Can someone explain..

[Guest mcc0004]

This whole 'no bath' thing?? My breeder was adament about not giving 'traditional' bathes...I'm quite confused..

My little guy was unfortunatly left in his kennel a bit longer then usual and had an accident. Hes wet and smelly (still cute as all get out though!!) I gave him a bath..not sure what else I should have done..

Help!!

[bradl]

We tend to use a rinseless shampoo (or a packet or two of Wet Wipes) for that kind of thing, but really, getting into actual messes is when it's probbly fine to give them a bath. Many people bathe too frequently and to mask odor problems that can in reality be caused by skin issues, which in turn are likely the result of diet, grooming, health, or other factors having little to do with coat cleanliness.

A good healthy coat doesn't NEED a bath unless it NEEDS something truly awful taken out of it. A good healthy coat prevents most things from even reaching the skin or undercoat. We've put a completely sand-encrusted dog into a crate for the ride home from the beach - by the time we got home, there was a pile of sand at the bottom of the crate and a perfectly clean, fresh-smelling dog ready to turn around and head back to the beach. A good healthy coat isn't going to protect a dog from an oil spill, or from rolling around on a dead seagull, or from a skunk. Those dogs are going to bathed, at least around here. That said, with four permanent residents with a combined total of 28 years, we've given about four baths. We've rinsed a lot of muddy feet under the faucet, scrubbed a lot of musty male undercarriages, and freshened up a fair number of poopy butts, but a full-out bath is truly a rare thing around here.

[AFireInsideOfMe]

Hm...I was unaware of this.

Any particular kind of rinseless shampoo you recommend?

[bradl]

This is what we typically use: Pro-Line Self Rinse Plus. Squirt some on, lather it up with a washcloth, rub out with a towel. Air dry.

[Guest mcc0004]

[Well because he has never had a bath (5 months) I had nothing on hand...I actually used baby shampoo...is that really bad?? I rinsed as well as I could.. tell me I haven't ruined the little guy...

[chrissysb]

freshened up a fair number of poopy butts

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Very Funny - I've been there.

[bradl]

Fear not, mcc0004. These guys aren't so easily ruined. Plus it's just coat. It grows for their entire lifetime.

[kayharley]

That Pro Line Self Rinse is fabulous. I doubt you ruined your little guy with the baby shampoo bath.

If you absolutely must give baths (my Elliott rolled in possum poop...NO WAY a self rinse shampoo would get that tarry, foul stuff off my baby ) this is a great product made for the coats of a terrier.

http://www.3cdog.com/product_info.php?cPat...93fea0a9d38ba01

[Eliz222]

We've had to give a number of baths due to rolling in "mud" that smelled like dog poo......Scout did it 3 times in one week! It was awful and a deep bath was the ONLY way to get rid of the smell.

I think the most important part of the bath is rinsing...rinse...rinse...and rinse some more. Their coat is soooo thick, it's hard to get the soap out.

I brush Scout and Finch twice a week and use puppy "wipes" on them. They are made for dogs, but I bet I could use the ones made for human babies too. They also get their teeth brushed at the same time.....they are not happy campers during this time...lol!

[Kathryn]

Actually, a couple years ago we couldn't find anything that would take the smell of deer urine out of a dog coat -- it's that rancid and strong. (We tried a regular dog shampoo.) Time was the only help. Any ideas out there?

[Tracy A.]

Actually, a couple years ago we couldn't find anything that would take the smell of deer urine out of a dog coat -- it's that rancid and strong. (We tried a regular dog shampoo.) Time was the only help.  Any ideas out there?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Scary that I know this- Just like for skunks use tomato juice.

[Maggie15]

when it was muddy out we had to rinse maggie off a few times to clean off the mud, but we didnt use any soap. we did buy a 'harsh coat shampoo' but haven't used it.... its been at least 6 months and we havent bathed her at all, she doesn't smell typically... i think a healthy coat prevents the smell and is easier to clean... the more bathing, the more likely you will have an unhealthy coat as you will wash away the natural oils in the hair... i think that in your circumstances a good bath was warranted, buy a bottle of harsh coat shampoo, it'll last a lifetime!!

a

[AFireInsideOfMe]

This is good.

Edmond is coming not this weekend, but the next. I need to go shopping.

It's like having a baby. Hehehe.

[wellygoggles]

Fergus goes for a swim in the sea every day. Afterwards he wont go near the showers at the beach for a rinse off or let me put the garden hose on him when we get home (he hates the hisssssing noise they make), so I fill a big plastic storage box up with water from the hose out in the yard and dunk him in that to get the saltwater off him which I think dries his skin out. After all the good advice I've received on here, I don't use shampoo on him.

[wheezie23]

We've had to bathe Scruffy twice since we got him, both times after he rolled around on a dead lizard. His coat is beautiful and he never, ever smells.

Unfortunately, Tucker HAS to be bathed every week. I've finally determined that it's not a food allergy he has, and the vet and I are going to discuss other alternatives treatments for his oily sebborrhea. Tucker's coat has started to become soft, too.

Thela