries about that and it doesn't get hot so it isn't drying out their skin.  Surprisingly, they don't mind it at all and are really great about all the grooming we do.

[Jennifer and Jack]

Jack hates the water and he isn't a fan of rolling in the mud or getting dirty. Even humans don't need to wash their hair and skin every day, it just dries them out.. Dog especially since they don't sweat really can go a long time. Jack doesn't usually smell unless he has been to day care or the dog park or has been romping around with other dogs.  I still don't bathe him them.

 

Right now, I am struggling with his coat collecting all the pollen, flowers, and stuff so he is being bathed more often like every two to three weeks. Otherwise, I go for as long as I possible can. Jack too sleeps with me, and with my lungs I can't be sleeping with a dog filled with pollen,

 

So on average about every three months, or more now since he is a pollen doodle collector.  He hates the water though so it is not a fun experience for him.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Maybe some wipes periodically would get the surface pollen off.

[Jennifer and Jack]

That is a great idea F, I try brushing him off before he comes in but it just makes the pollen crumble. I am going to look into wipes of some sort.. I need some for his eye drainage. Thanks for the good idea

[F, Calla & Luca]

If we go by the what they walk on, sleep in my bed comments, then I guess doodles should be bathed at least daily. It's just not feasible or good for dogs. When was the last time you heard of a wolf taking a bath? Although the dogs may secrete a little oil two days after a bath clearly more is produced over time. I think it comes down to what's least harmful for the dogs versus what the dog owners can tolerate.I just heard that steering wheels have more germs than toilet seats--who dreams up these studies? But the point is that germs are all around us. We have to use common sense. Washing hands before handling food, rubbing eyes etc. is important. Taking care of any open lesions is important.Whether your dog is "clean', something it really can't ever be, not so important IMHO. But then again, I'm in the six month category.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

But F, we aren't living with wolves, we are living and sleeping next to and walking on the floors that our toddlers and babies crawl on that our dogs walk on after having gone potty outside and then walk inside tracking God knows what bacteria, germs, residual voids and stools all of which can be harmful to humans. More harmful than frequently washing a dog.

I for one would not harm my dog for the sake of my own intolerance of their smell or appearance certainly, and I do not feel it harms them at all to be washed frequently.  Many dogs swim everyday, some several times a day, with no harm to their skin or coats. Murphy did for 5 months and his skin did fine. Yes germs are all around us and a prudent person washes their hands frequently, cleans the grocery store cart with the clorox wipes provided, covers their mouth when they cough AND some feel it is also important to bath their dogs often to help prevent or lessen the chance of spread of germs. Basically i feel if no harm is done to the dog and he is not traumatized with every bath, then to each his own.

[shelly]

Tori has a pretty scheduled grooming time of 4-6 weeks, so that's when she gets a bath.  I don't do it myself.  I'm afraid she'll matt.

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Daisy is never dried with anything but a towel and the air that we breathe. Seriously she is never itchy and never flaky...she hasn't had a bath this week, she didn't do any of her usual dirty doggy habits but if she gets dirty tomorrow she will also get a bath.

 

[Suzann, Rosey & Bandit]

about every 2 weeks.  But they get half baths(feet and faces) as necessary.

[Taylor & Huff]

I don't think that bathing a doodle once a week dries out their skin or coats. You just have to use a good shampoo. That is my theory. We use Minksheen shampoo for Huff. We first give him one wash with a natural flea shampoo (for prevention) then we give him two more washes with Minksheen. I love Minksheen. It is kind of pricey but a very good quality. Since he is laying on our grooming shop's floor all day every day, he needs a bath once a week. It is not just that he stinks, but he looks and feels dirty. He doesn't always roll around in stuff and we wipe his paws when he comes in the house but he is still dirty. He is also always inside so he needs to be clean. I have seen dogs (even labradors) that only get a bath every 6 months and they are in pretty bad shape when they come in (undercoat hanging in there, too much shedding). If we didn't give Huff a bath once a week, he would be pretty matted. With his long hair it is hard to see the little mats until they get to be big problems. We can see them when he is wet though. Now that it is almost summer, I will probably let him air dry after his bath. He is one clean dood:)