Before I got Ellie, I did a lot of research on owning corgis.  One thing I read repeatedly was that you shouldn’t bathe corgis very often.  Most people suggested every couple months.  Have these people ever lived with a corgi?  Dirt might fall out of the coat when it dries, but it still stains white fur, and corgis are as stinky as every other dog out there.

I have a very sensitive nose, so I prepared in advance before bringing Ellie home.  The air fresheners are working overtime, I vacuum several times a week, bedding and stuffed toys are washed regularly, and there’s always a blanket down when Ellie’s on the couch.   I’ve noticed a certain “dog” smell that even the dog spray couldn’t get rid of for a couple weeks.  I thought it was my nose being too sensitive.

But I came home yesterday and got a whiff of kennel – not just dog – kennel, so heedless of what the advice blogs say, Ellie got plopped in the bath tub last night and scrubbed down with shampoo.  My shampoo that smells like flowers.  Twice.  Because dog shampoo stinks, and that defeats the purpose of bathing her.

She’s a perfectly happy little dog this morning.  No itchy skin, no trauma from the bath tub, no sickness from human shampoo, no Apocalypse because I bathed my corgi six weeks after her last bath.  Her coat is shiny and fluffy today. Consider this my defiance, but Ellie is going to get bathed a lot more in the future, and I’m not going to feel guilty about frequent baths when it keeps us happy with each other.

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Comment by Brian D Graham on February 26, 2013 at 9:48am

Hi Brian & Oscar here I was told by my breeder the same thing too and my breeder was the president of the Pembroke Corgi club at the time . My breeder also told me to use unsented baby powder and my Vet whom I have used for the last 27 years put her hands up in horror as she explained to me the powder would cause skin problems! I used a specially formulated oatmeal shampoo and I also give the boys 1000mg of fish oil in a capsule everyday this helps with their skin and coat and in other area's The oatmeal shampoo is apple scented and the boys smell devine after their baths!. I bathe them once a month unless they are really dirty as too often dries out their skin which causes all these hot spots that Corgi's are prone too!. thank goodness Oscar has never had any of these!.

 

You might also take note on the dry food you feed your Corgi's on any dog for that matter. I used to feed Oscar on Hills Science diet he always smelt I switched over to Eckunuba and the smell dissapeared almost overnight. Our Boys are spoilt rotten and cost us a fortune but their our kids and they deserve the best!. My work all those years ago laughed at me when I applied for parental leave of 1 month to be a stay at home dad for my new boy!. Oscar and I had a ball the whole month and it was hard to go back to work!. My boys are lucky there is somone always home they are never on there own!. If Paul and I go out to dinner or the Opera or a show we get a dog sitter. sadly Alex our live in cook passed away last year and the kids miss him terribly mainly all the food he gave them when he didn't think I was looking!. Their bedding gets washed every week! and the carpets are shampooed every one we invested in our own!.  I never use a hairdryer either as this dries out their skin I let the sun dry them!.

 

Good luck with it all

 

Regards

 

Brian, Paul, Oscar & Sam

 

Comment by Cathie on February 20, 2013 at 11:53am

Hurray for defiance of "conventional wisdom" and doing what makes sense for you! Some nice comments and good shampoo ideas here...thanks to all.

Comment by Geri & Sidney on February 16, 2013 at 11:07pm

Wow Bogart, I'll have to check it out. Dr. Bronner's facility is about 10 minutes from me, and right across the street from Sidney's rally training place! I use their soap but have never tried their shampoo.

Comment by Bogart the Cardigan on February 16, 2013 at 7:04pm

Bogart doesn't seem to need a bath often.  I guess it is about 4-6 weeks between, and I pick a nice warm day (which is possible year-round in Georgia).  However, regarding shampoos, we have switched to Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap with organic oils.  It is a non-detergent soap, and works great.  In fact, we use it for our own hair too.

Comment by Abbey & Anne on February 15, 2013 at 11:34pm

I bathe Abbey with human baby shampoo; it is tearless and has a very pleasant odor. She gets a bath at least once a month.  She has a beautiful coat, slick and shiney.  I am a new corgi owner, but I cannot see the harm in giving our pups a good bath as long as the shampoo is competely rinsed out. 

Comment by Jane on February 15, 2013 at 5:59pm

She may get less stinky once she's older. A puppy coat isn't really that great at repelling dirt and whatnot compared to a full coated adult.

Comment by Bobbi O'Hara on February 15, 2013 at 5:16pm

Aayla gets a trip to the groomer's every other month for bath and trim.  I find she doesn't ever really get that 'doggie' smell, just a more stale smell, so she gets a bath at home on the non-groomer months.  Last summer, we adopted a Aussie/corgi mix, Caedus, and I was in a post-adoption near panic because I had forgotten that some dogs smell...well, doggie.  :(  He should get a bath at least every other week, but gets one when I have the energy and if it the weather isn't too cold... So until then, I have to deal with stinky pup.

Comment by Judith Andre on February 14, 2013 at 8:44pm

Labs are notoriously stinky because of their oily water resistant coat.  Corgis notoriously not...with a few exceptions.

Comment by Marcie on February 14, 2013 at 8:41pm

I guess I am lucky. Becca does not have doggie odor. I don't bathe her often, haven't since the weather got cold. My mother's lab however has major doggie odor. I think it depends on the dog, where they live and what they eat.

Comment by Judith Andre on February 14, 2013 at 8:22pm

We've had 6 Corgis in our family and the only one with significant doggie odor was the lone female.

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