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 Ingrid & Ein on February 14, 2013 at 8:16pm

I bathe Ein once a month, and if that's wrong, I don't wanna be right! In general, Ein really doesn't have much of a doggy odor at all, but I find that around the 1-month post bath mark, she starts smelling a little not-so-fresh. I use EarthBath in the Mediterranean Magic scent. Earthbath is all natural and gentle, and smells so great! (I also have a bottle of earthbath unscented for the cats since cats are very sensitive to essential oils). She has great skin and healthy, soft fur. Bathe away! 

Comment by Priss, Charlie & Kaylee (PK) on February 14, 2013 at 7:46pm

Kaylee is a fluffy and goes to daycare once or twice a week where she either gets covered in dirt/poo or sand/poo. It reeks! But the daycare staff love her, she gets exercise and socialization all day. I still think it's worth it.

Needless to say we do not bath her as infrequently as suggested by some. After daycare, she usually gets a thorough rinse, plus very diluted shampoo where and if needed, followed by a double rinse. This at least gets most of the sand, dirt and poo out of her fur. Otherwise it would be all over the house.

With a good diet and some fish oil supplementation, I haven't noticed any irritation other than the post-bath dance ^_^

Comment by Ludi on February 14, 2013 at 7:24pm

I too use a dog-oriented shampoo (Bio Groom Super White) on my two. This shampoo is a bluish, almost purple tint and really brings out their white fur, while not touching the darker hues. It's tearless, really gentle, and I use it pretty strongly diluted to avoid any chance of irritation. They smell like heaven afterwards and look fantastic!

Comment by Yuki & Ellie on February 14, 2013 at 7:02pm

If you ever do feel like switching to a doggy shampoo, I very much enjoy bathing my two in Fresh 'n Clean shampoo and conditioner.  The smell is really pleasant and that smell stays with the dogs for up to 2 weeks (less during the summer when it's warm and humid.)

I very much agree with Ludi in that quality food can make a big difference in how a dog smells.  I do realize, though, that each dog is different and some will always have more of an odor to them than others.  :)  If bathing  Ellie more frequently is what works for you than there's nothing wrong with that.  Love her name, by the way!  ;)

Comment by Lilo Bandit & Koda's mom Shannon on February 14, 2013 at 6:12pm

Well after reading everyones comments I am so thankful I don't have a problem with smelly/dirty dogs!! LOL With 3, they get bathed about every 3 months on average. The main thing that prompts me to bring them in to get groomed/bathed (or I bathe them) is their hair may start getting an oily feel while petting, but have only had one ever smell 'doggy-ish' and it was from rolling around in the yard too much! LOL When I bathe mine, I simply use Dawn Dish soap. The only thing I can say, is that washing them too often may throw off the natural oils in the hair, making their hair/skin less resistant to things that may make them smelly/dirty in the first place... Honestly mine run in the dirt daily and never get so dirty that they need a bath more often than 3-4 times a year. Their white may not be as bright, but they are still odor free (as odor free as a dog can be anyways...LOL)  and their fur feels very clean. I brush them often and clean their ears and trim their claws on a regular basis.

Comment by Diane on February 14, 2013 at 4:11pm

I too had read all the advice against bathing too often...   but I've found that in mid-summer if I don't bathe Chewey every week (or every other week at most) that he starts to really smell.    He spends a lot of time swimming in a fresh water lake that warms up a lot in the summer and I swear he starts to mildew...  He's in the water a lot all year but at other times I can get away with only bathing him every couple months.   His food didn't change so I'm sure that wasn't what causes the smell.

I've done that the past couple summers and haven't seen any ill effects.... 

Comment by Heather & Ellie on February 14, 2013 at 3:04pm

The real issue is that 6 weeks is 6 weeks.  I did all the wiping, drying, brushing, and spraying any person can do (and mostly against Ellie's wishes), but nothing can take the place of a bath.  My point was that the advice I got about only bathing corgis every 3-4 months was wrong wrong wrong.  I don't know how often I'll need to bathe Ellie, but I definitely won't be waiting that long.

I don't believe human shampoo, especially not my good quality gentle formula, is harmful to dogs unless it's overused and not rinsed out.  I monitor Ellie's wellness really closely, so if she has a negative reaction to it, I'll be aware of it.

Comment by Beca and Mishka on February 14, 2013 at 2:57pm

Mishka gets a bath every other week and an undercarriage flush on the off-weeks for allergies - dermatologist's orders.  I dilute the shampoo in a food service squeeze bottle - which also makes it easier to get the shampoo down to the skin.  I also rinse like crazy.  No chemical burns yet and he never smells like dog.  

Comment by Ping & Lulu on February 14, 2013 at 2:51pm

Lulu also sleeps with us on the bed at night. In the past, Lulu's dog smell was very strong in the past, and I would need to bath her every week. So I did some research and made some changes. I switched her foods from regular Blue adult to Blue Basics, which has less ingredients than traditional dog foods. I began to brush her teeth 3-5 times a week, brush her coat every day, furminate her once a week, and clean her ears once a month. Now Lulu's smell is very fresh and only needs to be bathed every two months. Experiment several things and maybe you will find what works for Ellie.

Comment by Shanna Lien on February 14, 2013 at 2:29pm

My corgi gets a bath about once a month, maybe more if she has been in a very dirty or muddy situation. I would suggest finding a dog shampoo that you like the smell of because human shampoo can be harmful to corgis skin. Or use the baby shampoo like Sam had suggested. I would recommend the Furminator brand shampoo and conditioner, it is deshedding and smells great (at least I think so).

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