Legitimate Q.. how do people take dogs for a walk and keep their home clean?

[bjyovino]

@foreverandaday I love this, the location of the paint is their little secret

 

[foreverandaday]

@bjyovino Luckily it’s just cornstarch and non toxic, water soluble, dye LOL

 

[glory2god7]

@foreverandaday Lowered standards is key

 

[healiheal777]

@that_guy_you_are I hose mine with water more frequently than I use shampoo and use wipes to get the little bits off!

 

[andyb7777777]

@healiheal777 This is the way. My dog (labrador) gets bathed with dog shampoo maybe twice a year, but she gets dunked (by her own doing, in a creek) a few times a week.

She doesn't smell, and while I just googled how often a labrador should be bathed and it said every 4-6 weeks , that does not happen.

She also has a coat that nothing really sticks to, so even if she comes home with mud on her (she doesn't, but for examples' sake), as soon as it dries, it literally falls off her.

 

[jaypea]

@that_guy_you_are Gotta desensitise them to having their paws touched and being wiped down. If you bathe them once a month whilst they're puppies, make sure the water is warm, around 2-4C higher than body temp and don't get soap in their eyes, they'll learn to tolerate it. You can get soaps for all kinds of coats and skin sensitivity and professional groomers are often very willing to give tips if you take your dog for a professional groom.

Laminated / lino floors obviously help, but if you have carpet a solid hall runner and indoor mat with a towel by the door helps. Teaching your dog to shake off before going indoors is fantastic. Decide a key word (mine is, musically, 'shake it off') and start using it on rainy walks when your pup does it naturally and treat it, and eventually you'll be able to use it on command!

 

[wife2ffigi]

@jaypea I use the 'shake your booty' song.

Shake shake shake....

Sometimes I also do a little shimmy as an example while I sing.

Shake shake shake....

I hope no one actually sees me doing this at the front door, but whatever ::shrugs::

Shake your booty. Shake your booty

 

[jaypea]

@wife2ffigi I love your choice of song, and of course, my Shake it off command isn't complete without a little shoulder shimmy!

 

[studentka]

@wife2ffigi That’s very cute, lol

 

[indelight]

@that_guy_you_are You can’t

 

[billyblake]

@indelight Well, you can manage it. I live in the PNW, and I don’t let my golden retriever walk in puddles and we absolutely do not go to dog parks (for many reasons). The only time she runs free is on certain holes on a golf course I live by that has phenomenal drainage and isn’t muddy. We usually go in the evening hours when there are fewer golfers and I can time it right so that she can run along the fairway and have fun.

 

[indelight]

@billyblake Good point. My original point was that if you think having a dog won’t impact on your home then you are wrong. Most dogs will shed hair for example. It’s not just mud I was thinking of.

 

[cane]

@that_guy_you_are Answer to the question of how often is too often is breed specific. You want to keep their natural oils but also need to get the mud off. I wash my dog every 2 weeks or as needed.

 

[celtish]

@cane Wow. Mine gets a bath when she boards, which is maybe three to four times a year. I have wipes for post-hike clean up and dry shampoo if she rolls in something. I have a husky-terrier mix. I’m curious what kind of dog you have.

 

[fivetonsofflax]

@celtish Does your pup have wired/rough fur? My terrier mix is EXTREMELY easy to clean, his fur just picks up all the mud, which dries fast and can be brushed out easily. He seems easier to manage than dogs with thicker coats that trap in dirt, or dogs with a short coat that build it up on their skin. Just takes a brush and some wet wipes. But maybe I’m just outing myself as someone with a bad definition of ‘clean’

 

[tropicalbaby]

@celtish I’m the same, mine get a full on bath like 3-4x a year lol. I use dog waterless shampoo, wipes and a good brushing to get dirt off, and I use the hose to wash their feet when it’s muddy.

But I have Carolina Dogs which are known to be super clean dogs that self groom like cats and don’t smell lol. So that helps

 

[anthoknee]

@cane Yes to each dog having their own bathing schedule. I have a lab/pit mix who gets a weekly oatmeal bath for his sensitive skin. Doctor’s orders!

 

[ripprapp]

@cane 100% breed, and individual dog, specific for many reasons. (Skin, fur, preference on type of outdoor adventures, etc…)

At 6lbs and with short hair, my dog is super easy to clean off after walks because nothing gets imbedded in her fur, and for some reason she’s just never had a “dog” smell. She is particular about terrain and outdoor activities, so she rarely gets “dirty.” She doesn’t drool and she’s a very clean eater lol.

I do wipe off her paws after every walk, because we’re a “take off outdoor shoes before walking in the house,” family and her paws are like her shoes lol.

She has a monthly grooming appt and that’s about it.