Hi, I was wondering if any one knew how many times I can wash/give bath my puppy (she is developing passion for water. Yesterday we came home and I wanted to wash salt of her feet in the tub she refused to get out even when the water was gone :)). She is starting to smell like a big dog... Not that she should not. Just was wondering how many times a month, or every other month, or every three months, etc. And what kind of shampoo would be the best for her? She is 3.5 months old. Thanks anyone, Alina D.

hi alina, when i first got my gsd she was very dirty and her coat thick with sawdust from where she came from, i brought a mild medicated puppy shampoo and bathed her.
i also seeked advice about future bathing from the vet and he said it would be best to just get a wet cloth or sponge and clean her down.
however in saying this on the counter was a flyer saying this is not a wind up, dog perfume, non toxic, harmless but gets rid of that doggy odour to a more plesant fragrance, hehe what will they come up with next.
ive never heard of doggy perfume before and at that price i wish i hadent seen it £10.95 for a tiny bottle

I only bath Morse if hes rolled in poo and even then only if I cant get it off with a wet cloth. Mud etc comes off with a brush, hes been taught to lift his feet to get salt wiped off, dried, and I put Vaseline on his pads to keep salt/snow out of his feet. Hes short coated so maybe I have an easy life :)

:D :D  This bought back fond memories, my gsd 'kahn' loves the bath and when he was 4 months old we were going to sell our house,  we had a lovely roll top with claw feet .(which had a ledges round three sides.) well ..   he was so used to me getting him the bath- on the day
my buyers turned up unexpectedly   , just to bring ALL the family round to make sure they were buying the right property.Kahn took it upon himself to show them round. . . (i was just about to have a bath, so it was full, of course having a water baby in the house cold water was run first and my baby gate did not fit the spiral stair-case) He launched himself in the bath ,then out into the spare room then in the bath again,out and then spinning round and round until he got to the dressing room then our bedroom  :( and i'm standing ther saying ''honest he has never done that before !! carpet and walls dripping :D  :D  mand x x

Cannot remember ever bathing any of my GSD's, a hose down sometimes but never a bath. Most seem to like to swim but that is not the same as when you add soap, as without soap the skin does not seem to get wet. Never notices that they smelled or make the walls and furniture dirty.

Hi Alina,

My show dogs used to get bathed frequently, probably twice a month.   Warm water and mild soap.

However, if I was not showing they would only get bathed when they stunk :-)   It depends on the coat and what they've go into in terms of how often that's necessary.  I had one dog who had an unbelievably thick, plush coat.  I would have to wet and soap her twice before the wet even got near her skin.  She tended to pick up and keep doggy smell, but still I probably only bathed her every three months.   I would have done it more often, but I used the bathtub (cold weather only, otherwise outside with hose) and my entire bathroom would end up covered in GSD hair.

If you brush regularly you should not have a problem with odour.  If you notice any, take a damp towel that you have wrung out is some slightly soapy (dog shampoo) and rub it over her.  Make sure to rub the coat the wrong way as well, so the damp gets to the undercoat.   Then take the same towel, rinse it out in clean warm water, and do the same.  

You can also by soapless and rinseless shampoos. 

Stacey

I like to shower my 2 Dobes...when they get that doggie smell....as they are aloud on the settee....and in my bed....I just use a mild shampoo on them....depends if your dogs are house dogs really.

Inbetween showers.....I use baby wipes....lovely when they are pups....as they smell like babies then too...lol...gives them a very shinny coat too.

Charley xx