# How often do you guys bathe your poodles?



## Ellyisme (Jul 17, 2012)

Hib gets a bath every week or two, but we don't have any beaches around here for him to get sandy at. You can bathe poodles weekly, just make sure you use a good quality shampoo and conditioner.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

With some of the nice, gentle shampoos out these days, I don't think that holds true. You can even get conditioners. In fact, my vet recommended giving my Jose` a bath every two weeks at least to get pollen and other irritants (dust, grit, etc) off because his skin has been showing some signs of weirdness lately...dry, scaly. So, I don't know about Poodles, since I don't have one yet. But I think once a week would be fine. Just rinse very well. And see how it goes. You could even just wash with water if you think the shampoo is troublesome. I like some of those oatmeal shampoos that have vit E, aloe or some other good stuff in it. You can feed a fish oil capsule too. Someone with more experience in that area, hopefully will chime in.

EDA: I must have been typing when Elly posted. It wasn't there before. lol.


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## Pipikuma (Oct 30, 2012)

What kind of gentle shampoo would you guys recommend? I'll have to see if I can get my hands on some of those in Canada


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## Ellyisme (Jul 17, 2012)

Definitely an oatmeal shampoo like pbg mentioned that contains aloe and other vitamins. Once you find that, there should be a conditioner with it. I personally love the natures miracle or GNC products. You can find them at PetSmart. There should hopefully be one nearby. I know they are in Canada.


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

Not nearly enough.......so noticeable with a light color poodle. I try to bathe once in between groomings, which are every 5 weeks, but he also doesn't get into the elements as lots of the other poodles do here. No dog beach, hiking, etc.


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

One of the best shampoos I have ever used is C-Derm. It sounds all medicated and such, but it's not. It is all natural, and when I had Jake (before Sunny) he had terrible allergies and in addition to switching to raw, I found this miracle product. They have comfi spray which is also a natural repellent, and shampoos, and ear cleaners, etc. I like it because it is vet formulated, but has no medicinal smell, and actually smells wonderful! I used to bring the shampoo to Stacy, who has been my groomer forever, and although she uses CC shampoos, etc. she loved the C-Derm and it was soothing on his skin, smelled great and was good for grooming too. Ingredients are all natural so no harsh anything. Here is their website; they ship and products are not terribly expensive.

Products for Dogs


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## Jacamar (Jun 2, 2012)

I read in a grooming book that the concerns about drying their skin apply mostly to smooth-coated breeds, and not to poodles.

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## cookieface (Jul 5, 2011)

Katie gets bathed every two weeks or so, or when she starts to smell. Her groomer recommended Groomers Edge. It's super concentrated, so a little goes a very long way.

As was said, newer, more gentle shampoos don't hurt the dog's skin or coat.


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## sarahmurphy (Mar 22, 2012)

Spike and Fritz get a bath about every 2 weeks, unless there is a "Situation"....

They both got dumped in the tub yesterday afternoon, for legs and a rinse, after playing in the mud for a few hours! (Fritz is entirely entitled to start is own thread from a disgruntled poodle, since he was just really groomed the day before....) I was amazed at how well they both did standing there in the tub full of water together, though...


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## ItzaClip (Dec 1, 2010)

Jacamar said:


> I read in a grooming book that the concerns about drying their skin apply mostly to smooth-coated breeds, and not to poodles.
> 
> it depends on dog and product used. i generally prefer gentler surfactants lke laureth sulfate or cocmidopropylbetaine. most pet products do not have true ingredient list justa "contains ..." list which is decieving. show dogs get abathed frequently, all my 2 and 3 weekers get bathed. my own poodle will be getting weekly(every fri morning after agilty night)and 2 lines i LOVE are Isle of dogs N10(contains priomrose oil which really makes skin coat soft supple. and Epi-pet. If you are bathing frequently you can use somthing stronger on first wash and follow with more moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. i love how isle of dogs is easy to rinse(a lot of cond are not easy) . dont know where you are in canada but so am i.
> there is dist for isle of dgs in bc, and for epi in ontario. i order direct and import from usa. keep in mind prices on websites are retail. my weekly regimine will be IOD "stay clean" then either N10/epi mixed or if its scissoring day then "stand", the epi has nice spray in cond that is very cond. i use on every dog and its a skin treatment as well. if have any more questions feel free to ask
> ...


