# how often should i give my baby a bath and shampoo suggestions plz



## rebeccayhb (Jul 23, 2010)

I tend to keep her clean and I vacuum once every other day, i bathed her everyday for a week because of her flea problems and now the fleas are almost gone, i wonder how often should i bathe her? once a week?

she's my first indoor dog since moving from China...i used to bathe my dog in China everyday after evening walk. but I've heard(after coming to US) that's not good for the dog's coat. 

Sugar does have dry skin, I haven't bought any dog shampoo yet, but i've been putting extra human conditioner on her to keep it moist.

btw, she has a big chunk of bald skin on her back, looks similar to what our previous pitbull had, the vet said it was fungus, we used anti fungus cream but it wouldn't help...i wonder if bathing is good or bad for it?

thanks!:woof: i have so many questions lol


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## aimee235 (Apr 29, 2007)

Where on her back is the bald skin? Closer to her tail or head? Any pictures?

Once a month should be sufficient unless the dog goes and rolls in the mud or gets extra dirty.


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## Pancake (Jun 11, 2010)

I bathe Pancake biweekly with an oatmeal shampoo. Sometime more depending on mud or,god forbid, she rolls in something nasty.


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## rebeccayhb (Jul 23, 2010)

this is what the skin looks like..there are actually two, but the one the her back is worse than the one on tail.


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## rebeccayhb (Jul 23, 2010)

Pancake said:


> I bathe Pancake biweekly with an oatmeal shampoo. Sometime more depending on mud or,god forbid, she rolls in something nasty.


what kinda oatmeal shampoo? brand?

yeah when i take her out she can find the dirties places i can imagine...:hammer:


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## Pancake (Jun 11, 2010)

rebeccayhb said:


> what kinda oatmeal shampoo? brand?
> 
> yeah when i take her out she can find the dirties places i can imagine...:hammer:


Aveeno :thumbsup:


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## rebeccayhb (Jul 23, 2010)

Pancake said:


> Aveeno :thumbsup:


it's funny because i use aveeno myself haha. and i put their dry and itchy skin bath oil on her, it seems to help her scratching.

thanks!!:hug:


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

Avenno is a human shampoo and I keep seeing ppl talk about it, use dog shampoo it has a different PH balance for dogs. Sorry but just becuse other ppl use it does not mean it is the right thing to use. It sounds like you are way over doing it and have dried out your dogs coat, those look like possible hot spots probably caused by over bathing.

Go to a pet store find any brand of oatmeal shampoo and bathe your dog once a month. Honestly I think once a month is too much I think our dogs get baths in our kennel only before some dogs shows or they get stinky and usually that is about 6 times a year.
You can really do harm and dry the dogs coat out using ppl shampoo, it strips all the oil form the coat and even or conditioner is not made for dogs coats. You can supplement with a fish oil pill once a day to help with the dry coat and it will also help put the oil in the coat back. Unlike ppl dogs need that oil to keep the coat clean and shinny.

DO NOT use avenno again go buy a dog shampoo from a dog store not the grocery store. Any brand is good it does not have to be the cheapest or the most expensive just something in the middle of road should be good. You can keep your dog clean in between baths by wiping them off with a clean damp cloth or use a baby wipe once a week to get the dirt off.

What type of food do you feed? that can also have a big impact on coat health but if your feeding a decent food, give 1 fish oil pill, and using the correct shampoo monthly then you should see an improvement in a few weeks.


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## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

this is safe for dogs and humans. Its made from all natural ingredients and I had issues with Gargamels butt area just like the pictures you showed. I use the shampoo and conditioner and he is so soft, does not itch anymore and smells great to boot. I bathe him once a week with it, kinda pricey but they ship everywhere and like I said, it helped him so much!

shampure(tm) shampoo. shampoo. hair care. Aveda - products that nurture.


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

even though it is made from natural product and is "dog" safe it is formulated for humans PH balance not dogs. They are two different products for two different jobs, again I am happy it works for you but not something I would recommend to pet users because it was not made with pets in mind. There are many things we can get that are made for other purposes and save money not everything has to be marketed for dogs however when you are taking something that is designed for humans and for a humans Ph balance it does not apply to animals as they have different needs.

