vnv Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 Excuse my total ignorance on this matter. I have a medium sized, very short coated mix that I got from the pound. I bathed her at home at first but it is really hard. In this weather she already gets very cold if without her jacket on and I don't have the equiptment to keep her warm in the bath (We have seperate taps for hot and cold in our bathroom, so it's hard to use warm water) Last time she was bathed (1 month ago) it was at a DIY Dogwash that has since closed. Can I take her to a groomer just for a bath, or is this not the sort of thing they do? I guess it's like going to a hairdresser just to have your hair washed and nothing else, seems a bit weird to me. She is an inside dog and has been wearing a jacket everytime she goes outside lately. I bath her once a month and she is due for her next bath. She is not dirty at all right now and doesn't smell, do you think it's acceptable to bath her less frequently now it's getting cold? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~*Shell*~ Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 (edited) With short coated breeds they usually just do a bath and clip the toe nails - even with Zero (husky) he just gets a bath and a brush! ETA: I think as long as the dog isn't dirty or smelly then you don't have to bath. Zero doesn't get a bath very often because i don't have the tools at home to groom (no dryer or warm water bath - we've got renovations happening right now) but after seeing him all fluffy again this weekend (i caved and paid someone else to groom him - waste of grooming training no?) I'll be sending him up every few weeks till the renovations are over! Edited May 19, 2008 by ~*Shell*~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dog geek Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 Hi Have you tried filling the tub with water already mixed to the right temperature before you put your pup in? Then use a recycled margarine container (or similar) to pour the water over the dog - if you have a shoelace (or similar) threaded through the soap dish to tie to the collar you can keep them in the bath and still have two hands free to wet them down etc. This is how I do my cats (in the laundry tub) as they are not at all keen on the water running out of the tap. I lower them in, and I keep the water quite warm and they relax after a couple of minutes... uh, sorry that was off topic, but the point I was trying to make is that the tub is filled before the pet goes in... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 You can take them to the groomer for a bath for a short haired breed. I just do mine either with the hose or in the bath (was doing in the bath, but it makes such a mess!). I just pick a nice day, and they are in the sun until they are dry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qashmir Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Yes, you can take your dog to just about any groomer for only a bath and dry. It's common. You only need to bath a short haired dog when it suits you, not every month or every week. However i don't recommend any pet dog goes without a trip to the groomer at least every 3 months, just to get rid of dead hair with a high force dryer, nails and ears done and have a general health check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournecritters Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 I do mine in the shower being careful to not get water in her ears of course Alot of DIY car wash places are now installing hydrobaths and my local groomer does let people DIY there dog hydrobath for about $18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Mine have never been to a groomer and never will (no need). Why would I spend money for someone else to do something I can easily do myself? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clyde Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Not sure where you are but a DIY has opened up in Mona Vale. At the bottom of the hill on Mona Vale rd - as far as I can tell it is a part of the car wash? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qashmir Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Dog geek and melbournecritters... Good ideas for summer but doesn't solve the winter drying problem. OP said dog doesn't like to be cold and dryer not available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournecritters Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 In winter my mum puts her dogs bed over the ducted heating or she lies in front of the portable heater and I sit mine under the ducted heating(mine are in the ceiling) The DIY one at the car wash has a dryer at mine too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournecritters Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 A short coated breed should dry pretty quickly in a warm room, mine is dry in about 30 mins as long as I dry her well with a couple of towels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qashmir Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Mine have never been to a groomer and never will (no need). Why would I spend money for someone else to do something I can easily do myself? That's highly commendable but unfortunately you are in the minority as a pet owner. More people should be as vigilant an owner as you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qashmir Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 In winter my mum puts her dogs bed over the ducted heating or she lies in front of the portable heater and I sit mine under the ducted heating(mine are in the ceiling)The DIY one at the car wash has a dryer at mine too. It has a dryer? That's excellent! I've seen a few DIY places but no dryers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k9kutz Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Of course you can take your short hair dog to the groomers for a bath. We do them all the time and owners have all sorts of reasons for bringing them to us. No need to feel weird it's common place especially at this time of year when its to cold to bath outside or takes to long for them to dry. Added advantage of going to a groomer is you will get ears cleaned, nails trimmed and anal glands done (majority of owners would not be confident doing this at home) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 We will bath & blowdry long coats BUT for that service only it must be knot free Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dog geek Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 With my long-coated pets (2xAfghan Hounds, 1XPersian cat) I blowdry usually, unless my arthritis is playing up, then they air-dry in the loungeroom while I brush them (I don't have a good dryer, just a hand-held one). But the short-coated pets (1xWhippet, and an Oriental cat) just air-dry in front of the heater. Towel dry firstly after their bath, then they are blissfully happy to toast in front of the heater for a while.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vnv Posted May 20, 2008 Author Share Posted May 20, 2008 Thanks for the replies everyone. Dog geek - that's how I bathed her at first, with just containers of water in an ankled deep bath but it is really time consuming and not as effective as being able to give her a proper rinse. I have no need to tie her to the bath thankfully, she doesn't enjoy baths but she does stand quietly at tolerate it. She just looks at me sadly and makes me feel horrible We live in a freezing cold house unfortunately, no carpet or insulation and really draughty, maybe I will try giving her a bath at night when she can sit in front of the heater, or skip this month altogether as she isn't dirty at all really. Failing all that it's nice to know I would be welcome at a groomer, when I look in this area and it's all about this clip or that clip I didn't know if I would look silly bringing her in just for a bath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 If she isnt that dirty then just do a hot towel bath. Get a bucket & put a little shampoo in.then the towel.Ring the excess water out so there is ideally none dripping & place towle around her & wipe down Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dog geek Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Actually, the hot towel bath is a great idea - maybe if she has some really grotty spots just a little shampoo on a face cloth to scrub those bits, then wipe with the towel??? I actually fill my tub up with warm water, rather than stand in containers - and to be really economical I will retain the water from my son's bath and reuse on a dog. But I am careful with that one - if there has been lots of soap/shampoo use by the son I won't use the water on a dog, just in case it causes a problem with the dog's skin. I feel for you, cold and draughty is horrible.... maybe some carpet offcuts as rugs?? I have been in cold houses and not been able to afford to buy a rug even - a carpet supplier might be approachable or you could check the tradies and see if anyone is selling relatively new carpet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vnv Posted May 21, 2008 Author Share Posted May 21, 2008 ^ I have "spot cleaned" her before between baths but this time she doesn't even have any dirt on her at all. It's been cold and she is such a sook about going outside when it's cold or wet. The house being cold might be a blessing in disguse as every day the two cats inch closer and closer to the dog in front of the heater... every day brining us one step closer to the lucrative photo of all our pets in one frame muhahahaha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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