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Originally Posted by FlyingNimbus  Hey guys, I was wondering how often you bathe your dogs, and if your dogs tolerate brushing?
Mine has been better with being in the tub as I take her in the daily (to wash her feet off).
Today I bathed her because she got really dirty... she also rolled around on grass where the other dog had pooped (even if we had picked it up its still gross).
I have been "stripping" her hair by hand because she doesn't allow herself to be combed or brushed... she just does not like it. I've tried 4-5 different brushes already... |
Our little girl has gone through lots of changes with her hair. We keep her in a modified full coat - not floor length. She wears a top knot. At some point her top knot hair had some breakage and seems to still be prone but it's growing and thickening again. She tends to have dry skin so we are careful. We have had to treat her with medications for hair thinning and a single bald spot.
We have had good success with EarthBath brand dog shampoo and conditioner. We bath her about once a week in the utility sink. She fits in the kitchen sink but likes the more enclosed feel of the deep tub. I cut a piece of nonslip drawer liner with a drain hole to fit the sink so she doesn't slip around and installed a gentle spray nozzle for better rinsing.
We brush before the bath to remove some hair. Shampoo. Rinse Rinse Rinse. Use conditioner and Rinse Rinse Rinse. Any residue will cause dandruff and gooey hair. Also, I read (and agree) that you should use lukewarm water - not warm water. Test on your wrist like baby formula. That helped ALOT! I clean her eye-goo after bath to get a fresh face.
The only spray conditioner she'll tolerate is John Paul Oatmeal Conditioning Spray. I never spray it right on her hair as it's just too much. When she is mostly dry, before the final comb through, I spray it on my hands and put on her coat. Sometimes she'd get kind of frantic at the end of bath and I discovered she needed to go potty after the relaxing bath. That took care of that!
She really objects to products with a strong scent. So the nonallergenic unscented EarthBath shampoo & conditioner and the John Paul spray are what we found.
We use a pin brush if necessary and never let it touch her skin. Our favorite comb has "rotating teeth" and reduces pulling. She prefers the comb to the brush.
https://www.amazon.com/Evolution-She...rotating+teeth
Also, never brush against the hair growth pattern and like someone else mentioned, start at the bottom of the hair and work toward the skin slowly. She does not object at all but can be wiggly. Before her comb out I use one of my old waffle hair towels to help her dry. We can not blow her dry, her skin is just too sensitive. So we do let her run - yes, the zoomies! We love it! Luckily we have a "runway" that's safe. I think she's blow drying her own hair as she races back and forth. Then we do the grooming - on top of the washing machine with a nonslip pad. She gets her favorite treat when all is done.
Your vet can check to see if there is any reason for the dandruff your dog has. Learning to groom your dog and your dog accepting grooming can build such a good relationship between you. Be patient. Use treats. And persevere. It is very worth it to have a pup who learns to trust you and it will benefit the rest of your training. It took us a while but now it's a pleasure. (Except for clipping those pesky nails. lol)
