Bathing

[Guest Chic with attitude]

Can anyone give me some tips on bathing our dogs please?

We have a German Shepherd & a Rottie Lab cross.

Unfortunately we live in East Gippsland and having them hydrobathed is very expensive (we are pensioners) I've tried to do them in a paddle pool but can't get the water to penetrate to the skin on the shepherd.

Both live outdoors but we like them to come inside sometimes when not TOO smelly!

[soniq]

With my amstaff bayley, I have noticed that if I wet him down, add some shampoo and wet him some more it seems to penetrate better. I also shampoo twice.

I'm sure you will get better advice but I hope this helps

[KitKat]

I have the same type of dogs! My Rotti x lab has always been washed outside but i have to take the hose and press it into his fur so that the water is basically coming out of the hose against the skin else the water just runs off his outer coat. I do that while i am running my spare hand up against his fur so that it all sticks up the wrong way. Then shampoo and wash out the same way then again with the conditioner and a really good hose off for the last of it.

The GSD is the new addition to my family and he is a long coat but i aim to wash him much the same way...except that he's likely to have more hair products then i ever will!

Kit

[Casima]

I have a GSD (short coat) and an alaskan malamute, both are hard to get properly wet, especially the mally. I bath them in the shower, my shower has a hose thing instead of a fixed head, so that works really well. Turn the taps on fairly hard (and not too hot) and get a small towel and squirt with one hand and rub the water into them with the towel in the other, it seems to work pretty well

[Aellyssa]

I don't have big dogs but 2 male Bedlington Terriers (almost medium dogs) - but they can be a handful especially as I have a recurring back injury!

I also wash mine in the shower.

Of course first I have to catch them.... then keep them both in the bathroom whilst I do one and then the other!

Because I can't bend down - I sit on the floor with my dog-showering clothes on and wash them that way. They have wool & when it is long (ie during winter) - it does take a while. I shampoo twice - then condition. Then they are left free to sit in front of the fire - whilst I blow dry one and then the other - then they get brushed and combed and look and smell fabulous ...... for about 5 minutes ..... then they go outside.

Beddies coats canna look all sleek (except during summer when the coat is short) because they are curly and we all know that curls have a mind of their own.

So shower with your dogs is my advice.

:p just don't tell any of your non-doggie friends.

Blessed Be,

Aili

[Guest foxyloxy]

Chic with attitude, check ypur Personal Messages. i am in gippsland too and do dog grooming at reasonable rates with pensioner discounts.

[griff]

Try a Horse curry brush - Plastic or rubber gets down to the skin as you rub and helps the water to penetrate to the skin..

[Anna H]

If you have a bath... there is a hose & shower ehad attachment you can buy that works well. Added bonus is that they are really cheap (less than $10 at Bunnings or Big W) and most types come with a brush type attachment too.

My GSP is easy to wash, but my Kelpie x has a thick outer coat and this hose works really well on him. Also, like Soniq said, wet them down, then add shampoo and wet down some more will help get the water thru the coat.

[jemappelle]

I get a bucket of warm water and add some shampoo, then sponge this through the coat - the shampoo breaks down the natural oils and lets the water penetrate. Then add more shampoo and lather up and then rinse.

[Pointers Rule]

For years I did the dog in the bath trick. We installed a hose with a noozle and washed away. One thing I found to be really handy was one of those exfolliating gloves. When rubbing the coat, it helped the water to get into the coat. I poured the shampoo onto the glove and I got a really nice lather and also found that not as much shampoo was used. It worked for me anyway.....

[Dogsfevr]

I think you,ll find the hydrobathing service would still be cheaper & easier long term

[D_mentias]

I have always had larger dogs and they have never see an inside bath. Some are easier to bathe than other but basically:-

1.Choose a warm to hot day

2. Catch the dog(easiest the 1st time), use treats if nec, chain to the clothesline.

3. Wet the dog down thouroughly

4.Apply suitable shampoo

5.Rinse properly with garden hose

6.Apply any necessary rinses (eg flea wash)

7. Towel dry

8. Unchain dog and play a game of chase to help dry.

My pups don't get this treatment very often, more likely when they need a flea rinse. I try to get them to swim @ once a month and that helps. If you make bathtime fun and a game they are more likely to be compliant.

[Vehs]

D-mentias, that is EXACTLY what I do, but if he NEEDS a bath and it is cold then a bucket of warm water is then brought out.

I think D has caught on that if he gets sandy he needs a rinse and mostly just stand there -- then again he could be all tuckered out from how he got sandy in the first place

[Malamum]

I also do the same as D_mentias. Mine get washed outside with the hose. I bought an attatachment so I could connect the hose to the kitchen tap so warm water could be used.

[SpikesPuppy]

D mentias, that is EXACTLY what I do with my Newfy, too lol. Right down to the cahining to the clothesline. There is a permanent chain attached to the clotheseline hehe.

Though I do plan to change my ways and get Spike hydrobathed every 3 months. The dude on the corner has a mobile dog grooming van and will do it cheap for me hehe.

We shower with the Shih Tzu and the Dobe rarely gets a bath- if it's hot, she'll get hosed down. She doesn't really need to be shampoo'd very often and if she does it's either done when it's hot or I drag her into the shower (which isn't easy as she is terrified of lino floors)

[D_mentias]

I sort of felt out on a limb explaining my dog bathing methods but see I wasn't the only one. Just not practical to get a large dog in a small shower or lift it into the bath(to say nothing of what the claws do to the enamel). It is good if you can join hot water into a hose but if yo can..just wait for a hot day. Not all of us live near dog bathing services or could afford them. With dams having been dry last year it was difficult.

At least we can still use a hose to wash our dogs not like our cares!