How often can I saftly shampoo my Bichon Frise?

Question

I live in a very old apartment building and my walls and ceiling seem to leak a black sooty dust. I dust about 2x a day and brush my dog just as often yet she is constantly grey. (Can't afford to move because I am on a fixed income, moving is not an option)

sorry for misspelling safely...been up since 3am and seeing double.

Answer 1

i'd be more worried about the black dust in the house than shampooing the dog. i understand about your fixed income, and i;m sorry to hear that. my grandma lived in the same house for 40 years, and the same problem came up and it turned out to be black mold. and it can make you or your pet very sick. i understand you cant move, but i would get someone in to check it out before you or the dog become ill.
as for the dog, a bichon is more likely than other breeds to have skin problems. i groom dogs, and it was very common with bichons to have dry skin, or sores from shampoo type or frequency. i would advice that you bathe the dog no more than once and week, and to use a medicated or oatmeal shampoo to keep its skin from drying out. baby powder shampoos always help their skin from drying out, and the dog will smell great, too. you don't want to bathe the dog more than once a week though. we often had clients whos dog's skin would be very dry, and we then found out they bathed them as often as two-three times a week, sometimes even every day. which is bad for any dogs skin. once a week, with a good shampoo should be find. if its skin dries out even with that routine, wash it biweekly, or try switching shampoos.

Answer 2

hey,you can wash your dog in a mild shampoo as often as you please but the skin and hair will dry out so you may just want to wipe the dog down instead of a full bath.if the dog has a double coat the majority of the dust shouldn't make all the way down to the skin.you could also put a coat or sweater on the dog to aid in reducing the need yo bathe.hope that help.

Answer 3

I would call a vet to be sure- but I think once a week is plenty. If you bathe them too often it can dry their skin out and then they are prone to scabs, mites, and the like. I have a Boston terrier and had given him a bath once. A day or two later, he had rolled in something outside and I HAD to give him another bath. It dried him out to the point where he had dander. Nothing serious though. Just check with your vet- different breeds may have different requirements. Good luck!