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I have 2 black mixed breeds both around 50 lbs. They have just been transistioned into being full time house dogs. I have been bathing them once every week and a half to 2 weeks because they start getting stinky again about that time.
Am I bathing them too frequently or not enough? Being black, you can really see the dander on them and 1 was scratching herself all night last night. When I do bathe them the water is still sheeting off, so I don't think I have stripped the oils out of their coats or anything. Any ideas to keep them comfy and less stinky?
Having GSD and bulldogs, they get baths a few times a year. They don't stink. Sometimes it is the food and depending on how cold it is where your at that can cause dry skin. You can add some omega 3 to their food. A good brushing at least once a week will help also.
unless they are a breed that needs frequent bathing you can actually do more harm than good by overbathing...
bathing once weekly for most breeds strips the good natural oils and dries out the skin causing them to get dirty quicker, itchy, produce MORE dander and can cause them to smell quicker as the oil glands go into overdrive.
my first suggestion...
what are you feeding? look at the ingredients on the bag, the first ingredient should be MEAT or MEAT MEAL, byproducts are BAD, avoid byproducts at all costs, theres barly any meat in byproducts...
avoid corn, corn is a very common allergen in dogs.
grain free is best, raw is better, but generally avoid byproducts, corn and soy (soy has been linked to cancer in dogs) a better food will also save you in the long run because they will eat less and poop less.
you should quickly see a decrease in odor and dander, itchyness should decrease quickly too. and their coats will SHINE!
secondly, switch to a VERY mild dog shampoo...most petstore brands have harsh detergents that when used infrequently are fine, but with regular use dry everything out.
i love cain and able brand shampoos, its expensive i wont lie, BUT its concentrated you can add 1 squirt of shampoo ot 4 cups or water and that should be more than enough to shampoo a 50lb dog.
its all natural, ph safe and both scents are natural insect repelants.
if you dont want to spend on a good shampoo use BABY shampoo...aveno baby is great. its much milder and has moisturizers built in.
a NORMAL house dog should need a bath mabe once a month or so...every other week would be my max for a dog with a normal coat.
and spot clean between baths with baby whipes for muddy paws ect.
some breeds are oilier than others, water retrivers (like labs) and terriers have a harsher coat, always bathe these guys LESS (once a month or so), the more you bath the more oil they will produce to protect their coat.
most breeds fall in the every 2-4 week zone...
hairless breeds and poodles are 2 groups that tend to need a little more bathing...hairless breeds should be bathed once a week and clensed daily, but there one of the few groups that need cleaning that frequently and thats only because they dont have the hair to protect their skin.
my cresties are once weekly...
the parents chihuahuas and cocker spaniel, once a month.
We have a mostly-Scotty-with-some-Lab mix; when he gets wet, he'll smell a little until he's dry again but it's never bad, not even in his dog bed. I bath him only when he gets dirty (rolls in something...), maybe a couple of times a year. Otherwise, he goes for a swim in the creek about once a week during the summer and gets a little wash that way.
There is nothing wrong with bathing your dog once a week, we do every 1-2 weeks. The old thinking was once every couple of months, because back in the day people used crappy shampoo like Hertz with all those chemicals. Now, we have natural, biodegradable stuff that is like water on their skin. Mine are outside and in the ocean/pool pretty much every day, they need their baths. You'll see people in my area bring shampoo to the beach and just wash the dogs by the showers after they are done, some multiple times a week.
Also, don't use baby shampoo. It's mild but it's formulated for human babies. The ph of dogs and babies is not the same. You'll do more harm than good if you use a shampoo formulated for humans, babies or not! Earthbath makes some wonderful products.
"The first rule of dog bathing is not to use a human shampoo. The pH of dog skin is very different to that of human skin. While our skin has a pH of around 5.5 to 5.6, your dog's skin is much more neutral, averaging a pH of between 6.2 and 7.4.1 Shampoos formulated for humans are much more acidic than those for dogs, and using a human shampoo can upset the balance of a dog's skin."
I don't know about the rest of youse, but I like the natural odor of a dog's coat. I like doggy smell. (barring any unforeseen circumstances such as rolling in something ripe or leaky anal glands)
1 dog is a lab/shepard cross. She's med/long hair like a shepard. Webbed feet, floppy ears (sometimes one stands up and 1 flops). Maybe some other breeds too. She's really long and has a really really long straight tail tipped in white. She has a really skinny face compared to her body. White back paws and a white chest. She's the one with the breath (explained below)
The other doggie is a lab, maybe pit bull or boxer cross. (she has a very blocky head) Black with a white chest with black speckles. short haired. webbed feet, high tail carriage and her tail curls over her back. She has the dander
Both are really shiney though! When I got the shepard mix as a puppy she had kennel cough and was just really dull coated-very noticable. She looks a 100% better. This dog also has "growing pains" (limps alot-vet said she will grow out of it and it will change limbs) if you know anything to help with that? Both are just over 1 year old.
ok maybe I should clarify the odor issue, I live on a horse farm. The doggies have electric collar, so when I let them out to potty they can stay out and play for 30 mins or so. My doggies love to eat horse poop! YUK! and who knows what else they do with it. If I catch them I tell them to drop it but with 9 horses and 2 doggies-well poop happens. Gives a whole new meaning to ***** eating grin ;-) Oh lord does 1 have some horrible breath.
I will check their food today I remember its advertised as no soy-River Run. Its easiest for me if I can get dog food from the feed store, but they keep it all in storage so I can't really compare lables. Does anyone know if Southern States carries a good dog food? I have another feed store I can try, but I am doubting they carry a lot of specialty foods-most farmers are broke!
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again about that time.
