# How often to bathe in the summer?



## emily445455 (Apr 8, 2008)

I'm sure this question's been asked a zillion times, but how often should I bathe my dogs? We go to the dog park about once a week where they get pretty dirty. Not covered in sand and dirt, but enough where we have to wipe them off before they get in the car.

Hubby says we shouldn't wash them too often because it'll dry out their skin too much. What do you guys recommend.

They are Labs, 1 1/2 and 6 months old  TY!


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## Binkalette (Dec 16, 2008)

You can bathe them as often as you want, assuming you are using good products. Show dogs are often bathed weekly and sometimes daily before a show.. the trick is using high quality products, and a bit of conditioner doesn't hurt either. Also, you will want to make sure to rinse all of the product out.. Most people don't rinse well enough and leave soap in the fur, which can cause skin irritation. 

I bathe both of my dogs weekly with no problems.


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## alphadoginthehouse (Jun 7, 2008)

Both of mine are bathed once a month, mainly so I can have their nails trimmed. They don't often get dirty except maybe their feet. Butch more so than Roxxy because he will walk THRU a water puddle and not around it if he doesn't want to come in the house...


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## emily445455 (Apr 8, 2008)

Human conditioner? We are still using our bottle of puppy shampoo we got at PetCo. When it runs out, what brand do you recommend? I'm not going to spend a lot of money on it, I don't spend a lot of money on my shampoo&conditioner either.


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## Binkalette (Dec 16, 2008)

My favorites are Buddy Wash (shampoo) and Buddy Rinse (conditioner) by Cloudstar.. They are all natural, soap free, and very gentle.. They smell great and will make your dog very very soft. 

My other favorite (for dogs with itchy skin problems, like zoey this spring) Is Eqyss Micro-Tek Pet Shampoo, and Eqyss Premier Conditioner, I use both diluted 8 to 1 with water (8 being water) on Zoey when she get's itchy in the spring. These both smell great, and KEEP smelling great, long after bath day.


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## emily445455 (Apr 8, 2008)

Binkalette said:


> My favorites are Buddy Wash (shampoo) and Buddy Rinse (conditioner) by Cloudstar.. They are all natural, soap free, and very gentle.. They smell great and will make your dog very very soft.


Where can these be found and how much do they cost?  Thanks for your help!


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## Binkalette (Dec 16, 2008)

You can get Buddy Wash and Rinse at Petco or online for about $8 a bottle depending on where you buy it from. I don't remember where I got it from last time.. the cheapest place I found on google shopping probably, anyway they threw in a free sample of some other shampoo with it.


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## deege39 (Dec 29, 2008)

I'd like to mention I bathe my dog once a month. It's always a few days before I medicate him with flea&tick preventaive. I bathe him with just a small drop of oatmeal shampoo for fleas. I do that because I go longer than a month, about a month and a week, for his flea&tick drops and by then he starts itching a little... so the week before he gets done, he gets a bath... 

Anyway... I also use Mane&Tail conditioner... The conditioner for humans or animals? lol... I use very little, then afterward I blow dry him until he's almost dry... Throughout the whole month and until I bathe him again he always smells fresh, or at least free of a dog smell. Just about every night though I take a baby wipe to his paws, his privates, his butt and his face... He doesn't clean himself much and I notice when I _don't_ do that he gets pimples.

In the winter I don't plan on bathing him as often...


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## philovance (Jan 7, 2009)

Binkalette said:


> My favorites are Buddy Wash (shampoo) and Buddy Rinse (conditioner) by Cloudstar.. They are all natural, soap free, and very gentle.. They smell great and will make your dog very very soft.


I also like the Cloudstar Buddy products, in particular the Buddy Wash soap bar. This is a gentle oatmeal and coconut based bar - it feels good to hold - that lathers very quickly on a wet dog and rinses clean just as quickly. I much prefer it to liquid soaps: easier. 