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## Pipikuma (Oct 30, 2012)

ItzaClip said:


> Jacamar said:
> 
> 
> > I read in a grooming book that the concerns about drying their skin apply mostly to smooth-coated breeds, and not to poodles.
> ...


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## Joelly (May 8, 2012)

What is the good quality shampoo and conditioner?


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

There is a really good article on conditioners and grooming I read at at site I googled called 'RufflySpeaking Grooming a Dog Part 3: Conditioners'
After reading this, Molly and I use Pantene Hahaha!
She gets bathed every 7-10 days ( or more if she finds something stinky to roll in!)


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## Carley's Mom (Oct 30, 2011)

My dogs are outside quite a bit and they play together. My Blue gets a bath every month and my Cream about every 3 weeks.


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## georgiapeach (Oct 9, 2009)

My pet store, which also has several groomers (who groom pets and show dogs alike) only use Tropiclean products. They swear by them. Here's a link: Tropiclean Products.

I bathe Potsie 1-2 times a month.


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## ItzaClip (Dec 1, 2010)

Pipikuma said:


> ItzaClip said:
> 
> 
> > I was looking at isle dogs on Amazon and I saw they have one called Everyday Isle of Dogs Lush Coating Dog Shampoo,Violet + Sea Mist for Poodles, Shepherds and Retrievers...Just wondering if you have ever given that a try? Is it specifically better for poodles?
> ...


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## Pipikuma (Oct 30, 2012)

i am using spa vy tropiclean right now. is that gentle enough?


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## sammy66 (Oct 26, 2011)

Poodle hair will grow better and faster if it is clean. My girls get bathed (pretty much a full groom) once a week.

When I go to dog places (classes or dog festivals), I usually get more comments from the groomers than anyone else. They can seed the work that has gone in.

The Pantene is fine in a pinch, but cut it 50:50 with water, it will make it easier to rinse out. I was not that impressed with the tropiclean products. I would not use them again.

If you want a super shiny full and beautiful coat, I use Chris Christensen Products, I use the colour matched shampoo, (black on Black, white on white...they have red and gold) and then Thick n Thicker Protein Rinse, then After U Bathe conditioner (it's actually a rinse agent). I use CC Ice on Ice as a conditioning spray daily when brushing.

CC do have a new distributor in Ontario.


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## Oodlejpoodle's mom (Sep 11, 2009)

I bathe mine weekly, I Love B3 why itch and les pooches vitamin enriched. They all have very healthy, never dry skin. I just bought the les poochs mediatic to try as I have one gal who licks/bites her paw.


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## Angl (Nov 9, 2012)

Little stink pot has gotten her feet washed twice in 12 hours...

I've got a digger!!


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## Jacamar (Jun 2, 2012)

Angl said:


> Little stink pot has gotten her feet washed twice in 12 hours...
> 
> I've got a digger!!


Heh.. Mine digs, but only in the couch. :laugh:


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## PoodlePaws (May 28, 2013)

Mine are about every 10-12 days. Also depends on if they've played in the sprinkler outside. 


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## Jdcollins (Feb 3, 2011)

Every 7-10 days... They play chase outside a lot and get dirty ... I'd rather stretch it to every 10 days but they rarely stay clean enough that long lol


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## creamxixo (Jun 14, 2013)

Cherry only bath once a week. The staff at the pet shop told me to only bath her once a week

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## hunny518 (Jun 5, 2012)

