Bathing!

[Cheetah]

I started bathing Shippo the day he came home. Both my dogs get a monthly bath, so as not to dry out their skin/coat. The only time I'll bathe them more often is if they get seriously dirty. I use Buddy Wash too! Awesome stuff!

[Louwants]

I agree about them not being the type to get the "doggie" smell. I wish the corgi/chow mix I have was like that. TALK about the doggie smell. PHEW!

[MyPemCharlie]

I'm happy to hear that Corgis aren't a very stinky breed, as I wasn't sure if Charlie just smells sweet to me because he is young. While I was researching breeds, I never read anything about the strength of doggie odor varying between breeds. Guess the topic just isn't written about too much. What a refreshing and delightful change from my last "doggie" smelling dog!

[Chip's Mom]

Chip needs a bath and tomorrow is the day but it is supposed to be cold and may snow. I thought I would dry him with the blow dryer some but I hate the thought of giving him a bath when it is cold. What do you all do in the winter or cold months.

[Michael Romanos]

If the weather is inclimate I would still bath a Corgi so long as they are tolerant or have been 'trained' to persevere with a blow dryer (called a hair dryer in NZ) set to warm and because of the weather the confining to the inside of a house will not concern the house owner from all the loose hairs and tuffs of hair flying about. As well the Corgi will need a warm heated room to help dry off completely. Generally speaking Corgis could do with a monthly bath so the colder months must always come into the picture.

[MyPemCharlie]

Huh. I don't remember the last time Charlie had a bath. I think maybe it was March. He one clean smelling little pooch with only regular brushings.

I guess if he rolled in something stinky and needed a winter bath, I would probably warm the bathroom, use the tub and towel dry as much as possible then let him air dry indoors the rest of the way. I thought human hair dryers get too hot for dogs, but maybe not if it has a cool setting?

[Chip's Mom]

Nope hair dryers work really well as long as you use the cool setting and hold the dryer away from the dog. Chip likes it.

[glencorgi]

Originally Posted by MyPemCharlie

Huh. I don't remember the last time Charlie had a bath. I think maybe it was March. He one clean smelling little pooch with only regular brushings.

Which indicates he has a correct coat for a corgi. That's how a corgi's coat is supposed to be. Monthly baths are too drying and unnecessary <IMO> unless one is doing something like therapy dog work or showing which requires more frequent bathing.

I guess if he rolled in something stinky and needed a winter bath, I would probably warm the bathroom, use the tub and towel dry as much as possible then let him air dry indoors the rest of the way. I thought human hair dryers get too hot for dogs, but maybe not if it has a cool setting?

I have an air blower/dryer for the dogs. It blows the water out of the coat, but doesn't actually dry the coat with heat. If you happen to have a Shop Vac type vacuum cleaner, put your hose on the blower option and you've got the same principle.

Debbie

[Louwants]

I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one that only gives their dog a bath about twice a year. I did the same with my first corgi. Usually a spring and a fall bath. The brushing in between seem to help keep them clean. Duncan doesn't have the doggie smell, and if his fur gets a little muddy, I just wipe him down with a towel and brush him after he is dry.

Right now he does need a bath, though. Not smelling, but his bottom is a little off color. I've just been too busy with doing the bathroom repair (long story) and taking my mom back and forth to hospitals and doctors.

[Chip's Mom]

It is really hard to keep that red southern clay from changing the white on my three or if they find some fun thing to roll in outside. We just rehomed our goldfish pond and had three corgis supervising the process and checking out the mud. I always give them a bath when they come back from camping as there is sand in their coats. My three sleep in my bed.

[Dillydoodle]

My two get bathed either every month or every other month depending on how dirty they get. My two are walked twice a day every day for about 3 miles(total) and they get play time out in the back yard daily, even in less that perfect conditions...so they get dirty.

We allow our boys the option of sleeping in our bed with us.. Dillon usually stays only an hour or so and then hops off and goes to his crate next to the bed but Gus sleeps the night with us in our bed... every night all night without fail, so they must be clean and fresh... thus the bathing.

I find that winter baths are fine for mine as long as I do it early in the morning after their morning walk, and then keep them in the house ( other than going out at noon for a quick potty break) until their evening walk giving their coats plenty of drying time. I turn the heat up a touch and I towel dry them very well. Neither boy likes the hairdryer sound... they prefer a good towel drying and a warm room..

Emilie

[LaRogue]

I've heard good things about Buddy Wash Shampoo and want to try some, next time I need shampoo. That might be a while because I have so much shampoo and I give Pip a bath so infrequently. His coat really seems resilient-the dirt falls off and water rolls off him-and he doesn't have "doggy" smell. He gets a bath about once a season, except for summer. In the summer, he usually rolls in something gross and ends up with a bath about once a month or month and a half.

Call me crazy, but I think there are some dog foods that can cause dogs to have doggy smell, too.

Nope hair dryers work really well as long as you use the cool setting and hold the dryer away from the dog.

I'm going to have to try that. I've only tried once to dry a corgi with a hair dryer and it was such a horrible mess that I go to the groomers if it's too cold for air drying. Must have been operator error on my part!

[Michael Romanos]

With the advent of excellent shampoo for dogs - the equal of quality shampoo for humans - it is no longer considered a coat or skin hazard to apply quality dog shampoo to a short or long coated dog as often as weekly. So a regular monthly shampoo bath for a Corgi should not pose any problems so long as quality shampoo is used. The thing about regular baths for Corgis is the lesser problem with loose hair to spread around inside a house or a car or on ones lap. Most Corgis don't like the idea of a bath but actually enjoy all the action that ensures - applying warm water, rubbing in/massaging the coat and skin with shampoo, the rubbing down and the applications of comb and brush. It is intensive attention that Corgis really like.

[MyPemCharlie]

Charlie did not enjoy the 2-3 baths he's had in the last year or so at all. Kind of stresses him out. Brushing his lose undercoat out he does absolutely enjoy, and regular brushing seems to work well enough for keeping most of the fur out of the house.

I remember talking to the vet about bathing frequency last year. He suggested no more often than once a month, but then said something along the lines of "Really, no need to bath a dog at all unless he gets really stinky or dirty."

The Buddy Wash and Rinse smells really great. I mail ordered some last year. One bottle is probably a lifetime supply for us.

[glencorgi]

Buddy Wash is great stuff, I like their products a lot.

Bathing can also increase the amount of hair put out, especially when it is blow coat time.

Bathing I recommend as needed. Bonnie getting the sand out her guys' coats after camping is healthier for them reducing the risk of skin irritations and itchies - that's an example of "as needed." When they decide to perfume themselves with something incredibly stinky - another "as needed" time.

I've encountered very few corgis that actually enjoy the water part of the bathing process and hair dryers of any form can stress many of them out.

But as seen from comments from forum members in this thread, most of them have come up with systems that work for them and their corgis which is the most important thing.

Debbie