Anybody ever wash Labrador Retriever

[stuckmotor]

I'm keeping my son's dog while he and my wife take his kids to Disney World. The dog looks to be about half Chocolate Lab, maybe 60 pounds. I found that labs have an undercoat and I wasn't sure the water penetrate the undercoat. Is there a trick to washing a Lab.?

 

[fried1765]

I'm keeping my son's dog while he and my wife take his kids to Disney World. The dog looks to be about half Chocolate Lab, maybe 60 pounds. I found that labs have an undercoat and I wasn't sure the water penetrate the undercoat. Is there a trick to washing a Lab.?

Yup .......try to keep the bugger from getting you soaked, when he shakes the water off.
There is nothing like a Lab!
We have a yellow lab female pup (Sadie) that just turned 7 months today.
No washing tricks that I am aware of.

 

[oosik]

First - will the lab enjoy/tolerate being washed. If not - then forget about doing it this time of year. A lab is best washed outside. A big tub - luke warm water and some type of "dog soap". Soap him up - gently hose him off. If he doesn't like the hose then buckets of luke warm water. I've always been able to use the garden hose. Sometime with a nozzle - some times without. You should be sure to get all of the soap off the dog.

Be prepared to get WET!!! I know of no "trick" to washing a dog. It's one big wet free-for-all.

 

[BankerDude]

W have a chocolate lab that weighs about 110 pounds. The trick I learned was to start young, use a walk in shower with removable shower head, and shut the bathroom door! Thankfully, my dog loves the water, as most labs do. Get the dog wet by taking the shower head and hold it right close to its body so it keeps the mess to a minimum. Soak and then start with the shampoo, then rinse, well. Chocolates are prone to skin irritation and you want to make sure it is rinsed well so you can dog sit again. Good Luck!

 

[dragoneggs]

First - will the lab enjoy/tolerate being washed. If not - then forget about doing it this time of year. A lab is best washed outside. A big tub - luke warm water and some type of "dog soap". Soap him up - gently hose him off. If he doesn't like the hose then buckets of luke warm water. I've always been able to use the garden hose. Sometime with a nozzle - some times without. You should be sure to get all of the soap off the dog.

Be prepared to get WET!!! I know of no "trick" to washing a dog. It's one big wet free-for-all.

Couldn't say it better. Warm day outside and hope he likes it or you will not. If the dog likes it, consider it a party and have fun. Then after he is good and clean you can cringe as he dives and rolls around in the grass or worse! :laughing:

 

[Jstpssng]

If he's used to getting bathes it may not be a problem. This time of year I sometimes take mine to the self serve dog wash. He acts like I'm torturing him and the first few times he put the brakes on- and when a 90 lb dog doesn't want to move, he doesn't. He's gotten used to it though, and will walk in off lead, even go up into the wash tub on his own... then get that look like I'm about to start beating him.

 

[oosik]

My Cocker Spaniel tolerates being washed. His next move after being washed - roll in fresh coyote or cow poop. I always have a collar on him when I wash him. Immediately on the leash. Inside where I will towel him off. By the time he is somewhat dry - he seems to have forgot about finding a "fresh pile".

He DOES NOT like going to the dog parlor. They wash him, cut his hair and he comes out smelling like a French Courtesan. REALLY have to keep an eye on his outside activities after a trip to the dog parlor.

View attachment 642647

 

[stuckmotor]

Yup .......try to keep the bugger from getting you soaked, when he shakes the water off.
There is nothing like a Lab!
We have a yellow lab female pup (Sadie) that just turned 7 months today.
No washing tricks that I am aware of.

I looked up labs and this mix has many of their distinguishing characteristics.
My last dog , probably a dachshund mix, was named Sadie and got me wetter than this lab mix. I still miss my Sadie.

 

[stuckmotor]

Hi Oosik,
She tolerated the bath but I could tell she wanted out of the bathtub because she kept putting her head out side and draining water onto the floor and me. I don't think she objected to the water as much as to the whistling sound of the shower wand.
She hasn't been outside since her bath. When we go for a walk, I'll keep her on a short lead. Thank you for the tips.

