# Bath after swimming?? Every time?



## sdain31y (Jul 5, 2010)

Quick question for those of you with a pool (or acess to one) - do you shampoo your dog everytime after they've been in the pool? Or just a rinse or just let them air dry?

How about cleaning out their ears with an alcohol-bsed cleaner to help dry them out - everytime, sometimes or never?

Thanks!


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## Karen2 (Jan 5, 2009)

I've only taken Sierra swimming a couple of times, but a bath is always coming afterward, ears too.
I'm "Nervous Nellie" about her getting a skin problem and want her clean since she sleeps with us.
That's just me, my sister's lab is in and out of the lake, mud, etc and rarely gets a real bath with no problems.
Karen


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## AllShookUp (May 7, 2010)

Hi. I have always bathed my goldens after swimming in the Potomac River & Chesapeake Bay as I have to or they will stink & be FULL of sand. In my case my guys have to get a bath once a week since they swim every weekend in the river. I use a good doggie shampoo & I have never had any skin problems. Now ears are a different story. I have an old guy now who has one ear that will always get water logged, so the vet said 50/50 vinegar alcohol is ok. And massage it & let them shake it out. I will let them air dry & then brush when dry the next day. As for pools, I have never had them in one, but I would at least hose off the chlorine so it's not drying their skin. Hope this helps.


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

I dont bathe them after swimming but do rinse them to get the chlorine off them. Because the chlorine can dry their skin out. But I have been known to be lazy sometimes too. LOL


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

I am wrestling with myself and procrastinating on the forum, bc I so don't feel like giving three baths right now. My goldens swim in the ocean, and they don't have a great gloss on their coats if they don't get rinsed. It's a chore though, even though they are good about it. I don't bathe them though, after swimming in a clean lake.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Yep. I only took my guy lake swimming, and in a clean lake - and it was hugely important to bathe him afterwards, because otherwise the bacteria from the lake could cause skin irritation. It does for people...  

Letting your dog swim in a pool with chlorine in it - definitely would rinse them off, because otherwise those chemicals would irritate the skin.

Ears - I use alcohol wipes. But that's only once a week. If I had to clean out the ears more frequently (with swimming), I would use something gentler.


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## sdain31y (Jul 5, 2010)

Thanks. We are at least rinsing them, often using a 8:1 MicroTek shampoo too. I just wondered since they sometimes are in and out a couple times a day or at least once everyday? Also, almost always using a a vet provided alc. based ear cleaner.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

I would love to take my dogs to the Potomoc River and/or the Chesepeaque bay. More details please.


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