how often can I bath my pup?

[jamkaywill]

I dont bathe Abbie very muh anymore unless sje smells or is really dirty. WHen she was younger we had a pond behind our house and she would be covered in mud from head to toe at least once a week. I always used an oatmeal shampoo on her and her skin never dried out.

 

[WooVols]

My suggestion is the "bath in a bottle". It's a spray that you spray on and wipe off with a cloth. Tobi is 5 months and is rarely dirty but I have sprayed him once with this and it seemed to "freshen" him up.

 

[Box Boys]

I'm going to have to look for the bath in a bottle (spray bath) or get some wipes. Buster's going to be 12 weeks old in two days; I've had him for two weeks, and I've given him two baths. Both times he needed them - the second time he was out while my son was watering the plants and had a field day playing in the water - and the mulch and dirt digging away. He was filthy from head to toe...but was very happy. OK...until I plopped him in the kitchen sink for a quick bath. He actually does pretty well, but loves to get out and run like the wind!

 

[Daisymaysmom]

Oh dear! I'm so glad I read this thread..... My poor Daizy has had a bath every week for 4 weeks. She's gonna love it that I'm getting some advice now!

I like your baby name, mine is DaisyMay and she looks alot like your baby.

 

[Ramboney]

So I'm confused. It seems to me that people bathe their puppies when really dirty, but some don't bathe them at all for months on end. So is the rule then to bathe when super dirty? Otherwise just use wipes? Are the wipes bad then, I would assume they would be a little since people are saying that even baths without shampoo is bad.

To those who bathe their puppies very often, do YOU notice if their is a difference in their coat? Is it drying it out.. or are the puppies fine.

Thanks
Bojan

 

[Shane72]

I think it's also going to depend on the dog and a number of other variables. Just like some people have dry skin, some dogs will too and boxers appear to be predisposed to it. Rocky has never had any obvious problems with dry skin and he gets a bath when needed. Sometimes he goes for months on end and he's received more than one bath in the same week (like when he was younger and developed this thing for wallowing in deer poop before I could stop him - yes he got frequent baths during this short stage).

I think dry skin can be contributed to a number of issues, frequent bathing can be one - just like with humans. You can negate this effect with a good diet, using a good shampoo and not overdoing the bathing as a general rule. Rocky has been on Evo for a while. I give him healthy treats - making homemade chicken jerky, eggs, fruit, etc. I mostly attribute his shiny coat to his diet. For shampoo I use a good quality oatmeal based shampoo that's supposed to be good for dry skin. I don't really put a lot of thought into when his last bath was but I would guess on average he goes a month or two between baths. When he gets into something, gets muddy, or starts smelling, he gets another one. Never noticed any problems.

As far as young pups, you might want to ask your vet for advice. I know their skin is probably more delicate and may be prone to more problems such as dryness.

 

[LILYLARUE]

I bathe my Lily with soap when she's really stinky! Maybe once every 4-5 mos. Mostly, just a nice rinse with warm water and a wet massage. She loves her massages!

I use oatmeal soap made for my sharpei boy on all 3 of my pups. It doesn't dry the skin, naturally moisturizes, softens the fur and they all smell like cinnamon. Yummy! I buy it by the gallon from dog dot com.

One trick I learned along the way.......use a real shammy, not those synthetic ones, to dry the boxers. Start at the head and rub down to the tail. It drys them quickly which helps the skin not dry and itchy. And it makes their fur so georgeously shiney! I mean, really, really shiney!!! Like silk!

 

[Bridget D]

Frequent bathing for any dog is unhealthy as it deplenishes the natural oils in the skin. If your puppy is getting dirty from playing outside you may just want to brush him, but if you aren't using any soap at all, it should really not have any affect to rinse him off if he is a normal, healthy boxer.

Bella will be one year old on the 7th of October and I have never given her a bath yet.

Boxers are naturally clean dogs and will groom themselves much like a cat will.

Bella's been swimming in the summer months, so I "kinda" count that as a bath, but an actual bath with soap and water, no, not yet. I would if she got extremely dirty, but even on rainy days when her paws get really muddy I just towel down her paws and legs and when the mud dries, give her a good brushing.

I'm kind of old school on the "bathing" thing, and really think that once every six months is frequent enough for a pooch that doesn't get to go swimming.

It depends on what your standard of "dirty" is I guess! If Bella were caked in mud I would give her a bath, but just normal backyard dirt, no, I brush her or towel her off.