To Bathe or not to Bathe??

[gryhndnut]

Hello everyone! I hope this is the right area to post this. I have a 7month old male named Jersey. I hope that I am not a bad mommy because I have not given him a bath since the day I got him.

He does not stink and one of my friends said that he smells like carnation instant breakfast. I thought that was funny and actually sometimes his head does smell like that! He does not have dandruff either.

Is there any reason to bathe him? The only thing I can think of is so he gets used to it, but I want to make sure that there is no other reason.

[Taryn0405]

Congrats on your new baby. Yorkies, unlike other dogs, actually have hair instead of fur. And like human hair, it does require a little bit more attention. Daily brushings and weekly baths should keep his coat and skin in tip top shape. It's up to you though. Gizmo gets a bath once a week and I clean his little head and clean any tear stains every night. He's a boy so he has a tendency to try to get all stinky (granted I know some girls that do that same thing ).

But it's your call on how many times you should give baths. I would recommend though a puppy shampoo that's gentle and tear free.

Good luck! Would love to see more pictures of your baby!

[Bitsy]

Originally Posted by gryhndnut

Hello everyone! I hope this is the right area to post this. I have a 7month old male named Jersey. I hope that I am not a bad mommy because I have not given him a bath since the day I got him.

He does not stink and one of my friends said that he smells like carnation instant breakfast. I thought that was funny and actually sometimes his head does smell like that! He does not have dandruff either.

Is there any reason to bathe him? The only thing I can think of is so he gets used to it, but I want to make sure that there is no other reason.

You are not a bad mommy! You must be lucky...I have a boy and he starts to smell like pee
within several days of his bath. (I have a very strong sense of smell I think. )

I bathe mine pretty much every 7-10 days. Does your dog go outside at all? If so, then I think it's a good idea to regularly clean their hair and feet of any allergens and dirt they are collecting. It's also a good time to use an ear cleaner.

Overall comfort is probably better with regular baths. Mine always seem
relaxed and content afterwards.

Good luck!

[sbgooljar]

Hi, I have to agree with Gizmo's mom on you being the person to determine how often you bathe your baby. Welcome to YT!

I bathe Romeo weekly (at a minimum) and in the summer maybe every couple days because his hair gets oily. It keeps the hair soft and shiny and is quite "cooling" on hot days. I too wipe his eyes and face every morning and night with either a warm cloth or scented puppy wipes.

[Cha Cha]

I bathe mine every couple of weeks. Mylee has soft silky hair and I can always tell when she is ready for a bath because her hair starts to get dingy and stringy when it is otherwise soft shiny and fluffy. She never smells bad either. Moka gets a bath at the same time too because she has dry skin/hair and it helps keep it moisturized. Good luck with your baby. I also feel regular baths are necessary for good skin/hair care.

[Harrysmum]

I'd say it's entirely up to you!

Personally, we bathe Harry every 7-10 days - but he loves doing boy things like digging and chasing Rottweilers!!!

Andy can always 'smell him' far more than I can (but then he's got a bigger nose!!) so I tend to go by that. Sally + Harry x

[Nancy1999]

Oily hair attracts dirt and dirt can destroy a good coat, so most breeders who show will bath at least weekly. I try to make Joey's bath a very pleasant experience. I have lots of towels on the counter to pad it and he's bathed in a plastic tub in the kitchen sink. The water is tested on my forearm, and I try to never get it hot because dogs can't handle the heat like humans, and puppies are especially vulnerable to hot water. So I go for warm not hot. I heat his towel in the microwave while I'm rinsing him. Joey's breeder stressed that rinsing was more important than washing, and if all the shampoo isn't rinsed out you can have white flakes on their skin. She also stressed that a good cream rinse shroud be used as this conditions the skin as well as the hair. After bathing, I wrap the heated towel around him and he lies on the counter covered head to toe in towel. I start the blow dryer up after a minute or so, and start drying his leg, and he eventually pops up and tries to rub himself down with all the towels. After he’s blown dry, I swear he gets this attitude like; I’m so beautiful aren’t I?