I do not understand this whole Avenno kick on the forum lately when there are products made for dogs for that reason and not to dry out the coat. It was like the washing of the dogs with Dawn soap for fleas.... while it might work it drys out the coat and then you have other issues to deal with. Just use a product designed to work that does not have those side effects. Again they do make wonderful products just for dogs, for that reason.


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## rebeccayhb (Jul 23, 2010)

performanceknls said:


> Avenno is a human shampoo and I keep seeing ppl talk about it, use dog shampoo it has a different PH balance for dogs. Sorry but just becuse other ppl use it does not mean it is the right thing to use. It sounds like you are way over doing it and have dried out your dogs coat, those look like possible hot spots probably caused by over bathing.
> 
> Go to a pet store find any brand of oatmeal shampoo and bathe your dog once a month. Honestly I think once a month is too much I think our dogs get baths in our kennel only before some dogs shows or they get stinky and usually that is about 6 times a year.
> You can really do harm and dry the dogs coat out using ppl shampoo, it strips all the oil form the coat and even or conditioner is not made for dogs coats. You can supplement with a fish oil pill once a day to help with the dry coat and it will also help put the oil in the coat back. Unlike ppl dogs need that oil to keep the coat clean and shinny.
> ...


thanks again!! for your comment. that spot was there when we got her, it's healing but it feels like there's a knot under it. we'll have to go to the vet to check it out.

and yes, i WILL go get her a dog shampoo, and what you said about PH makes sense to me. so i'll follow 

we just bought a small bag of dog food at biglots, since we thought a guy was coming to get her but turned out he didn't bother to come over...I'm going to get iams this weekend, or you have some suggestions?


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## aimee235 (Apr 29, 2007)

Check out these shampoo's. They are totally natural. 100% Biodegradable. Animal cruelty free. Soap free I think. Does not contain DEA, parabens, phosphates, synthetic dyes, or perfumes. It does sud like soap but the rinswater will not harm lawns, kids, or other living things. I use them on Twilight. They make her coat shiny and stink free. They aren't expensive. They are made for dogs and you can buy them at places like Petco or a feed store.
Pints :: earthbath® - totally natural pet care


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## rebeccayhb (Jul 23, 2010)

aimee235 said:


> Check out these shampoo's. They are totally natural. 100% Biodegradable. Animal cruelty free. Soap free I think. Does not contain DEA, parabens, phosphates, synthetic dyes, or perfumes. It does sud like soap but the rinswater will not harm lawns, kids, or other living things. I use them on Twilight. They make her coat shiny and stink free. They aren't expensive. They are made for dogs and you can buy them at places like Petco or a feed store.
> Pints :: earthbath® - totally natural pet care


thank you for the suggestion! found some on amazon, price is nice!

I'll go to pet store and look around, i need to get some toys and other stuff too!

suddenly feels like i just had a baby! lol


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

Iams is not a great food you really are just paying for the name brand and a lot of fillers. What other types of food do yo have available? You said you are in China right? a good food can really help with the coat issues and give it a few weeks before you can notice a big difference, it takes a while to fix dry coats.


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## rebeccayhb (Jul 23, 2010)

performanceknls said:


> Iams is not a great food you really are just paying for the name brand and a lot of fillers. What other types of food do yo have available? You said you are in China right? a good food can really help with the coat issues and give it a few weeks before you can notice a big difference, it takes a while to fix dry coats.


I give her canned fish and chicken treats..I live in US but I'm from Beijing.

what kinda dog food would you suggest?


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

Oh there are a ton of foods to choose from. I feed food from costco the kirkland chicken and rice. I also like taste of the wild, blue buffalo, prairie, any of those are good foods.


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## rebeccayhb (Jul 23, 2010)

performanceknls said:


> Oh there are a ton of foods to choose from. I feed food from costco the kirkland chicken and rice. I also like taste of the wild, blue buffalo, prairie, any of those are good foods.


