How often should I wash my doodle!!!?

[Jessica]

So, the other day, I was watching 'At the End of My Leash' and I heard an owner being repremanded for bathing her dog (a rotti) every 6 months. Now, this was a bit of a shock to me because my Finny gets washed a lot more often than that! Worried about the fact that I might be stripping his coat of precious oils I, quick as a flash, Googled "How often should I wash my dog?" And the answer came back, 'for a non-shedding/low shedding dog, (like my Finny), about every 6 weeks'!!! Now my Finny gets walked every day come rain or shine - usually rain, since I live at the bottom of Grouse Mountain, Vancouver, B.C. And there are no places I can think of around here to take him where he would not come back with his legs up to the shoulder, and under-chasis drenched in mud, or green, slimey sea-weed; (those are the choices and yes, he has quite short legs). As a result, Finny gets washed most days (puppy gentle, no more tears type), but only the grubby bits and we do use conditioner. Is the general concensus that I should merely hose him down (and put up with the stink?) So, may I ask, how often do other Doodle lovers wash their Doodles!?

[Adina P]

More than once a week is a bit much unless a dog is a show dog or making daily therapy visits to hospitals. But I totally see your point and desire to have a CLEAN doodle to cuddle with. Because Rosco does go to therapy visits weekly AND because he occasionally has a stinky behind...he gets bathed every 1-2 weeks. I use a shampoo from Chris Christensen called "Day to Day" that claims it is gentler and fine for daily use. I am a big time skeptic when it comes to beauty product claims...even more so for dog beauty products...so I have NO idea if this shampoo HAS been better or easier on his skin/oils. I've asked Rosco if he feels oily enough and he just looks at me (or not since he HATES me when I bathe him)...so he was no help. But I still use it "just in case" and since I can dilute it 8x it's not too pricey.

But here are some thoughts for your frequently muddy/slimey finn:

1) Try just hosing him off with water...and using soap on the manly and poopy parts only if needed.

2) Often if you let a muddy dog DRY the dirt will mostly fall off of him. A quick brush will get more off and then you can use a dry or spray-on no-rinse doggy shampoo for freshening and de-odorizing (or re-odorizing, whichever). I have a really nice smelling spray on no-rinse shampoo I use on Rosco if he's mostly clean but smells like a dog before a therapy visit.

3) I keep a lot of microfiber cloths around to wipe up paws or chins as needed. I even use vinegar in a spray bottle to spray on a cloth and then wipe his stinky chin with it. It smells like...well..vinegar once I'm done, but that only lasts a short time.

[Jessica]

I think I may not have communicated clearly enough how wet this mud is...! Finn seriously looks as though I've vacumed up the bottom of a clay pit and pumped him with its contents. Maybe there is a sort of kagool I can purchase, preferably with booties and a hood...I'm soooo glad I forumed; I hadn't realized I was abusing my poor Finny! Thank-you Doodlers!

[Jessica]

Ps. Adina, as we both know, my Finny doesn't 'do' manly parts; he just has this soft little silk purse...

[Adina P]

If he's male...then he has at least one manly part for watering the garden.

[Adina P]

( still ... ROFLMAO at his soft silk purse)

[Jessica]

I swear he doesn't. He squats to wee like a girlie! (Unless... you surely can't mean that little umbilical stump?!)

[Adina P]

How good of him to keep it tucked in (this is terrible as the Administrator there is nobody to stop me from getting too graphic. If anyone finds offense let me know and I'll censor myself...maybe.). Rosco squats too...most of the time. Unless there is a tree, post, or other tall object to lift on. He didn't start lifting his leg till about a year old. Finn may never lift his leg. BUT part of the reason I bathe Rosco as often as I do is that when he lifts he sometimes loses his balance and possibly dribbles on his leg. So I like being able to rinse him off more than every few weeks. But back to the manly parts...it's there! Believe me.

[Jessica]

I've heard fish oil is good for the brain. Perhaps it will help with Roscoe's balance. Re the dribbling, I try not to let Finny carry a soft toy on our wee walks around the block for this very reason....I can't stand soft toys wet with saliva either...

[Joannie]

Still lmao on this one!

[Adina P]

Me too! Every time I think of "silk purse" above I crack up!

[Jessica]

Aw, and my poor Finny has been further humiliated recently by us taking him to the vet to have a potential cancerous growth in his groin examined...(the vet reassured us that the lump - which is most prominent after early morning romps and belly-rubs, is 'perfectly normal Madam!' - well, he is our first dog!)

[Jessica]

Poor Finny, he's still wondering how bath-time turned into laugh-time!