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Bathing how often?
by Gayle
ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
I have "Tuffy" for a month now. She had a cough and was at the vet many times, but now she is fine. I gave her a bath last week. I was wondering how often I can bathe her?? She does not smell so good. Even after her first bath she still smelled. Does anyone have any suggestions on keeping her clean and smelling good. This summer we are getting a pool, would it be okay to let her in the pool??? I have been reading these boards and it has been very helpful. Thanks Gayle
DISCUSSION:
Gayle - I bathe my Maltese when she needs it and sometimes if she gets into something in the yard (great digger) it may be a day or two after her last bathe. I use no tear shampoo for her face - shampoo for white dogs for rest of her followed by conditioner - rinse rinse rinse then I sometimes do a quick scrub on back and bum with my Calvin Klein Eternity bathe wash then I use Pantene leave in conditioner. I used this procedure with my first Maltese for over 12 years and she never had skin or itchy problem and she smelt delicious. No pool they are prone to ear problems so you must not let them get water in their ears so no running through streams either. Some people use cotton balls in dogs ears to prevent water - I am just very careful.
Shirley
Gayle- No please do not let her in the pool or near it- their heavy coat weighs them down, and they can drown easily. My friends Peke drowned- she was devastated. It can be very dangerous- they are not safe near a pool. If you take her in with you- she may some time go in alone- besides the chlorine would not be good for her coat even if she was a waterdog.
Sallie
Hi Gayle - Bailey gets a bath AT LEAST once a week (and he's an indoor pup) - I use LePooch puppy tearless shampoo & LaPooch conditioner for males (it smells like watermellons!!) - Also, like Shirley said, be careful with the ears, I use cotton in his ears, then put ear wash the vet gave me afterwords to make him shake really good! When you say your pup "smells" is it the shampoo you are using (I personally don't like some dog shampoo smells - to chemical smelling) or is it the dog itself?
Mary & Bailey
Hello, I bathe my three girls every other week. I used to bathe them every week but I found that to be too much. It was causing their skin to be very dry. As far as pools go, I wouldn't let my girls in or even near a pool. Too dangerous. My brother-in-law has a lab that weighs 80 pounds and he lets him in the pool but 80 pounds verses my girls weight-6, 4, and 2.5 pounds is a very major difference. Take care:))
Angel
Gail, Please-Please, if you are putting in a pool, make sure that your baby will not be able to get in it accidentaly!! I had Mandy (who was 3 at the time) and Taffy (who was 2 at the time) when we put in a pool with a double level deck, the upper part of the deck being around the pool. The first summer I took my girls in one at a time, to teach them where the ladder was, and how to climb up it, and also how to get on the float that would always be in the water. Yes everyone, I was really careful of their ears, this was just to teach them how to get out or go to safety if they happened to fall in. I watched them really close that first summer when they were in the back yard, we have a doggie door so they can go out by themselves. No accidents that first year. I also watched them really close the second summer when I took the winter cover off, and again no accidents until in October. One day I was folding clothes and Taffy was with me in the bedroom, I went to the kitchen to feed them and called Mandy. She didn't come. Of course the first place I looked was the pool, and that is where I found my poor sweet Mandy. Too this day, I do not know how or why she fell in because she really hated being in the water and would go in the house if I was in the pool and called to her. Taffy and I both miss her terribly, and I want to get another puppy this summer, but before the winter cover even comes off the pool I will have the upper part of the deck surrounded with a lattice fence and gate so there will be no chance of this happening again. They will not even be able to get up on the upper part of the deck by the pool unless I am in it. So Please, this is for everyone that has a pool, Please make sure that your little ones can not get into it, it only takes a short time for them to drowned.
Sharon & Taffy
No pool, I agree with the others. Moxy is an indoor pup but she does enjoy many outdoor adventures. I only bathe her every 3-4 weeks and she does not smell. But I do brush her every day and clean her tearstains every day. After 3 weeks without a bath , people can't believe how white she is. Some causes of smelliness could be anal gland or ear probs.
patricia and moxy
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