Shampooing

[Amy]

Hi! I have a 5 month old Australian Labradoodle, Urban. We live in Florida so he is outside a lot and I hate to tell some of you how nice and warm it is here in December. :) He is apricot in color and wool coat. My question is how often is it ok to shampoo him? And are there any favorite products out there? thanks! Amy

[Jazz & Jane]

Great thread. I've heard alot of great responses about "Best Shot" products, but have not tried yet. Seems like a long process to get the full wash, rinse, conditioner, rinse, spray...... comments????

I'd like to know if anyone has tried the "HYDROSURGE RAPID BATH" system ? It's cheaper on eBay than their website.

[Amy]

Thanks for your reply Jane...how often is it ok to shampoo, any comments on this????

[Barb @ Gemstone Labradoodles]

Since doodles mostly have very little oils in their coats, it is best not to wash them too often. I must admit I wash my white girls more than my chocolates. I often blow the dust and dirt out of their coats which does an amazing job. I wash my white girls every 6 to 8 weeks and my chocolates 8 to 10 weeks. Of course it they get into something yucky they get a bath, but I am very picky about a full brushing first so if they are muddy, I let them dry and blow whatever dirt is in their coats away. A brushing does the rest. Next time Amber gets really dusty, I am going to blow stripes in her coat so everyone can see how effective it is.
I use Stazko.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I think I began Ned's matting phase by washing him too much. I have stopped that but I hate how dirty he gets - he is apricot also and it gets dull and brownish. I do brush him every day but I only get part thoroughly. I have found the spray in mane and tail conditioner to be helpful for matting and to kind of "wash" as I brush. I had my groomer use Cowboy Magic shampoo last time and Ned is scratching more than usual - I hope that isn't why.

[Adina P]

I wash Rosco every 1.5 to 2 weeks because he's required to be CLEAN for his therapy visits. I have not found any problem with this. My rationale is this...if anyone knows different, feel free to say so: Frontline flea products are to be used 3 days away from bath time. Because they rely on the oil glands spreading the product through the coat my assumption is that it takes about 3 days for oil production/availability to return to normal after bathing strips oils away. I do NOT know if this is true the way I'm rationalizing it or not...but it makes sense to me. So...because of this I figured a bath 1.5 to 2 weeks should be FINE. Even though dirt and dust may fall off, I tend to want my dogs 'cleaner' than that simply because I think anything I cuddle with should be clean. He gets stinkier faster than my other two dogs and his butt needs a wash more often as well.

That said, Thule only gets a bath every 1-2 months because she smells less, is black and you can't SEE dirt on her and she doesn't do therapy visits. Then our border collie gets a bath about 1x per YEAR because she HATES it more than you can imagine and does a GREAT job of staying clean.

My opinion is that unless you're washing several times a week...however often you wash/shampoo is a personal choice and as long as the dog is not exhibiting problems (excess dry skin, itching, etc) it shouldn't be an issue.

[Nancy Cavanaugh]

As far as shampooing - I think less is more. If he has no allergies, and he is not scratching or gone through something you really need to get off. - i would say 6 weeks. I have had to shampoo Koji more frequently, as he has allergies and in the Spring and Fall - he can scratch alot. I use EQYss Premier Natural botanical for my one dog and Eqyss Med Tek for Koji (helps with itching, scratching) I use some Johnsons baby shampoo for around the face and eyes.

[20xlhzzaoccks]

I wash Steve every 1-2 weeks. Like Adina's dog Roscoe, Steve does therapy visits so he has to be clean and smelling fresh for that. I also live in Florida and in the summer Steve swims almost everyday so he gets baths more often. Since he is white, he gets black almost everytime we go to the dog park as well. I really haven't had a problem with washing him so often. He doesn't have dry skin. Steve has some skin allergies. I have tried lots of shampoos and I found that even though they say not to use people shampoo that Dove Shampoo works the best and seems to be the only thing that doesn't make him itch. I like the smell of it and the clean scent seems to last longer than other shampoos I have tried.

[Amy]

Thanks everyone for your input...they have been VERY helpful!

[Jazz & Jane]

Wanted to post an update.......We finally got the Rapid Bath system, and it's a hit with me !

Lucy and Sophie's mom, you definitely got a defective product. Shampoo came out full force -- white suds all over her. The water pressure is controlled by your faucet -- and I really had ours turned LOW as I didn't know what it would do. I got the pressure I wanted before I put her in the tub. The on/off button ROCKS.

The bathtub scares Jazz a bit (even with a towel down on the floor), but she stood perfectly still once I got going -- even lifting her legs one at a time for me. She didn't try to wiggle away like she normally does, so I think it must really feel good. The whole wash and rinse process only took around 5 minutes (she's 40 lb). It's quicker because you're not stopping and starting and fumbling with shampoo and scrubbing. I used my free hand to make sure it was getting down to the skin, and it was. I can't wait until it's warm enough to do this outside. She's running around like a maniac right now. Baths definitely make them feel better, and this one was quick and sweet.

[Barb @ Gemstone Labradoodles]

sounds great! I was looking at a different product that is very expensive compared to Rapid Bath. I didn't want to spend the money and find out it didn't work so I didn't buy it. This product is a lot more doable. Thanks for the report.

[Jazz & Jane]

Here's a link to read about it. I got mine on eBay cheaper. You need to make sure you get the model on the link below, as some may appear cheaper, but they don't include the long chord that hooks to your bath/shower (very nice). Mine came with one shampoo cartridge. The cartidge will probably last me 4-5 baths (when I opened to look, I had barely used any).

http://www.amazon.com/HydroSurge-RapidBath-System-Bathing-Kit/dp/B0...

[Tom Higgins]

We use the Les Poochs Hypoallergenic Shampoo and then the Hypoallergenic Creme Rinse for our four doods and have been happy with the results. Adding the creme rinse into the equation really did the trick for us to eliminate the quantity of mats produced.

It's also important to know that the way you towel dry your dog can make a mat problem much worse. If you dry in long stokes in one direction, rather than rub back and fourth, you'll have better luck. It seems common sense when you think about it, but since that's the way most of us would towel dry our own hair, we do it for our dogs as well. I have been much happier with our shampooing results since I learned this trick.

As to frequency, I agree, less is more. But when they smell, or just feel dirty, it's hard to enjoy them fully until they get a bath. Most shampoos remove natural oils, so again that's why the addition of a creme rinse is important.