# Coldest outside temp for a bath?



## GoldenKeeper

Hey guys,

Fall is here and outdoor bath season is coming to a close- but what really is the safest cold outside temp to bathe? 
I refuse to wash inside my home and not looking forward to paying per bath for the self dog wash (although soo grateful they have those now!)


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## Megora

Go by your hands. How cold is too cold for you to handle cold water outside? 

^ Me personally, we just bathe the dogs inside. I got a better hand attachment (it is awesome) and it now only takes me about 5 minutes to bathe each dog. We also have a thing over the drain to catch dog hair. <- And my dogs are bathed every week so little to no shedding really.


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## Pammie

Do you use the outside hose water or a warm water source? I run a hose from the kitchen sink outside so the water is warm. 
Water temp will make a difference on what may be comfortable for your pup.


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## GoldenKeeper

Megora said:


> Go by your hands. How cold is too cold for you to handle cold water outside?
> 
> ^ Me personally, we just bathe the dogs inside. I got a better hand attachment (it is awesome) and it now only takes me about 5 minutes to bathe each dog. We also have a thing over the drain to catch dog hair. <- And my dogs are bathed every week so little to no shedding really.



I would love to be done in 5 min. Oh that sounds amazing! Working on my personal fitness so not quite there (bad neck and back). Even with my raised outdoor bath it takes me like 20-25 min. I always wash with shampoo twice- once with regular and then medicated shampoo on the certain areas where he has issues to be proactive about keeping them clear. That has to sit for 5-10 min. depending on condition. Then I use a creme rinse conditioner to help with remoisturization and silkyness. Which sits for another min or two. Ha! It's a process 

Which shampoo do you love for weekly use?


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## ktkins7

I actually bathe Ella in the shower because it has the extended hose handle, which makes it so much easier. Like Megora there is a catch over the drain so it doesn't get clogged up with dog hair. It goes pretty quick.

For outside I would go by the water temperature. I don't use the hose outside because we have well water, which isn't too warm. Even in the summer I just end up bathing Ella inside.


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## murphy1

It's 67 degrees on Long Island right now and Murphy just had his last outdoor bath for the year. I have a warm water hook up so he enjoyed every minute and my husband will walk him for two miles and he'll come home pretty dry!


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## GoldenKeeper

Even if my back could handle the shower, our attachments even at high velocity settings are nothing with pressure compared to the hose. Fine for me and my human hair but for him it would take me so long to properly soak through his coat. The shower drain too is a fixed and flat catch, so it isn't removable and I can't put one 'in' it. I don't think Noah's hairs are long enough to get caught and a lot would go right through the drain holes as they aren't very fine.


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## GoldenKeeper

murphy1 said:


> It's 67 degrees on Long Island right now and Murphy just had his last outdoor bath for the year. I have a warm water hook up so he enjoyed every minute and my husband will walk him for two miles and he'll come home pretty dry!



Yup 67 degrees sounds about right. Wasn't sure if dogs are heartier(?) in some ways we aren't and could handle lower. Obviously not too low but you know. I hate to say this but in his younger days, Noah rolled in dog poo (lovely phase that was) and it was 10 at night. It was like 54 degrees out but I had to give him a quick bath. The cold weather hurried me long too! Boy did he race around after that. Not something I ever normally do but was wondering.


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## kellyguy

Two of my field dogs would happily swim in ice water. They don't mind the cold as long as you get them in and dried off afterwards. I wouldn't recommend that until they have their adult coats though.


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## Megora

^ I'm not 100% sure, but this looks similar to the drain catch I bring with me on trips when I have to use hotel baths for bathing Bertie (he gets bathed every day of a show cluster). It just sticks over the existing drain and prevents hair from going down. 

Attachment - most shower heads can be quickly removed and replaced by a hand attachment, particularly one with a lot more force. Those showerheads anyway need to be cleaned every once in a while, especially if you have well water. You get buildup which clogs in there. 

A good attachment should quickly get a dog wet (you using your hand to work the water into the coat). Suds up. And when you rinse off, use your hand to work the soap out of the coat while running the water on your dog. 

Once you get the knack of it - it's in and out. And generally both guys are done in about 10 minutes. 

Used to take me a lot longer with the older attachment that didn't quite REACH. Haha.  

I can't imagine hosing the guys down outside, because keep in mind that until I get both my guys completely dry - they aren't even allowed to go outside. They get muddy too fast.

Shampoo - cowboy magic is about what I use every week except for showing.


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## GoldenKeeper

Megora said:


> Once you get the knack of it - it's in and out. And generally both guys are done in about 10 minutes.
> 
> Used to take me a lot longer with the older attachment that didn't quite REACH. Haha.




I had to chuckle because I totally had that happen when I was all gung-ho about washing in the tub. Talk about an irritating experience lol! We always had medium sized dogs growing up so I thought no biggie. Yeah not so much, lol, started washing him outside after my joy of finding a raised portable tub, and haven't gone back.


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## GoldenKeeper

kellyguy said:


> Two of my field dogs would happily swim in ice water. They don't mind the cold as long as you get them in and dried off afterwards. I wouldn't recommend that until they have their adult coats though.



It's like those polar swimmers! Noah's definitely got a full coat at 8 years old but it isn't super super thick like some goldens. Could be good for his health though, I mean I read all this stuff about how cold showers are healing and therapeutic for us (ie polar swimmers). Great for circulation of lymph system, inflammation of joints, muscles and such.


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## Melfice

Megora said:


> Go by your hands. How cold is too cold for you to handle cold water outside?
> 
> ^ Me personally, we just bathe the dogs inside. I got a better hand attachment (it is awesome) and it now only takes me about 5 minutes to bathe each dog. We also have a thing over the drain to catch dog hair. <- And my dogs are bathed every week so little to no shedding really.


Wow every week interesting. Does your dogs skin dry out from a bath every week?


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## Holly's Mum

My little princess is bathed in the house, in our bathtub with a hand-held shower attachment. She reacts to cold water from a hose like if was boiling acid - this is the same dog who will happily swim no matter how cold it is, once even in snow!


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## Megora

Melfice said:


> Wow every week interesting. Does your dogs skin dry out from a bath every week?


 Nope. No skin problems. Healthy shiny coats and healthy skin.


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## AmbikaGR

Yep water temp is more important than air temp when it comes to bathing the dogs.


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## kellyguy

The funny thing is that my dog that loved swimming in freezing weather would cry and whine the moment I put him in the bathtub in nice warm water, but would happily jump in the shower with me in it. I'm not sure what he hated about getting a bath vs a shower.


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## GoldenKeeper

kellyguy said:


> The funny thing is that my dog that loved swimming in freezing weather would cry and whine the moment I put him in the bathtub in nice warm water, but would happily jump in the shower with me in it. I'm not sure what he hated about getting a bath vs a shower.



Noah only sticks his head in to check on me when showering. I can lean down to give him a hello kiss but the min I lift a wet hand to pat his head he's outta there  No risking showers for him. Outside he used to love baths, now he tolerates them. His favorite part is the towel drying. He gets so excited and jumps right up in the tub. Same thing for the blow dryer. Just sits there and purs that golden retriever purr.


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