THANK YOU SO MUCH!! well, looks like we're going shopping for some yums!

there's a costco here but too far from where i live..
I'll try pet store and maybe sam's.

thank you bunches!:cheers:


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## Aczdreign (Jun 15, 2010)

Another thing that I do for Argos (in addition to dog oatmeal shampoo, 1000mg fish oil supplements and a boiled egg every day) that's really cheap is a plain oatmeal bath. Cheapest oatmeal you can find, pour a small amount into the tub that you wash your dog in (not a good idea in your bathtub), fill with warm water, and use a cup to pour it over his skin. You can repeat this daily if you really needed to, as you won't be using any shampoo. The aveeno bath powder is really just regular oatmeal that's ground up fine enough to go down your drain. Plain oatmeal is much cheaper. Argos is allergic to fleas (I think) and an oatmeal soak once a week really seems to soothe his skin.

I also want to stress the value of the fish oils, in addition to being good for your dog's skin, studies have shown that omega III's help to stimulate brain growth, and joint health as well if I am not mistaken. I feed human supplements, 1000mg salmon oil gelcap, I got a huge bottle for like 6 bucks. He loves them, too. Every morning after breakfast he waits for it, and will catch it out of the air.

[EDIT]: FOOD: I recently started feeding blue buffalo puppy kibble, and he loves it. I did a little math, I'll spare you, but in the end, foods like BB (though they are much more expensive at the counter) end up saving you money over time. The higher end foods have less fillers which means the dog will eat less, poop less, and the poop won't be as smelly as with low end foods. Your high end foods will last nearly twice as long as the same weight of something like purina.


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## Carriana (May 13, 2008)

It's also worth noting that the better the feed, the more healthy their coat and I have noticed that our dogs very rarely have that "stinky dog" smell that I have come to associate with a poor diet. We don't wash our dogs very often since they are house dogs and don't tend to need it very often.

My dogs eat Taste of the Wild: High Prairie.


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## rebeccayhb (Jul 23, 2010)

Aczdreign said:


> Another thing that I do for Argos (in addition to dog oatmeal shampoo, 1000mg fish oil supplements and a boiled egg every day) that's really cheap is a plain oatmeal bath. Cheapest oatmeal you can find, pour a small amount into the tub that you wash your dog in (not a good idea in your bathtub), fill with warm water, and use a cup to pour it over his skin. You can repeat this daily if you really needed to, as you won't be using any shampoo. The aveeno bath powder is really just regular oatmeal that's ground up fine enough to go down your drain. Plain oatmeal is much cheaper. Argos is allergic to fleas (I think) and an oatmeal soak once a week really seems to soothe his skin.
> 
> I also want to stress the value of the fish oils, in addition to being good for your dog's skin, studies have shown that omega III's help to stimulate brain growth, and joint health as well if I am not mistaken. I feed human supplements, 1000mg salmon oil gelcap, I got a huge bottle for like 6 bucks. He loves them, too. Every morning after breakfast he waits for it, and will catch it out of the air.
> 
> [EDIT]: FOOD: I recently started feeding blue buffalo puppy kibble, and he loves it. I did a little math, I'll spare you, but in the end, foods like BB (though they are much more expensive at the counter) end up saving you money over time. The higher end foods have less fillers which means the dog will eat less, poop less, and the poop won't be as smelly as with low end foods. Your high end foods will last nearly twice as long as the same weight of something like purina.


yeah the oatmeal is not good for the bathtub, i can use cheesecloth to wrap them up and then soak in the warm water in the tub though. thanks for the idea 

fish oil is good for anybody!(dog), i saw them at walmart for 7 bucks twin bottles. my husband takes one every day, they can share the twin bottle then. haha.

thanks for the recommendation on dog food, I'll go to the store this week and find her some good quality food. and you're right, the higher the quality, the better her health will be, and less she'll eat. :goodpost:


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## rebeccayhb (Jul 23, 2010)

Carriana said:


> It's also worth noting that the better the feed, the more healthy their coat and I have noticed that our dogs very rarely have that "stinky dog" smell that I have come to associate with a poor diet. We don't wash our dogs very often since they are house dogs and don't tend to need it very often.
> 
> My dogs eat Taste of the Wild: High Prairie.


thanks! and I do agree with feeding high quality food.


