Thank you, LS, and you are right that not enough people do that for their pets. Even in my own family and some of my friends do not care for their pets like I think they should. I have told them about proper nutrition, but they don't seem to care enough to do differently.

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"Once you have had a wonderful dog, a life without one is a life diminished."Dean Koontz

It's unfortunate, and can be frustrating, but in the end they have to make the
decision on their own...all we can do is try and guide them in a healthier
direction. I think often times some things do register in people's minds, so
it's good to spread the word even when we think it might go unheard.


You know Tina it's crazy but sometimes hubby & I joke that our dogs eat
better than we do! Because we pay such close attention to what they eat
and how much. I mean we are healthy eaters, but we don't spend as much
time on planning our meals as we do theirs. Can you say spoiled?!

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I've never been into bathing my short haired chi's unless they REALLY stunk. Sophie has dry skin though, so I think I might add in oatmeal baths now! Usually she only gets baths when she hops in the shower to check what I'm doing. LOL

I'm with Karen, mine only get bathed a few times a year. Tango had really really bad skin and coat when I first rescued him, with a nasty odor. He was also fed crappy food. On the advice of my daughter (a vet tech) I did nothing more than switch him to a superior food, and gave him one initial bath. Within three months his coat was just gorgeous, all the roughness and dryness and balding patches had gone, and there was zero odor. A healthy, glossy, odor free coat comes from the inside, not what is done to it on the outside.

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I have a long haired chi so it's different, but he gets a bath as needed, sometimes during the summer I want to give him a bath every day (we go to the dog park, long walks etc) but I wait at least two weeks. Now that it's colder I'm waiting until he's stinky and it's a slightly warmer day.

I don't think his first owner allowed him to clean himself, because I've only seen him clean his penis and feet before, so he gets extra dirty and gross.

My short hair mix just got her first bath since I adopted her over the summer time, she went swimming in rivers and everything during the summer and didn't need a bath, but she cleans herself and with short hair, there's less gunk to trap.