EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

Hello again guys and girls! I have been able to get in the forests with my dogs on a few occasions this week (4 times) and was wondering what is everyones thoughts and beliefs on bathing the dogs after a hunt?? The first run we came home mostly muddy, The second mostly wet and then this last time some pigs blood was shed and I just couldn't put it off this time and I plan to go again tommorrow. Do you guys have a certain # of days before a hunt you bathe the dogs?? I have no idea how much merit this holds as far as if it affects the dogs or not or if the pigs can smell the dogs any better but just wanted to hear everyone elses take on it. Thanks guys!

 My dogs get a bath when it rains and when they jump in a tank. Bath or no bath a hog will smell the dog the same.

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I have got to bath my dogs every now and then! If I dont they get to stinking so bad I have to feed them with a slingshot!  ;D
They may get a bath on average of maybe 3 times a year but thats it. I have noticed that it make them feel better after several days of hard hunting in the muddy bottoms I usually hunt in. Dried blood and "black land" mud can stay on them for days sometimes.

I know I know. No they are not house dogs but they do get a little house time.

me and ethhunters was just decussing this and he says he give his dogs a bath 3 times a week i thoght that might be a little much but what ever different strokes for different folks ;D ;D ;D mine get one when they swim across the river ;D 

Ok I admit it!!!

My wife makes me do it! There!

If not My dogs would have the same bathing schedule as cantexduck's dogs do. ;D

Jessie misunderstood what I said. I give them a bath two days a week and once a week I take them to Pretty Paws for the full spa treatment! ;D

I just hope my dogs dont find out about this. :-X

Thanks for the replies guys, It was just another one of those random factors that crossed my ind and I am glad to hear others have contemplated it also.

 I will give them  bath(outside with the hose) if they are coming in the house because of an injury. Other then that, a spray with the hose in thier kennels works just fine with me.

  I see your point about scent and what not but no matter what you do, a hog will be able to smell your dogs no matter what you bath them with. Same with bowhunting, being downwind is the most important thing you can do if you are worried about sent.

pretty sure you mean, hope your wife doesn't find out ;D

river , bayou , slough, pond , are just a puddle water is water in my book but i have been known to throw them in the boat ramp after a muddy hunt . dont want to get my truck muddy 2 O0

pretty sure you mean, hope your wife doesn't find out ;D
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lol. Yeah especially her. My dogs over look my shortcomings a lot easier than she does!

She might want me to start taking a bath at least 3 times a week also. ;D

Dogs have a protective natural oil in there skin.  A bath now and then won't hurt them any, but soap/detergents/etc. will strip the natural oils off.  EXCESSIVE bathing is not good for a dog.  Water alone from a creek, pond, etc. is NATURAL, but soap and detergents do not occur in NATURE so its probably not good for them (in excess that is).     

(X2)  IF I DONT TAKE ALL THE DOGS, WHEN I GET HOME FROM A HUNT I AM LIABLE TO FIND WHO IS LEFT IN THE HOUSE WHEN I RETURN. SHE SAYS, "THEY FELT LEFT OUT".... LOL

We don't normally wash our dogs, unless they get down in some of the thick gumbo mud we have around here. If you don't hose that stuff off, it will stick in their hair for weeks. It dries like concrete. :o  Luckily they usually wash themselves when they swim creeks, canals, or rivers.

You are exactly right. According to the experts(not me) the oil works up into the hair and acts as a natural insulator also.
The problem is the oil is where most of the smell comes from.

So you're saying I've been wasting my money buying this camo soap I've been bathing my dogs with?? 

  Did you buy the combo pack that came with the scent free camo-gum(or is it gum-oflage)?

Most people in the hog dogging world probably laugh at the way I handle my dogs but I guess we each have to do what works for us.  I bath my dogs in the yard with a hose after every hunt or if we are going on back to back days they will at the very least get a complete wash down and cleaned up that way.  Maybe it just all those years of my old man reminding me that the jobs not over until every thing is cleaned up and put away.

I have also found numerous open cuts (mostly on the underside of the upper thoat) during the bathing process that I didn't know were there even after field checks.

That is a very good point Cull Buck! It actually worked out pretty well yesterday as it decided to pour 3/4 way through the hunt!We ended up with a nice fat sow, I will post up a pic if anyone is interested in seeing her!

I usually bath mine when i get them as pups with some flea shampoo, after that it depends on the mud/blood situation.  All i do is unload them and hose them off.  then they just go roll in the yard and get all dirty again but atleast i can say i tried. ;D