[Breny]

I bathe about every 10 days. I have one who actually gets "greasy" hair like a human

[MikaTallulah]

It seems like I'm forever washing a dog. They love to roll in stink. The girls get pee on their legs while squatting so they get frequent muffin washings. Mine potty outside only so stinky things are easy to find outdoors. Each one gets bathed at least 1x/ wk.

OP what is your secret to going this long without you pup getting stinky.

[KazzyK810]

ZoE gets a bath every week...sometimes we stretch it a few days longer if the schedule is hectic. She sleeps in my bed at night and lays on my living room furniture during the day, so I want a clean pup. ZoE likes having a bath and prances around like a right diva when she's clean and freshly groomed.

Make sure you rinse very well, as shampoo residue can dry out their skin. Are you brushing/coming everyday at least to keep the matts out? ZoE gets combed, usually morning & then again at night, but somedays I'm running late for work and its just a night-time comb through and teeth brushing, before bed.

[gryhndnut]

Hi, OP back again! Thank you so much for your recommendations! I comb Jersey almost every night. I have him in "my" puppy cut. I trim the hair on his belly around his "winky" so he doesn't really pee on himself. I also keep his ears trimmed. Other than that he does go outside. I take him for walks and he has a small fenced in area that I put him out ii, but for only a couple of minutes. I live on a farm in a very rural area and get afraid that a critter will get him. He is about 4 lbs. He also gets cold so fast, even with a coat or sweater on.

He does not stink, unless of course my sense of smell is really off! LOL, it may be, but no one else has mentioned it.

I think that I will bath him in the next few days though. Even if I am not, I still feel like a bad mama! I have a puppy shampoo but should I get a conditioner? If so, does it have to be a puppy conditioner? Can a people conditioner be used?

Thanks again!

[Bitsy]

I think a dog conditioner is best...their PH is different from ours and human products may irritate them. But, I know some people do use them with no problems.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Tibbe gets a bath every 7 - 14 days - occas. one sooner or a bit later than that. He's a very doggy dog and romps and rolls around outside and explores under furniture and into any hole he can find! He especially loves to wallow in any pile of leaves he can find! If I don't bathe him fairly regularly, he stinks! I can't tolerate a stinky dog so into the sink he goes. He loves his bath so it's not a problem. He just had a bath yesterday so he still smells very nice and clean!

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by gryhndnut

Hi, OP back again! Thank you so much for your recommendations! I comb Jersey almost every night. I have him in "my" puppy cut. I trim the hair on his belly around his "winky" so he doesn't really pee on himself. I also keep his ears trimmed. Other than that he does go outside. I take him for walks and he has a small fenced in area that I put him out ii, but for only a couple of minutes. I live on a farm in a very rural area and get afraid that a critter will get him. He is about 4 lbs. He also gets cold so fast, even with a coat or sweater on.

He does not stink, unless of course my sense of smell is really off! LOL, it may be, but no one else has mentioned it.

I think that I will bath him in the next few days though. Even if I am not, I still feel like a bad mama! I have a puppy shampoo but should I get a conditioner? If so, does it have to be a puppy conditioner? Can a people conditioner be used?

Thanks again!

I really like the Biogroom Products and you can get a free sample if you email the company. They sent me cream rinse and several types of shampoo. They are highly concentrated and you mix them with 6 parts of water before using. Lol, that might be a life time supply for you! Bio-Groom - Exceptional Pet Care Products for Over 30 Years

I'm told that it's more important to use a shampoo made for dogs, but the conditioners could be human, as the pH isn't as different. I haven't read any scientific evidence of this, but just read it a lot on this forum and it might be true.

[KazzyK810]

Originally Posted by gryhndnut

I think that I will bath him in the next few days though. Even if I am not, I still feel like a bad mama! I have a puppy shampoo but should I get a conditioner? If so, does it have to be a puppy conditioner? Can a people conditioner be used?

Thanks again!

Over the past 20 years, I've used all kinds of dog shampoos and conditioners and have actually found Patene people conditioner to be the best conditioner for my yorkie.