Biggest thing to watch out for is using shampoos with soap or detergent in them, they will dry out the skin. Many shampoos you can buy in pet stores have soaps and detergents in them but its not necessarily listed or identifiable.
Best thing I recommend is Kelco products. You would have to look up their company and find distributor. I use ISle of Dogs and also Petsilk, pet edge carries Petsilk, and I think they carry isle of dogs spa line but not their professional line, but you can get it of I amazon too. Both of those I know are also detergent and soap free, and because my standard is a cream-white show poodle, I sometimes bathe her 2x a week but primarily only 1 time a week and I've never had an issue with skin problems and I've bathed her that frequently since she was 9 weeks old


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## Pipikuma (Oct 30, 2012)

phew! its such a relief to know that its ok to bathe them once a week...I was beginning to wonder how can people stand their dogs being so dirty and stinky for weeks to a month! Thanks a lot guys for all the great information too : )


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

Show dogs get bathed weekly at least, so frequent bathing is not an issue.


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## Gilly (Feb 18, 2013)

*Should I be bathing more frequently?*

I have had my poodle for just a few months and have bathed her twice in that time. She is brushed every 2nd day and I used a grooming spray when I do this. I clip her myself. Her coat and skin are clean and she doesn't have a odour.

When I do bath her, I blowdry and then clip and she looks great. The other times I clip, she looks ok. I clip every 2 weeks for face, feet and hygiene. You probably would identify the clip as a lamb clip - I think it looks ok for an amateur :clap:

_Should_ I be bathing her more frequently? 

I just adore her. She has fit in so well to our home (she is 6 years old) and truly is my dog, she accompanies me everywhere. Although!! I am a little concerned about my husband hijacking her. Unfortunately he broke his leg and ankle about 4-5 weeks ago and is spending a fair bit of time at home with his leg up. Guess who ends up cuddled up next to him.... hmmmm :mad3: I am hoping for a speedy recovery so this relationship doesnt get stronger! Although, perhaps that could be a good argument for poodle no. 2 entering the home...


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## Gilly (Feb 18, 2013)

*Should I be bathing more frequently?*

I have had my poodle for just a few months and have bathed her twice in that time. She is brushed every 2nd day and I used a grooming spray when I do this. I clip her myself. Her coat and skin are clean and she doesn't have a odour.

When I do bath her, I blowdry and then clip and she looks great. The other times I clip, she looks ok. I clip every 2 weeks for face, feet and hygiene. You probably would identify the clip as a lamb clip - I think it looks ok for an amateur :clap:

_Should_ I be bathing her more frequently? 

I just adore her. She has fit in so well to our home (she is 6 years old) and truly is my dog, she accompanies me everywhere. Although!! I am a little concerned about my husband hijacking her. Unfortunately he broke his leg and ankle about 4-5 weeks ago and is spending a fair bit of time at home with his leg up. Guess who ends up cuddled up next to him.... hmmmm :mad3: I am hoping for a speedy recovery so this relationship doesnt get stronger! Although, perhaps that could be a good argument for poodle no. 2 entering the home...


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## Joelly (May 8, 2012)

I bathe Edison once or twice a week, it depends on how dirty he becomes. Charlie got bathe once a month, he is half-terrier so I was advised to only bathe him once a month. But if he gets too dirty, it will be twice a month.

We use Espree for both of my pups.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Gilly said:


> I have had my poodle for just a few months and have bathed her twice in that time. She is brushed every 2nd day and I used a grooming spray when I do this. I clip her myself. Her coat and skin are clean and she doesn't have a odour.
> 
> When I do bath her, I blowdry and then clip and she looks great. The other times I clip, she looks ok. I clip every 2 weeks for face, feet and hygiene. You probably would identify the clip as a lamb clip - I think it looks ok for an amateur :clap:
> 
> ...


Poodles are prone to skin problems from cysts to bacterial and yeast infections- it is best to bath them once a week to avoid these things.


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## Gilly (Feb 18, 2013)

Thanks TinyPoodles for your response. So far, we have had no sign of any skin problems. I brush her thoroughly, right down to the skin - thanks to this forum learnt to do it correctly - and her skin is clean. 

