[Dailydrool] bathing

[Marie Campbell]

Jacqueline,
    Uncommon to popular belief, you can over bath any dog and oily dogs especially.  The more you bathe an oily dog--and many breeds are oily and meant to be--hounds, Newfoundlands, retrievers....  the more oil the dog's body will produce.  The purpose of oily dogs is to protect the skin from the cold and drying effects of water.  Hunting and water dogs tend to be oily.  
    It is actually harmful to over bath oily dogs and when you continually bath them you are actually signally their body to go into oil production over drive.  Every time you bath your basset, the skin goes, "Oh God, our protective coating has been removed.  We need to hurry up and get the oils going."
    You will actually shoot yourself in the foot and create more problems then you solve.  Unless your dog has a skin condition and is under the direct care of a veterinarian, I would not bath your hound more then 4 times a year.  According to the head of dermatology at the University of Florida College of Veterinary medicine, she says if it ain't broke don't fix it.  If you dog has healthy skin and ears, clean both as little as possible.  The oils on the skin and the wax in the ears has anti viral and anti bacterial properties.  By using harsh chemicals to clean the skin and the ears you are actually making your dog susceptible to infection.  If you must bath use hypoallergenic soap free shampoo and bath infrequently.  My vet who is a GENIUS and shows and breeds Goldens recommends this protocol as does U of F vet college.
    I hate to break it to you but if you don't like hound smell -- don't get a hound.  Bassets smell houndy 24 hours after bathing.  You can get an air purifier--this helps allot I hear but if  you have hounds--and Newfs for that matter they are EXTREMELY OILY--  ( I have both) your house is going to smell houndy!!!  Your vacuum is always going to smell if you have pets--always.  Your furniture and your bedding especially will smell like your dogs--sorry this is the truth.  I launder all my linens once a weeks as well as the couch covers and they always smell like the bassets.  
    Fabreeze, glade plug ins, carpet powder and all that crap just add to the odors in the house and can cause allergic reactions in people and dogs.  Baking soda is great for absorbing odors in carpets, laundry, and rooms and is not harmful.
    There are many odorless or less smelly breeds but you have not picked one of those.  Dobermans, poodles, many lap dog, Saint Bernards (interestingly which I also have) are relatively odorless but all hunting dogs smell oily.  They are oily so they can hunt and retrieve in the cold water and chilly, damp woods.
    I hope this helps.  My friend who has been breeding Newfoundlands for 42 years and who I got my Newfs from says to never bath Newfs more then 4 times a year unless showing your dog--this is a whole other story.  
    Jacqueline, resist over bathing or you will cause more problems then you solve.  Many will disagree but I have to stick with the advice of knowledgeable vets and breeders.  I have been in dogs a good long time over 17 years and I believe this advice is sound.  Toenail trimming and good, frequent brushing is probably the best thing you can do.  Always check ears frequently in case the odor is from an ear infection.
Marie Campbell & the Newf, Saint,& Basset Crew

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