It's especially suited to hosing down a dog outdoors, sudsing her up quickly and rinsing with the hose. I would think that Labs, who usually love water, would enjoy it and it's quick, even for big dogs. Also cheap. Lasts a long time.

Problem is, I haven't bought it in a while and I don't see it on Cloudstar's website. However if you do a Google shopping search on "Buddy Wash Cleansing Bar," several retailers have it for $5.00.

If I couldn't get it and had to use conventional shampoos I would use one of the Buddy Washs without hesitation.


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## Keechak (Aug 10, 2008)

I almost never bath my dogs including my "show" boy, they are Australian shepherds tho and their coats naturally stay clean. even after a roll in the mud the next day they will be bright and white (or black) again.


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## emily445455 (Apr 8, 2008)

I bought a Buddy Wash and a Buddy Rinse today at PetCo. $13 per bottle, 19 oz. It's pricier than I'd like, but I figure it'll last for at least a year.


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## philovance (Jan 7, 2009)

emily445455 said:


> I bought a Buddy Wash and a Buddy Rinse today at PetCo. $13 per bottle, 19 oz. It's pricier than I'd like, but I figure it'll last for at least a year.


Slightly off topic before reply: Am I the only one that is finding the prices Petco has on the shelf to be slightly outrageous? Obviously we are being asked to subsidize their retail rents because the prices for the same products on line are much less. I dislike very much businesses who charge different prices on the web and in the store. Right before Circuit City went out I was impressed when a sales associate got me a product I asked for, checked the price on line and gave it to me for less.

Rant over: The Buddy products should last you a while; 19 oz is a big bottle. I love the Buddy products and I'm impressed you got them at Petco. 

They make a kibble! I wonder if anybody's ever tried it. I read everything on food and I've never heard it referred to.


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## Binkalette (Dec 16, 2008)

Yea! They -are- charging differently online than in the store! Look at the Petco website.. I searched Buddy Wash.. 19oz bottle $9.99! :-/ You would think they would want to charge more online where they have to process and ship it to you, than at the store where you are more likely to buy that 'cute little thing' you saw on your way in..


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## MoonStr80 (Oct 9, 2006)

yearly around every couple months, bigger dogs don't need much bathing then dogs that are high maintenance breeds etc You do what you think it's right for your dog? If you like to have soft coat and dog to smell nice go for it! Bathe your dog  

I got a Lab/Beagle Mix


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## philovance (Jan 7, 2009)

Binkalette said:


> Yea! They -are- charging differently online than in the store! Look at the Petco website.. I searched Buddy Wash.. 19oz bottle $9.99! :-/ You would think they would want to charge more online where they have to process and ship it to you, than at the store where you are more likely to buy that 'cute little thing' you saw on your way in..


Overhead is much higher in the store so their mark up reflects the fact that bodies in a store cost more than bodies in a warehouse. And you could argue that Petco, even with the poor expendable live animals they sell, is overall a source of good, as well as employment. 

My favorite Petco product is when they sell the seasonal, proably toxic from China, toys for next to nothing afterwards. I'll never forget my cocker walking proudly home with a red white and blue giant plush bone in his mouth. $3.50 at Petco.


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## hbowen87 (Aug 4, 2009)

Oh yay, thanks for this thread, I have a little problem with my puppy in that she is OBSESSED with water, so when I water my flowers she insists I water her too, or manages to fall in the pool when we're swimming...and then takes off to "dry" by rolling in the dirt. She gets thoroughly disgusting about every other day as a result and I was told only to wash her every other week or less by someone. That just wasn't cutting it for me, I'll have to look into these products, thanks!


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## Michiyo-Fir (Jul 25, 2009)

I bath every week in the summer, maybe week and a half but by then Nia is quite dirty. She plays with 6-10 other dogs every single day and they're always biting each other so her fur gets pretty gross with all the dog saliva. 

In the winter I bathe every 2 weeks, maybe 3 if I'm busy and Nia hasn't been out with other dogs much.


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