Shampoo

[Guest BeBesMom]

Hi, all, first time poster here. We adopted "Burberry" (rechristened "BeBe" because it's easier to say when we call her) 6 weeks ago. She is an awesome, almost two year old, beautiful black young lady. Anyway, she seems to be blowing out the last of her kennel coat, and I thought a "real" bath (not wipes, which I've been using) might be in order, just to help get the last of it out. Is there a particular kind of shampoo I could look for, or is it important just to look for something for dogs with sensitive skin? Also, should I attempt to get her in the bathtub, or will soaping her down in the backyard suffice?

 

She's not crazy about new experiences, so, I am a little anxious about this idea. She's much more relaxed than when we first brought her home. She's only been comfortable even getting on the couch in the last week! Otherwise, she's sweet and even tempered.

 

Any advice will be appreciated. For some reason, I'm feeling it's best to do this before it gets too cold. Am I crazy to even think this is a good idea?

[Guest BeBesMom]

Here's a link to a picture. I tried to post one directly, but couldn't figure it out (even after reading the directions in the technical forum--I think I'm too old too be that tech savvy!).

 

https://instagram.com/p/BZmwGI5n_Hrmrr-DGfZ3fF0x9xdoVSfls-wY7w0/

[schultzlc]

Welcome to GT! Your girl is absolutely gorgeous.

 

No, you're not crazy to give your girl a bath to help work out some of the loose fur. I have two black girls, and bought a shampoo specifically for black dogs (I believe it's labeled as black pearl or something like that). It's meant to help reduce dryness and flakes. A nice quality oatmeal shampoo or one made for sensitive skin will also work.

 

You'll find she won't need many baths. Mine get one each spring when they are towards the end of blowing their winter coats. Using a curry comb/ brush for horses will keep her black coat nice and shiny. I bought a basic rubber nubby brush mitt in the horse section of the Tractor Supply Store, and my girls love it. The best kept secret of black greyhounds is how easy it is to maintain their fur- they seem to shed less than some colors.

[cleptogrey]

aloe and oatmeal and a cream rinse. make sure the water is not too warm, greyhounds melt under just warm water and rinse, rinse, rinse. i just jump into the tub w/ my dog and use the hand held shower nozzle. DH catches the dog after i dry them well in the tub. line your tub with either a non-skid rubber tub mat or a light weight towel to prevent slipping. i like the nova pearl shampoos but they are hard to find in less than the gallon size. earth bath is a pretty good brand. chewy has an excellent selection, but i do find with the thin skinned greyhounds a cream rinse is really essential. i dilute the shampoo/cream rinse in a container and pour and lather well.

[MaryJane]

Just a note that you need to be careful with the temperature of the water - as noted in the post above, they can melt .. literally, they will start to fall over if the water is too warm. Some of this has to do with them not having much fat.

[palmettobug]

I liked this one for my Black Lab:

http://www.carealotpets.com/Products/Bio-Groom-Ultra-Black-Shampoo__2356e.aspx

[fastpointydoge]

I bathe my grey only when he needs it, which seems to be once a month (living on a farm can be dirty!). The first bath helped get the last of that kennel smell off of him. I use an oatmeal based dog shampoo I found at the grocery store. I don't think I could get my grey into the tub so I just use the wash stall we have for the horses!

[Guest BeBesMom]

Wow! Thanks, everyone! I bought an oatmeal based shampoo from Hartz today as well as a rubber curry comb. Hoping that will help. I also purchased a black tub with low sides from tractor supply so that she can easily get in and out. She's 70 pounds, and I'm not sure I could get her into the tub safely. I was wondering about water temperature, so thank you for that tip!

 

I didn't think about a cream rinse. She's not really flaky right now, so hoping it's not necessary. I may slather her with coconut oil when we're finished, but she'll probably lick it off since I give it to her as a treat several times a week.