Bath time

[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...

[Lovetodream88]

I bathe mine weekly or every other week. Mine all fit in the kitchen sink so it makes it easier.

[airplane]

I bathe them weekly, or sometimes it ends up being more than that if they end up getting dirty. And yes, my dogs tolerate brushing. I bought a grooming table and do all my brushing, trimming, - and for my one girl also do wrapping and training the stack position on the table as well. After awhile they learn to accept all the brushing and stuff as something they just have to tolerate. They become so much better with time. My one yorkie actually starts to fall asleep on the table when I brush her. I don't know if she's realized that it actually feels good like a massage or something. But yeah I guess the point I'm making is that over time they will accept it no problem. For the bathing I actually just take them in the shower with me. Its definitely a really easy way to do it.

For brushing, I use a pin brush a lot. And also a nylon bristle brush too. I consider brushing a dog as kinda an art. I'd consider wrapping a dog as an art as well. There is a certain technique of brushing that won't bother the dog as much or break the hair off either. The use of your hands to pull apart and work through knots and matts tends to work good too. Using a diluted conditioner as a spray before brushing is something I do often. And not yanking the brush through the entire hair strands helps. I may just hold the hair part way down and brush the ends of the hair first while working further up the hair strands. I hope that makes sense. I've had to learn over time what works best and I do notice that if you can brush in a way that doesn't break the hair and leave hair in the brush, that the dog doesn't seem to be as bothered by the brushing.

[Shicks]

Originally Posted by airplane

I bathe them weekly, or sometimes it ends up being more than that if they end up getting dirty. And yes, my dogs tolerate brushing. I bought a grooming table and do all my brushing, trimming, - and for my one girl also do wrapping and training the stack position on the table as well. After awhile they learn to accept all the brushing and stuff as something they just have to tolerate. They become so much better with time. My one yorkie actually starts to fall asleep on the table when I brush her. I don't know if she's realized that it actually feels good like a massage or something. But yeah I guess the point I'm making is that over time they will accept it no problem. For the bathing I actually just take them in the shower with me. Its definitely a really easy way to do it.

For brushing, I use a pin brush a lot. And also a nylon bristle brush too. I consider brushing a dog as kinda an art. I'd consider wrapping a dog as an art as well. There is a certain technique of brushing that won't bother the dog as much or break the hair off either. The use of your hands to pull apart and work through knots and matts tends to work good too. Using a diluted conditioner as a spray before brushing is something I do often. And not yanking the brush through the entire hair strands helps. I may just hold the hair part way down and brush the ends of the hair first while working further up the hair strands. I hope that makes sense. I've had to learn over time what works best and I do notice that if you can brush in a way that doesn't break the hair and leave hair in the brush, that the dog doesn't seem to be as bothered by the brushing.

Yeah, my goes in the bath tub with me. LOL. So much easier.

[rjwalt]

Every week to week-and-a-half If I am busy and miss the bath day. I brush every day to every other day with my dogs with a pin brush and some spritz that freshens between baths. I can't even attempt to use a slicker or I will be killed, but a metal comb and ball-tipped pin brush that goes all the way down to the skin works fine.

I have found some dogs just really hate any brushing whatsoever. One little snag on a tangle and it's the end of the world, then Fight Club. You may possibly have to run the dog in the yard with a ball beforehand to tire em' out, or use a safe calming aid from a petstore to calm grooming anxiety and safe yourself from blood loss.

[atlantis1982]

My Micky loved being brushed after we got him a gentle child's brush (for reference, he was a yorkie/chihuahua mix with scraggly hair that, unlike a full yorkie, didn't need to be groomed). However, he hated baths- we got him in the sink maybe once or twice a year, and even then only his back side was bathed- his front paws were on the counter and someone had to hold him constantly so he didn't jump out, while he whimpered the entire time.
Sunny's the opposite- doesn't mind baths (he gets professionally groomed) but every time we get his brush he wants to chew it or runs off. Unfortunately, his hair texture is soft but very fine, almost like down feathers, so he tangles easily. (And the second you try to brush one of those out...forget it. Mr. Squirmy isn't having it!)

