how often do you bath your lab? I know you're not supposed to unless necessary due to the oils in their coat. But right now Axel has really itchy skin due to losing his coat again. So I thought a itch relieving shampoo and bath to help rid the dry skin and hair would help. He's 6 months old and has had 2 baths since we got him. The first night we brought him home and then a month or so later as he rolled in stuff that was very smelly. So I feel another bath would be bad for his coat/oils but at the same time maybe a relief to his skin. Any thoughts ?
My husband has been giving Xena a bath every Saturday since we got her (so she's had 6 baths so far). He "doesn't like dog smell" yet he didn't want a bichon or a poodle! We have a fantastic range of pet care products in NZ called Wash Bar. All natural, humans can use it, and dog smells like lavender when he's done. If weekly bathing is actually bad for her then let me know, although I'm loath to kick a gift horse in the mouth...
We've never bathed Jessie, she is 8 months old. I occasionally wash her down with the watering can if she has rolled in something smelly! Might be nice if she smelt of lavender tho!!
Have never bathed my 10 and 4 year olds! However, if you feel an itch relieving shampoo would help, then I cannot see it doing any harm. If he is still itching after the bath, then perhaps a trip to the vet to find out why.
I never bath Tatze, she has a hose down outside if muddy and Cowboy Magic for fox poo, no shampoos - they strip the natural oils. ...
Coco had a bath before we collected him - he smelled like a tart's handbag, but at least he didn't smell of kennels. He has had one targeted wash with Animology Fox Poo shampoo since when he rolled in something disgusting. He doesn't generally have a smell - I've buried my nose in his fur and sniffed - nothing. I hosed him last week to get the salt water out of his coat, but no shampoo. I don't think it's good to be shampooing a dog very often, like you said - it strips them of their natural oils.
No, it's not bad for her, but bathed dogs smell much more doggy than bathed ones. The natural oils keep smells away. Just dry well after rain or a hose down (no shampoo, that's what strips their natural oils) ...
I have some dry puppy shampoo for Molly which I rub in when her smell gets a bit much. She enjoys the massage and smells of vanilla and rose, for a couple of hours anyway!
Ella has a bath quite often but we've only used shampoo a couple of times (oatmeal shampoo for an itchy skin issue a while ago). Ella hates the hose but loves a luke warm water bath . If she's good, we let her jump in our son's bath after he's done (it's water only, no bath products) and if she's really lucky we give her a bit of a scratching/scrubbing and a good towel dry. She groans her way through the scratch/scrub and the towel dry always leads to a zoomies session! Spoilt much??
Dexter is currently getting hosed down A LOT as he is on holiday in the UK countryside ....but back at home living in the desert he just gets his paws washed after each walk...he's had probably 5 baths in his 4 years of life ,one with me and the other 4 at groomers but that is only because he was having his nails clipped and they charged me for it regardless ....
Just coming back to say Xena is so little ,she shouldn't have much smell about her yet? I thought I'd be troubled with 'eau de chien' but I'm not at all,but there isn't much of it to worry about to be honest,a healthy dog shouldn't really smell troublesome...your hubby might relax a bit about it Xena as she works her Labrador magic on him x
Charlie goes in the river, the sea and his paddling pool. He'll suffer a hose down or a wash with a bucket of warm water outside if absolutely necessary. That's it - he has never been in the bath in his life! He does go in the shower after hydro, but that's because of the chlorine. He hates it.
Lilly used to have a lot of baths and showers - both because of hydrotherapy (they originally used shampoo on all their dogs) and because she likes a good roll in fox poo or dead seal mush She has become quite accustomed to coming in the shower cubicle with one of us. She is well rewarded. There is absolutely no doubt that she smells less "odourful" now she has less baths/showers. And a natural shower in the sea or a clean river or even the rain leaves her fur silkier and softer than any conditioning shampoo. Often it is the bedding that smells more than the dog I think.
I wash the bedding every week rather than the dog which I think keeps the doggy smell in the house under control! Although it is hard to tell, isn't it, perhaps my house smells like a kennels and Zo don't know!!!???
Thanks everyone for the replies. Maybe I'll finally invest in a furminator to take out the loose coat and a trip to the vet for allergy concerns. As with his itching I have noticed a lot of red bumps on his skin which looks like hives or bug bites. Not sure which. So I'm sure that is causing some itch if not all the itch. He does go in his pool often and a good swim in the lake leaves him so soft and clean like some of you have said. So I'll avoid the bath for now. He doesn't have a dog smell either unless wet but his bedding sure does lol.
Of course, shampoo can cause itching too ... I use vet bed and wash it often, once a week at least. ..
You're right, she doesn't! But he has a very sensitive nose (or he thinks he does) so it's into the bath she goes. I daresay this will drop off as she gets bigger and more unwieldy.