So the purpose of bathing frequently is a preventative measure to avoid skin problems? My reluctance to bath frequently is not because I dont want to spend the time on grooming, I love brushing and interacting with her, I believe this has helped us form such a good relationship. But if bathing is a preventative measure, and shes not suffering from any of the conditions that bathing is to prevent, why bathe her that often? 

It's really helpful to get everyone's ideas on this. Seems the majority of poodle folk do bathe about every two weeks, or less?


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

Since nobody is in show coat, I bathe every 4. 

For the vast majority, there is no reason why it is necessary to bathe more often. Show coat, existing skin conditions, or mud loving poodles are the only reasons why more frequent baths might be necessary. . Otherwise, it comes down to personal taste.

And - I have never had any skin issues with my poodles.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Also , Tangee, who has never ever had overfull anal glands, twice had anal gland ruptures (around age 2 and age 5). After the second one it dawned upon me that both times that it happened, I had been sick and she was several weeks overdue for her bath - well I vowed never to allow that to happen again, and we have not had another anal gland rupture for 6 years now.
And by the way, once or twice a week is what the Vet Dermatologist recomends.


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## Jacamar (Jun 2, 2012)

I bathe Panda every 3 or 4 weeks, but I usually have to bathe his legs in-between full baths because he sometimes pees on himself. :sad:


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

MollyMuiMa said:


> There is a really good article on conditioners and grooming I read at at site I googled called 'RufflySpeaking Grooming a Dog Part 3: Conditioners'
> After reading this, Molly and I use Pantene Hahaha!
> She gets bathed every 7-10 days ( or more if she finds something stinky to roll in!)


Just sharing the link for the info you provided. Nice to know the secret to Molly's gorgeous flowing locks! 
Grooming a Dog Part 3: Conditioners | Ruffly Speaking


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

Jazz is bathed weekly (show coat). Bonnie is bathed every two weeks. I use chris christenson day to day shampoo and conditioner. Jazz gets an extra leave in conditioner, too. Neither has skin problems. Pantene for humans (the curly hair variety) works fine, but you have to dilute it and rinse it really well. 

Jacamar, pee on the legs is such a pain! jazzy still does it occasionally and he gets his left front leg (he only pees on that one! LOL) dunked in water sometimes.


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## PoodleFoster (May 25, 2013)

Pipikuma said:


> Summer is rolling around and I really like to take my tpoo out to the beach. She really loves it as well, but she gets so dirty and sandy. Even after I let her dry and brush her, her fur still feels "sandy" and just not as soft, so I usually give her a bath afterwards. But I've heard from a lot of people that you are only supposed to bathe a dog around once a month otherwise it's bad for their fur as it would wash out all the natural skin oil or something. Does that apply to poodles? How do you guys keep your poodles clean while still able to have fun often??


Hello
Just wanted to give a suggestion to use your High Velocity dryer for this very purpose. The dryer will 'blow out' the sand and the dirt and puff up the coat. It will be easier to brush out, I would think. 
If you don't have a HV dryer, I'd suggest you buy one! Wonderful!
Works great before a bath, to blow off dirt and help pull mats away from skin.
GREAT for winter when poodles come in with ice balls stuck to their legs...
I can't say enough great things about an HV dryer. a MUST with standard poodle ownership, in my opinion.
GOOD LUCK


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

The high velocity dryer is a great suggestion! It might be better in the case of a pet to buy one of the more powerful stand dryers that can also be an HV dryer. Some of them are. They aren't quite as powerful, but likely powerful enough to do the job and can do double duty making the coat straight and fluffy. I have both and each has it's use, but those dryers cost a lot of money.


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## PoodleFoster (May 25, 2013)

outwest said:


> The high velocity dryer is a great suggestion! It might be better in the case of a pet to buy one of the more powerful stand dryers that can also be an HV dryer. Some of them are. They aren't quite as powerful, but likely powerful enough to do the job and can do double duty making the coat straight and fluffy. I have both and each has it's use, but those dryers cost a lot of money.