[FlyingNimbus]

Originally Posted by rjwalt

Every week to week-and-a-half If I am busy and miss the bath day. I brush every day to every other day with my dogs with a pin brush and some spritz that freshens between baths. I can't even attempt to use a slicker or I will be killed, but a metal comb and ball-tipped pin brush that goes all the way down to the skin works fine.

I have found some dogs just really hate any brushing whatsoever. One little snag on a tangle and it's the end of the world, then Fight Club. You may possibly have to run the dog in the yard with a ball beforehand to tire em' out, or use a safe calming aid from a petstore to calm grooming anxiety and safe yourself from blood loss.

I might have to do that.

[FlyingNimbus]

Originally Posted by atlantis1982

My Micky loved being brushed after we got him a gentle child's brush (for reference, he was a yorkie/chihuahua mix with scraggly hair that, unlike a full yorkie, didn't need to be groomed). However, he hated baths- we got him in the sink maybe once or twice a year, and even then only his back side was bathed- his front paws were on the counter and someone had to hold him constantly so he didn't jump out, while he whimpered the entire time.
Sunny's the opposite- doesn't mind baths (he gets professionally groomed) but every time we get his brush he wants to chew it or runs off. Unfortunately, his hair texture is soft but very fine, almost like down feathers, so he tangles easily. (And the second you try to brush one of those out...forget it. Mr. Squirmy isn't having it!)

She lets me bathe her but she quivers when doing so... but at least she's getting better than before which she would bolt and quiver. As for brushing she allows hand stripping... but it's a pain...

[FlyingNimbus]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

I bathe mine weekly or every other week. Mine all fit in the kitchen sink so it makes it easier.

I used two shampoos on her. The skin soothing one, and the good smelling one.The first one smells like butt, so I used the second for it. Both are natural. Just the latter is an aromatherapy.

[Wylie's Mom]

All my dogs shake during baths - that's just normal. I don't think brushing is pleasant feeling when there are tangles - I know it's not pleasant feeling when I brush out tangles out of my own hair. So, it's not surprising that dogs don't generally *love* being brushed. Pain is pain, end of story.

The more often you're able to brush, though, the more pleasant of an experience it will be for her, since it will hurt less.

What brushes, specifically, are you using...? If using a slicker brush....I'd stop. I think those are the worst brushes unless there truly is a double coat. They're painful.

I'd get a "tangle teaser" from Amazon or ebay - cheap, and work amazingly well...and are gentle. Use a mustache metal comb for any mats when needed.

AND, be aware of your *own* energy while brushing her....are you tense, nervous, irritated, frustrated....? If so, it will translate into the entire experience.

I bathe mine about every 2 weeks. I have to brush Marcel every other day to keep his coat decent - it's SO tangly, no matter what.

[mrssabes]

Bath in kitchen sink very Sunday. We use wipes in between as needed.

The first week we gave him a bath, he picked up on how nervous my husband and I were. He hyperventilated and got the zoomies afterwards, which made me cry. (His little heart was beating so fast, I was convinced I was killing him.)

A month later, he still gets the zoomies afterwards, so he has to partially air-dry.

I've been told it gets better with time.

Brush and comb daily, shortly before his bedtime. Tick check at the same time (and every time he comes in from outside.)

We've been giving him a small taste of puppy toothbrush gel everyday since he brought him home and he thinks it's a treat. It made it super easy to start him toothbrushing recently.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by mrssabes

Bath in kitchen sink very Sunday. We use wipes in between as needed.

The first week we gave him a bath, he picked up on how nervous my husband and I were. He hyperventilated and got the zoomies afterwards, which made me cry. (His little heart was beating so fast, I was convinced I was killing him.)

A month later, he still gets the zoomies afterwards, so he has to partially air-dry.

I've been told it gets better with time.

Brush and comb daily, shortly before his bedtime. Tick check at the same time (and every time he comes in from outside.)

We've been giving him a small taste of puppy toothbrush gel everyday since he brought him home and he thinks it's a treat. It made it super easy to start him toothbrushing recently.

All of mine get the zoomies after baths, I think it's a yorkie thing lol.

[FlyingNimbus]

Thanks guys.

[Nitegama]

what is a zoomie?

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by Nitegama

what is a zoomie?

When they run like crazy and nothing can stop them.