 

[stuckmotor]

BankerDude,
Thank you. This one felt like she weighed as much as yours when I tried to move her around in the tub, sixty pounds was just a guess. I didn't know about the skin irritation problems and will watch her closely for them. Shutting the door to the bathroom is very important.

 

[fried1765]

My Cocker Spaniel tolerates being washed. His next move after being washed - roll in fresh coyote or cow poop. I always have a collar on him when I wash him. Immediately on the leash. Inside where I will towel him off. By the time he is somewhat dry - he seems to have forgot about finding a "fresh pile".

He DOES NOT like going to the dog parlor. They wash him, cut his hair and he comes out smelling like a French Courtesan. REALLY have to keep an eye on his outside activities after a trip to the dog parlor.

View attachment 642647

Your Cocker Spaniel is absolutely adorable!!!

 

[stuckmotor]

Couldn't say it better. Warm day outside and hope he likes it or you will not. If the dog likes it, consider it a party and have fun. Then after he is good and clean you can cringe as he dives and rolls around in the grass or worse! :laughing:

It's a relatively warm day but it's raining. Maybe I can hold an umbrella over her when I take her for a pee.

 

[stuckmotor]

Jstpssng,
If I ever own another dog, I want it small enough to wash in the bathroom sink.

 

[Jstpssng]

Jstpssng,
If I ever own another dog, I want it small enough to wash in the bathroom sink.

:thumbsup: Good Plan!

 

[zzvyb6]

I have 3 Labs. When they get muddy (Spring is coming) I toss a toy or cookie into our enclosed shower and join them 1 at a time. I use baby shampoo (easy on their eyes). Best to close off the shower area and have a helper to hand off the dog after you 'scrape' then down with a ruler or sweat comb. Tell them to shake in the shower and do a quick towel off in the bathroom. Then have your helper finish the job. Use water that feels warm to the touch because it REALLY relaxes them. You can expect them to take the rest of the day off napping after a warm shower/bath. We have a shower head extension with a long hose. This helps rinse them off very good. The warm water will also soften their nails just in case they need to be clipped or filed.

When tick season arrives, I use Flea & Tick shampoo on the dogs and myself.

 

[East30]

Mix the shampoo 50/50 with water to thin it out, gets to the undercoat easier.

 

[s219]

My wife takes our dog (Cavalier Spaniel) into the shower and the dog loves it. Afterwards, she runs around the house rubbing on walls, floor, furniture, everything, like a bolt of lightning. Pretty darn funny to watch. Then she will hole up in a blanket somewhere and nap for a few hours.

The one time I got the dog dirty on my watch, I put her in the big wash sink in my workshop. She gave me this miserable look and it was obvious I was not doing it right.

 

[dragoneggs]

The good thing about labs... is they generally love water. Natural swimmers.

Yeah and clipping nails after a soak is a good time except they generally don't like their nails attended to. Don't do their nails every time after a bath. They are smarter than you.

We used to take our dog to the lake and play fetch. She gladly went swimming. Then we got a kids hard plastic swimming pool and would throw the tennis ball into the pool (with suds). She loved that too. We also used to 'shoot' her with the hose when she was fetching the ball. Loved that too. Like I said... make it a game.

 

[oosik]

I'd play H**L washing Brownie outside this time of year. Soooo...... he gets a reprieve. At least, until the garden hose thaws out. I washed him, just once, in the bathtub. He jumped out of the tub - soap suds flying everywhere - into the living room - cycled the living room about three times without even touching the floor. I tried to catch him - it was a game for him - last time for a "wash down" inside the house.

He was clean - I was tired - everything was wet & soapy. Does Brownie like taking a bath - why, H**L YES. Game ON!!!

 

[mikester]

Getting ready for flames...try using a pressure washer. Use a wide fan nozzle and don’t get too close. If your bare skin can tolerate the the fan of water the dogs fur will rinse well. You still need to shampoo them by hand but rinsing is a breeze...and the dogs like it. Dont go against the grain.