Hello
I have a stand dryer as well as the HV dryer. I love them both for different reasons.
What I like about the HV dryer is that it's portable. I live in a 2 story home and groom upstairs. It's easy to get the HV dryer around.
I take the dryer and the standard on the porch. It works wonderfully to get in the nooks and crannies. We usually have quite a cloud enveloping us in short order. 
I couldn't get the stand dryer anywhere near outside, which is where a 'blow out' of sand would have to happen. (forgot to mention wearing glasses or eye protection when 'blowing out a dirty or sandy coat'. You DON"T want to get that stuff in your eyes)
The HV dryer is def an investment, but well worth the cost, in my opinion. 

PS. I bought my stand dryer this summer off of Craigslist. It was 55.00. An older model, but looks brand new. Purchased from a retired groomer. I am REALLY enjoying using it. (I have 4 poodles and groom maybe 2 - 3 'clients' per week, so it's getting minimal use.)


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## WhosMyFluffyPuppy (Jan 12, 2013)

Darku is not a show dog, but he gets a bath every week or week and a half during the summer since he romps around in a lake so much. In the winter off season, his bathing schedule is more around every 3 weeks, if not a month. We like using the John Paul / Paul Mitchell oatmeal pet shampoos and conditioners because it's fun to make our hair-conscious/hair-centric friends jealous that our dog gets as good/better shampoo than they use on themselves :bounce:


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## frecklesdmk (Mar 27, 2013)

Lexi is the 4th standard that I have had. I have always bathed mine every 6 weeks (before I groom them). If it's winter, they might go 8 weeks. I've always trimmed faces and butts in between a full groom. They've never had skin problems. 

One of mine loved to roll in smelly things, so she got frequent baths. 

We've had Lexi (7 months) for 5 months now and Monday will be her 3rd bath. My yard is all grass so there isn't much dirt or mud to get into


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## Pluto (Jul 8, 2012)

I try to stretch it out as long as possible, which is typically every 2-4 weeks. Being an very active white poodle, she looks really gross by 4 weeks, and even at 2 her feet are really dirty. I'm not sure if it is her age (1.5 yo), but her coat is definitely more prone to picking up dirt then any other dog I have owned and even a simple jog in the park on a well maintained trail results in leaves and twigs stuck to her in multiple places and dirty bracelets.

Additionally, while I will touch up her face occasionally without a bath, I only trim her feet/sanitary when clean and at 4 weeks she is looking pretty scraggly and getting dingleberrys (gross).


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

Pluto said:


> at 4 weeks she is looking pretty scraggly and getting dingleberrys (gross).


Ew, yeah, I do regular "dingle checks" and glove up and pick 'em off when necessary :alien2:


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## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

Journey gets bathed every two weeks, everyone else every 4-6 with a full groom.

I purchased a 4 hp Metro stand dryer from Petedge that I LOVE. If you use the attachments that come with it, it can also be used ad a force or HV dryer. It is very loud, so a good time for ear plugs and an MP3 player loaded with Beatles and Fleetwood Mac music, but has cut my drying time down immensely.


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## Minnie (Apr 25, 2011)

I've been reading this thread with high interest as we are moving to Florida and Bella will get her first experience with the beach!!! She is bathed weekly due to agility class and we alternate products - CC and Les Pooch always followed by a thorough rinse of CC After U Bathe.


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## Imaginarium (Jun 29, 2013)

Was bathing once a week with Nikita's jacket at about 6 inches. Otherwise it got too gross. I cut her down into a lamb today, so maybe we can go back to every 2 weeks.


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## vicky2200 (Feb 14, 2012)

I actually bathe Weegee about once a month. I have no schedule for it, I just bathe him if he looks or smells dirty. For some reason our dogs don't really get dirty. Our vet even asked us once if Dakota just had a bath because he looked so good but in reality he hadn't had a bath in a year. For non poodles, a healthy diet makes them look and smell far better than a bath.


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## MaryEdwards (Oct 29, 2012)

The HV Dryer is a great suggestion. I have been wishing for one for awhile now. Let's start a thread on which HV Dryer people prefer. Tried to post this in a different way, and it didn't work, so hope there are not 2 of them tomorrow. LOL


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