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## Aczdreign (Jun 15, 2010)

rebeccayhb said:


> yeah the oatmeal is not good for the bathtub, i can use cheesecloth to wrap them up and then soak in the warm water in the tub though. thanks for the idea


LOL.
Yea, I have an old ice chest (lid broke) that I use to bathe Argos, since my apartment only has a shower. Ghetto, I know.


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## DueceAddicTed (Sep 28, 2009)

Oatmeal shampoo and Conditioner for dogs
Good Quality Kibble
Fish Oil 

As Lisa said NO human shampoos ( I'm a groomer ) I do NOT recommend human shampoos for dogs. 

As for Aveeno DO not use the shampoos nor conditioners ... IF your dog has really bad itchy skin or allergies you can use the Aveeno Oatmeal packets for BABIES to soak the dog in a tub and let dry to soothe the itchiness, or use plain old oatmeal in a tub for a good 5/10 minute soaking to soothe the skin. These two things worked well with my boy when he was going through his terrible systemic allergies and itchy skin, recommended by my alternative vet. I repeat not the shampoos and conditioners made for humans no matter what the bottle tells you.


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## rebeccayhb (Jul 23, 2010)

Aczdreign said:


> LOL.
> Yea, I have an old ice chest (lid broke) that I use to bathe Argos, since my apartment only has a shower. Ghetto, I know.


hey that sounds better than a bathtub!


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## rebeccayhb (Jul 23, 2010)

DueceAddicTed said:


> Oatmeal shampoo and Conditioner for dogs
> Good Quality Kibble
> Fish Oil
> 
> ...


YES MA'AM :hug: I won't use human product since it DOES make sense to me about the PH.

thank you bunches:goodpost:


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## Angie (Jul 2, 2010)

rebeccayhb said:


> yeah the oatmeal is not good for the bathtub, i can use cheesecloth to wrap them up and then soak in the warm water in the tub though. thanks for the idea
> 
> fish oil is good for anybody!(dog), i saw them at walmart for 7 bucks twin bottles. my husband takes one every day, they can share the twin bottle then. haha.
> 
> thanks for the recommendation on dog food, I'll go to the store this week and find her some good quality food. and you're right, the higher the quality, the better her health will be, and less she'll eat. :goodpost:


Dogs shouldn't be eating omega 3 pills formulated for people. You need to get one specially made for dogs


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## rebeccayhb (Jul 23, 2010)

Angie said:


> Dogs shouldn't be eating omega 3 pills formulated for people. You need to get one specially made for dogs


I've never seen omega 3 for dogs! since we hadn't had a dog in so long..we barely walk to the doggie aisle in the store.

but I'm thinking to give her one tablespoon evoo in her food, that should be good for her coat and skin right?


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## Angie (Jul 2, 2010)

rebeccayhb said:


> I've never seen omega 3 for dogs! since we hadn't had a dog in so long..we barely walk to the doggie aisle in the store.
> 
> but I'm thinking to give her one tablespoon evoo in her food, that should be good for her coat and skin right?


They should have Omega 3 pills in Petco for dogs, or you can order it online. Evo meaning the dog food evo? I'm not sure if one tablespoon will promote healthy coat. :hammer:


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## geisthexe (Jan 18, 2007)

You can go to Walmart in the pharmacy section and purchase human fish oils (Omega 3s) and pay a cheaper price and get more


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## Angie (Jul 2, 2010)

Also, for the bathing the dog, you should bathe the dog once a month. But if you want to bathe your dog more often you can go once a week BUT you should dilute the shampoo with water.


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## rebeccayhb (Jul 23, 2010)

Angie said:


> They should have Omega 3 pills in Petco for dogs, or you can order it online. Evo meaning the dog food evo? I'm not sure if one tablespoon will promote healthy coat. :hammer:


thanks! I'll check it out! evoo extra virgin olive oil.


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## rebeccayhb (Jul 23, 2010)

Angie said:


> Also, for the bathing the dog, you should bathe the dog once a month. But if you want to bathe your dog more often you can go once a week BUT you should dilute the shampoo with water.


thank you, I try not to bathe her that often as I heard that its not good for their skin and coat..but I will remember to dilute the shampoo if i happen to HAVE to bathe her often, she likes to roll in the grass


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