Brentbullets
Member
1st house dog. What soap shampoo are you using? BLF 9 months old
Dog soap, shampoo?
- Thread starter Brentbullets
- Start date
Mosby
Well-known member
I recently bought some professional level shampoo and conditioner products for my dogs. Products commonly used by groomers for show dogs. I don't bath my dogs often and when I did, I used cheap stuff and I noticed when I was around other dogs at our local pointer club, that other dogs coats were better, cleaner and shiny. Especially the dogs that compete in shows. My dogs looked ghetto in comparison. Brands I bought are Tropiclean for face and around eyes, #1 All systems super cleaning shampoo and Coat Handler all purpose conditioner. A lot of different brands to choose from so I just bought what was consistently mentioned as a quality product for my dogs coat type. Bathing is a hassle but when they need a bath, I decided to use better products. They last for years and not that expensive on Amazon.
Springer22
Well-known member
I just use some cheap stuff from hyvee, groomers best is the brand. Maybe one every couple months when stinky , but they get one every time they leave the boarders too.Dog does a pretty damn good job of keeping itself clean. Awesome coat.
westksbowhunter
Well-known member
I think using soap and shampoo on a labrador is one of the worst things you can do for their coat. I hose mine off a couple of times a year and fill the stock tank up and bath them with no soap. Just water and my hands. My dogs have the best shiny coats of any dogs you will find. They are supplemented with fish oil every day and fed a high-quality food.
Limitless
Well-known member
I've used Burt's Bees dog shampoo before. Gentler than some products. I also started giving her this before this season:
I did it to see if it would result in fewer broken nails, which she would get on some of the winter hunts in past years. She broke exactly one nail, this season, in the last day or two, and it wasn't bad enough to patch up. Hard to say if the above supplement was the cause of fewer nail issues. It does seem to make her coat silkier looking and feeling. 2 per day. She doesn't love them. Labs would -- at least the ones I've had and know.
I try not to shampoo her very much, especially during winter. She might only get a bath once or twice a year. She got a lot of baths after getting skunked *bad* at home in Feb of 2024. She's a pretty clean dog though.
I did it to see if it would result in fewer broken nails, which she would get on some of the winter hunts in past years. She broke exactly one nail, this season, in the last day or two, and it wasn't bad enough to patch up. Hard to say if the above supplement was the cause of fewer nail issues. It does seem to make her coat silkier looking and feeling. 2 per day. She doesn't love them. Labs would -- at least the ones I've had and know.
I try not to shampoo her very much, especially during winter. She might only get a bath once or twice a year. She got a lot of baths after getting skunked *bad* at home in Feb of 2024. She's a pretty clean dog though.
GetTothePoint
Well-known member
Use your wife's most expensive stuff. They love that
LC Smith
Well-known member
Mine spends a lot of time in the lake during the summer and gets his baths in then. LOL
Munster927
Well-known member
I use a different brand that comes in liquid form, a couple pumps out of the bottle a day on her food, but yeah everyone should be using fish oil for their dogs. Great for their coat, skin and good for eye and brain health. Especially important stuff for pups while they develop. I give each of the pups in my litters one dose a day once they start weaning.
As for baths, I use Burt's bees shampoo and give her maybe 2 baths a year unless she finds something particularly ripe to roll in.
my 4.5 year old lab has been dealing with a skin issue since April. one vet thought it was a skin infeciton and we have tried antibiotics. another vet in the same office thinks it is an allergy of some sort and we've tried seveal different foods, all to no avail. she next option is allergy shots.
in the meantime, my buddy is itching and scratching like made and has developed heavy dandruff and a dry coat. what shampoo can i use to alleviate the itching and dandruff while we figure out if we have some kind of allergy?
in the meantime, my buddy is itching and scratching like made and has developed heavy dandruff and a dry coat. what shampoo can i use to alleviate the itching and dandruff while we figure out if we have some kind of allergy?
remy3424
Well-known member
I will get torched for this. I seldom wash my GSP, had to twice this season as he rolled in the remains for a long dead deer. I use baby shampoo, so I don't have to be quite so careful on his face. Don't need the fragrance, as I don't want to interfer with smelling birds. I see no ill effects. Going to dog owner jail now I suppose.
Instead of a normal vet, see if you can find a dermatologist in your area. We have a GSP with sensitive skin. She would get dandruff, random cysts/sores between her toes, itchy ears etc. Vets couldn't solve it but one referred us to a dermatologist. The derm did cell cultures from the cysts as well as cultures from her skin. Got her on Apoquel and all is great for 2 years now. We go in once a year to recheck and get a kidney function test to make sure the meds aren't affecting organ function. I'm not saying Apoquel is your solution, but I think a dermatologist will be a lifesaver for you.
In my experience, bathing the dog only exasperated the issues, even though we were using sensitive skin and fungal shampoo.
GetTothePoint
Well-known member
I've always washed mine the night before season starts so they look good for the first go. Don't know why really just have for 25 years, other than that it's just on an as absolutely necessary basis lol
Munster927
Well-known member
Try adding fish oil to their diet. May not cure everything, but it should help some of the itching.
Limitless
Well-known member
Might be worth looking into food allergies. Our lab had ear infections/redness for years and we thought it was outside allergens. When switching food one time, we realized her ears were a lot better.
Sorry, just saw that you tried different foods. Were they different brands? Most brands also have grain free versions. There is controversy with that, but as a diagnostic aid, it could help narrow it down faster. There are also some foods that have limited ingredients, which could again might help show it is food related, even if you don't want to keep them on that particular food recipe forever.
Here is a shampoo that is supposed to be good for itchy skin. Gets good reviews online for helping with that too.
Mosby
Well-known member
My GSP and Vizsla got filthy on a muddy day and I used Davis Grubby Dog shampoo and it worked well. It is a professional grade shampoo. Lathers well and smells great. IMO Davis makes some of the best medicated shampoo's for skin conditions you can buy. You can order online from different retailers or from Amazon.
davismfg.com
Oatmeal & Aloe Shampoo, 12 oz.
Hypoallergenic and soap-free, with 2% Colloidal Oatmeal and Aloe Vera to soothe, moisturize, and relieve dry, itchy skin.
Limitless
Well-known member
Do you remember which antibiotic was used?
Another possibility could be a mild case of fleas. We had to add a collar to our regimen, because the fleas in our area have started to become resistant to the monthly topical we use. You could have a couple of those getting him and causing a reaction, even if they can't be spotted.
We use Frontline plus year round, but also use a Seresto collar that is good for 8 months.
Gatzby
Well-known member
In my opinion a bath with any kind of soap would be the last thing I would do. Good Luck