A Dirty Question

[Phoebe's Mom]

I have always read that one should not bathe a dog too frequently as it strips the coat of necessary oils and can dry out the dog's skin. My dilemma is that my Phoebe gets dirty--and fast. She is only 13 weeks old and I have bathed her myself three times and had her professionally bathed once already. We take her outside on our own property--packed with dried grass which she loves to roll in and drag through the house--and on our driveway (which I sweep constantly!!!). I simply cannot stand a dirty dog! How much damage do you think I am doing-if any?

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

I certainly don;t know for sure what the damage can be, but I figure when dogs go in pools or lakes and to the beach sometimes everyday how bad can it be to bath them often. My golden is 16 weeks and with the outdoor activities we do here in Az and now Ut., he is bathed sometimes everyday or everyother and today with playing in mud with an playmate this morning and then rolling up and down a red dirt hiking trail with us this afternoon, he got 2 baths today!
The dirt seems much more drying and damaging to his skin than being cleaned more often with good products.
It sure is that way for our skin. I use Chris Christensen Day to Day Shampoo and conditioner that is recommended for everyday use such as with show dogs.

I'm sure there are owners on here that will have more info for you and all I can say is bathe her and keep an eye on her skin for dryness, rashes, etc. and that will be your answer. Oh I also use Silk Spirits, from C.C. which is an oil based protein which is helpful for dryness and Cowboy Magic that seems to repel some of the dust so I can get away with a few days between baths.

[Phoebe's Mom]

Despite what I have read to the contrary, I so agree with you. I used to have a lab/chow mix that I bathed weekly in the summer and she did not seem to get as dirty as Phoebe does. I have tried brushing her--as she will tolerate it only slightly despite the number of treats I go through in my effort to cajole her into it--but I do not feel as though her skin is clean enough for me. I do use a specially blended puppy shampoo so I hope that it is mild enough to protect her skin. I think I will run this past my vet, too, to get her opinion. At least Phoebe smells delightful tonight and she looks like a little puff ball.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Ned mats more after a bath even a professional one. His skin doesn't look dry but his fur seems fuzzier. He may not be the norm and, this may change as he matures. He is a year now and the matting is lessening.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Dogs should not be bathed more often than every 6-8 weeks. It really does dry out and damage their skin. For dogs who have skin or allergy issues, which a lot of these guys develop as they get older, it is really detrimental. Veterinary dermatologists advise against frequent bathing, and almost any basic dog care website advises this, as well.
Brushing, combing, or raking will remove any grass or dirt from their fur, and you can wipe her feet without bathing her. Even just hosing her down with warm water is preferable to bathing. Just getting wet in lakes, etc, is not the same as stripping the oils from the skin and coat with soap or shampoo products.
Dogs don't have pores like ours and don't perspire, so dirt & dust doesn't get into their skin like it does ours. They don't get B.O. from dried perspiration the way we do, so bathing doesn't serve the same purpose for them as it does us. And it definitely will make the skin drier and the coat duller and frizzier if done too often.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

From PAW Animal Welfare Tips for Dog Owners:

* Do not bathe your dog too often because that will dry out the skin, deplete healthy oils from the coat and skin, and lead to scratching and irritation. Frequency is largely dependent on the breed and activities of the dog. Dogs who spend a lot of time outside or engage in outdoor activities that expose them to dirt, bugs and/or debris typically require more bathing, perhaps every 6 weeks or more frequently. Some groomers recommend bathing double-coated breeds only about 3 times a year and suggest that smooth-coated dogs can go a lot longer between baths than can curly-coated breeds such as poodles. Too frequent bathing can cause the coat to soften and reduce its insulating qualities.

* To keep your dog clean between baths, brush vigorously and regularly -- preferably daily. This is good for the coat and skin, and helps the dog look and smell good. If you are allergic to your pet, wear a mask when you brush...brush outdoors or onto a newspaper indoors to aid in clean up...and wash hands afterwards.

[Debbie and Thomas]

Too much bathing. It is really not good for their skin. Let them dry and brush them. Doodles can look filthy and then they dry and will look as good as new. Their skins naturally cleanses itself. I've brought home a mud packed dog from the dog park-just towelled him off and let him dry during a nap in his crate. When he emerged a few hours later-he looked like a giant teddy bear again. Its is like a miracle. I call him a "self cleaning dog". After a good brush-he looks like he just came from the groomers.

[Yvonne, Riley, Murphy and Luca]

I have heard the same thing but my biggest dilema was I wanted him to enjoy his bath and not fight me, or the groomer. So I gave Riely a bath every week until he was about 14 weeks old and have recently went to when he smells like he needs one. Also, for the first 8 weeks I would blow dry him, even if he was dry for 2 or 3 minutes everyday. I wanted him to get used to that being ok as well.

I don't think you are doing any damage to Phoebe. If she is dirty, give her a bath. I can't stand a dirty dog either. If you are concerned with the oils in her coat and skin you might want to consider Salmon Oil in her food as this is good for both hair, skin and nails.

[Gail & Max]

Max goes to Doggie Day Care on Saturdays and comes home stinky and dirty.....mostly his feet and legs...I have been putting him in the tub and only use shampoo on the really dirty areas and just water on the rest....this I do about once a week usually Sunday mornings. He doesn't seem to be scratching because of the weekly bath. Hope this helps