Bathing - Page 1

I've always given my dogs baths in the tub with warm water, but they were smaller breeds. Now I'm planning to get a GSD. Is the breed too large to use a tub? If so, can I use an outdoor hose? I don't feel right about bathing a dog in cold water, though. Any suggestions?

Brush him. I seldom give my GSD's a bath unless they roll in something really weird and smelly. A GSD has a coat which most things and apparently smells do not adhere to. Brushing your dog regularly will keep his coat and skin in much better condition than over bathing him. I have owned GSD's for over 60 years and this works best for me. If I do have to bathe them, I use a shower. Lather them up and spray them off.

As yhecht says better to brush, I don't want to lift a GSD into or out of a tub.

Shower is good so I made one outside for the dogs or a hose will work if your dog likes the baths.

If there is a need one of those waterless shampoos will work pretty good.

I personally too avoid overbathing my dogs. They have body oils that get lost if they are bathed too frequently.

All said above is true. A bit further info you might find of use however:
I used to work running a kennels where we had a fully equipped dog room, including two dog showers, plus an electric air drier, so as the boss whose dogs they were liked them ultra clean, they were all bathed indoors a couple of times per year (or on extra occasions if they got covered in mud or anything too smelly !). They were brushed almost daily, also. My own Show-raised bitch I rarely bothered to bath along with the work dogs, as she had been raised on the frequent grooming basis other posters describe ^^. [These are all GSDs b.t.w. unless you count the pair of Leonbergers.] Mostly to help knock out excess coat when she was moulting, rather than due to smells or stickiness.

When I retired I had no such facilities for my then male, and I had a tiny bath I could not lift him in & out of, so if he needed a bath I used to wait for a warm day, then hose him down outside in the car park (cold hose, no drier, just towels and fresh air) - he still lived, healthily, to a good age.

If I have to bathe the bitch I have now I will do it in my new wet room, indoor shower - but then she is already very old, and she has a huge fully long coat, so I'd not want her sitting about wet for long.

From which I'd say: it depends on your needs and on the individual dog !

 

Palapaguy,

You can use a couple of buckets of warm water if you are uneasy about using the hose.

Assuming your dog is young (not a young puppy though), fit and healthy, I wouldn't worry about using the hose though unless it is absolutely freezing.

Every GSD we have had has loved the hose pipe ... whatever the weather!!! make a game of it to start with ... and your pup will look forward to the hose coming out.

Rich.

I think it all depends on where you live and what the weather's like...I live in Florida and ONLY bathe my dogs outside...I have a table which I use for training and yes...for bathing my dogs...I have a post which I tie the dogs to that way they can't get down...I use the outside hose but usually use a "fire nozzle" which has a wider type stream of water...
But we used to live in Michigan where you couldn't bathe your dogs outside during the winter so would have to use a bath tub or take them to a Dog Bathing place...They had them everywhere like in Pet Shops...

~Bob~

I have bathed my GSD in the tub. I don't need to lift them in or out, as they'll get in themselves. They have their own restroom in my house. I only bathe them if they're smelly, muddy, or if they've rolled around in horse poo. My dogs are standard sized, not giants, and fit well in the tub.

We trained our gsds to get in and out of the tub on command so we never bathe them outside. We have a 7 yr old female with environmental allergies and we have to bathe her weekly with prescription shampoo.