westiefan Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 I am having so much trouble keeping my westie clean. I take him to be groomed each month and a day later he looks like a grey/brown dog. any tips on keeping him clean without always washing him. (his skin is a little on the sensitive side) Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tilly Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 I am absolutely no help to you ... other then suggest to just get a black one They seem to stay a little cleaner... only because you can't see the dirt :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 We use a whitening shampoo at work that is really good and works, but not sure what to suggest that doesn't include bathing. Have to agree with Tilly though - I am glad all of my dogs are black Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Capri Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 Hi Westiefan, We had a white staffie that was hard to keep clean and had a very sensitive skin. We found washing her is a natural coconut oil soap kept her white and cleaned her up beautifully for the show ring. I don't how if it will work with your westie being a different coat but thought I would suggest it anyway. Good luck hope you find something that works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westiefan Posted September 28, 2006 Author Share Posted September 28, 2006 the problems with having a white coarse haired dog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog_Horse_Girl Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 I use a gentle whitening shampoo for my dogs that are white or partly white. The brand I prefer is Fido's (Bright White I think it's called)...all natural ingredients and very gentle on the skin, plus they smell divine! :D Regular brushing is probably a good idea too, as this will loosen and remove a lot of the dirt you see in the coat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanessa0305 Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 using a shammie to wipe away excess dirt when he comes in from play can help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roughstock Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 (edited) have you tried potatoe flour? it will help keep things clean and not soften the coat to much . also keep your dog on clean surfaces so he cant roll in dirt etc Edited September 28, 2006 by roughstock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mokey Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 A daily brushing keeps mine looking good. I'm always surprised when people tell me how beautiful and white they look and it's been weeks since their last bath! With the samoyed coat though, stuff just seems to flake off it. Not sure how westies are, but good luck! - Mokey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katetk Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 (edited) Daily brushing keeps my boy white..in saying that though his love for dirt over the last week is rather annoying so i have given up this week, oh, and his love for crawling along the yard to see the bush turkey LOL... I'll be bathing him this weekend i don't bath him often AT ALL, he also has a groomer who will be stripping him back for summer (and it makes tick checks easier for me). I use Aloveen shampoo and have a spray bottle with diluted aloveen leave in condioner.. really gentle on westie skin and smells nice. This would possibly be the only photo i have of dirty harvey LOL... this was a couple of weeks ago. ETA - Westies don't generally 'know" they are in fact white sometimes LOL... Edited September 28, 2006 by katetk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westielover Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 (edited) Whatever you do - don't wash him to often westiefan as that can cause skin problems in the long run. Brush him once or twice a week and put some Johnson & Johnson Baby powder with cornstarch thru his coat and that will keep him whiter for longer. I tend to wash my westies in 'sapoderm' soap every second wash. One of my westies has oily skin and this soap works like a charm and keeps him whiter longer. (I know it's a human grade soap but I met a lady once who had an 18 yr old westie who had been bathed in sapoderm her whole life and never had a skin problem!!) eta: awwww katetk - love that pic of Harvey and his dirty paws!! You gotta luv westies for not wanting to stay white!!! :D Edited September 28, 2006 by westielover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katetk Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 He is a bit feral at the moment ...brat of a dog really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 I show white dogs & when we use potatoe flour we always bath the dogs afterwards to wash it out.That stuff builds up & i would prefer to bath more often than fill it with powder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westiefan Posted September 28, 2006 Author Share Posted September 28, 2006 Thanks for the advise. I brush him everyday (which he hates). Am going to get him shaved for summer, so might be a litle easier to keep clean. I think one of the biggest problems is that our neighbours tree is dropping pollen etc etc all over our place at the moment and rolley is rolling through it and is constantly covered in green pollen and leaves. The photo of harvey is so cute Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moirat Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 I am really pleased that it is not just my westie who does not want to be white. Mac enjoys rolling around on the freshly cut grass - one day after a bath OH decided to mow the yard, I looked out to see my lime green westie having the time of his life He also has quite a thing for horse manure, personally I prefer the smell of Fido's but not Mac he is all for the more natural perfume. What do you do ????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westiefan Posted September 28, 2006 Author Share Posted September 28, 2006 I agree, they don't like being white. i took my guy to the park yesterday and he had to roll around in the biggest pile of dirt. I was very embarrassed walking him back home as he was putrid Got to love a westie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katetk Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 What sort of brush are you using on Rolley, maybe the brush is why he doesn't like it. I have a soft pin slicker (and go against the coat with that) and a soft pin brush for finisishing... and a fine tooth comb.. I found that when harves was little he wanted something to chew like a nylabone and liked to be groomed on a pillow Now that he is older i just get his brushes out and he goes to his 'grooming pillow' or out to the deck (likes to steaky beak at the neighbours) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PARiS_love Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 I have a Japanese Spitz with a long white coat. For some reason he just doesn't get dirty? Well, he does, but then the dirt just all comes of when I brush him. I think it has something to do with the nature of this breed's coat. I'm pretty anti using whitening products, as they often contain NaOH and other forms of bleach, which I feel is bad for their skin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supermum Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 Toby is only clean for a blink of an eye (you caught us out - we washed him specially to see you at Holroyd, Westielover!). He also gets lime green paws from running in the fresh cut lawn. Very cute. We used to use chalk to keep our show westie looking his best - worked brilliantly. Was at PetBarn today and they didn't have any. Don't know if it's still the done thing. Many westies who are not 'show quality' do demonstrate 'flaws' like curly coats, etc - and also a tendency to sport a 'browner' coat, like their Cairn Terrier heritage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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