# How do you deal with wet, muddy dogs?



## Patchworkpony (17 November 2015)

How do you deal with wet, muddy dogs in the house in winter? Has anyone used a paw plunger? They look as if they could do a good job with muddy paws.


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## Chiffy (17 November 2015)

No idea what a paw plunger is but there have been lots of threads on here about wet dogs.
Mine dry off wearing equafleeces and their beds have vet bed in them which wash and dry quickly


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## {97702} (17 November 2015)

I have greyhounds so they are never that bad thankfully - they stay in the kitchen until they are dry


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## Amymay (17 November 2015)

My Bichon gets showered off, and then wrapped up in a towel.

She was stinking this morning, but is now dry and fluffy again.


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## ihatework (17 November 2015)

Hosepipe removes worst of mud and then shut in kitchen until dry


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## HashRouge (17 November 2015)

I take my boss's dogs out in the morning and if they get muddy I take them in the wash box and hose them off (warm water) then towel dry them as best I can. The only problem is that one of the spaniels knows how to open the door, so when I let them back into the yard area after their walk, the monsters usually vanish into the house while I'm still shutting the yard gate! Fortunately it's tiled flooring and no carpets!


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## Pinkvboots (17 November 2015)

The JRT gets put in the butler sink for a wash then dried off with a towel and then a sit in front of the aga to dry off.


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## Bellasophia (17 November 2015)

My standard poodle wears a coat in the rain but still gets wet legs...so they get power dried when we get in and brushed to remove mud...takes ages..
My mini schnauzer gets rinsed by standing in the sink a,then hairdrier...takes five to ten minutes..,what an easy wash and wear breed..love it to bits after two decades of big ,poodles LOL


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## MiJodsR2BlinkinTite (17 November 2015)

It depends really on how badly mucky they are........ and what type of "muck", if that makes sense.

If they've been out in the sheep field and have got poo and gunk all over them, and stink, then its no nonsense, into the downstairs wetroom/shower; then Equafleeces on and in front the fire to dry.

If just wet and no gunk, then I'll towel down little man (hairy terrier); and then Ginger-Ninja (smooth haired ginger god-knows-what breed) and plonk them in front the fire and let them get on with it.


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## Patchworkpony (17 November 2015)

Pinkvboots said:



			The JRT gets put in the butler sink for a wash then dried off with a towel and then a sit in front of the aga to dry off.
		
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 Arr - great case for getting a small dog!


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## MotherOfChickens (17 November 2015)

vet bed, thermatex blankets and a thermatex coat after towelling off.


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## MyBoyChe (17 November 2015)

Ive got 2 x ESS, 1 x JRT and a daft modern house with the back door straight into the lounge!  We built a wooden porch over the back door where we have a wooden bench and lots of dog towels.  They do all wear coats if its absolutely chucking it down, which keeps the worst off but they automatically jump up on to the bench to have collars off, paws checked for seeds and a wipe down with a towel before being allowed indoors.  We are open plan so sofa is dog friendly material and nearly always covered with throws.  They are quite happy, once theyve had their walks to sleep and dry off naturally, the only downside is that they all like to pick the mud out of their paws and drop it all over the floor


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## Nudibranch (17 November 2015)

We have a roofed area outside the front door which is quite large,  so its a good space for cleaning them off in bad weather. Hose if it's mild, otherwise a bucket of hot, very dilute hibiscrub water and a sponge. Then towel dry and into the utility room to dry off. We have a Hug Rug runner in there, and they really are worth every penny. Nothing gets past them.

They have waterproof beds so can then go and lie on them, or in front of the log burner. Fortunately OH has a pickup, so they can travel in there on a blanket. No way I'd be letting them in my car!


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## Enfys (17 November 2015)

Simple  

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=paw+plunger&qpvt=paw+plunger&qpvt=paw+plunger&FORM=IGRE

My shepherds would think I was trying to kill them if I tried to shove their paws into what is basically a cup! 

My solution to wet, muddy dogs (which we don't get anyway as we don't have mud) is to give them their own house, we don't have house animals as OH is allergic to animal hair in enclosed spaces. They have the bottom storey of an old stone built forge, complete with windows and a front door, leading into their run. Shavings on the floor and chopped straw in their beds.


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## Luci07 (17 November 2015)

wince. cry. get through a lot of towels. I have 4 staffords so short coated but all the fields on our walks are waterlogged so they all come back covered in mud. The worst one is... the white one.

My car is now so disgusting even I don't want to get in it...


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## Patchworkpony (17 November 2015)

Lots of lovely interesting answers - but not many easy solutions!


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## Cinnamontoast (17 November 2015)

Shorten feather, hose if awful, towel dry, towelling robes on, left on Tuffie or Kuranda in kitchen til dry.


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## twiggy2 (17 November 2015)

kennel and a heat lamp, where they used to go to dry, current dog is just toweled off and in the crate till dry which does not take long


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## blackcob (17 November 2015)

The sibes are almost self-cleaning, at their worst they get scrubbed with a towel but mud seems to dry up and drop off them within minutes. 

By comparison the cocker takes whole hours to dry, having been wrestled into an equafleece or dog drying bag.  He has a high-maintenance coat/trim, would be much easier clipped short.


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## meesha (17 November 2015)

Twice a day, equafleece on, down yard, after wallowing in mud, goes in cage in boot still with equafleece on once home hose off back legs and belly in drive, towel dry in garage.  Wash equafleece and towel in washing machine, on quick rinse spin or wash/dry.  Dog straight in house.  Only issue is tail which I never dry properly and leaves marks in walls as it wags


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## Patchworkpony (17 November 2015)

cinnamontoast said:



			Shorten feather, hose if awful, towel dry, towelling robes on, left on Tuffie or Kuranda in kitchen til dry. 
	
	
		
		
	


	




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 What totally fabulous dogs!


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## CorvusCorax (17 November 2015)

Equifleece, microfibre towels, curry comb, paddle brush, dandy brush, industrial bottle of Show Sheen, matt splitter, scissors, tears of frustration, murderous thoughts when someone asks 'do you never groom that dog', wine.


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## PucciNPoni (18 November 2015)

I googled paw plunger.  I think the bristles would be a bit jabby for many dogs.  Personally I'd just use an old plastic dish basin if you wanted to dip the feet in to something, which is a good idea if you walk on gritted roads and want to get the salt off, though nothing better than rinsing in warm running water. 

I have this problem every time I take the dogs out, or even play in the garden with mine.  My girl is such a mucky pup and frequently comes in with bits of hedge, lots of grit, maybe even a slug or two.  So it's a lot of time spent grooming.  

If the coat is a smooth coat like a boxer or lab, I'd rinse paws and allow the dog to dry on a warm spot and just brush off the mud later when it's dry.  If it's a cocker or something along those lines, if you can bear the coat to be short for winter, I'd clip it off - especially if it's an older dog.  I tell all my clients that having all that wet hair hanging on the joints isn't going to make an older arthritic dog very comfortable.  If the coat must stay long for whatever reason, then you need to resign yourself to lots and lots of grooming. 

I hose off in warm water if I haven't got time for a full shower.  Then I blast and dry  - unless I've shampooed the coat I try to not run a brush through as it'll just damage the coat unless it's clean and conditioned.  

Brushing a dirty coat will cause split ends which make it matt faster.  

Therefore I do a lot of washing.


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## bex1984 (18 November 2015)

Towel off if just a bit muddy, warm shower if stinky, and then thermatex coat on and leave in the kitchen (which after a huge amount of new insulation and over spec heating is now the warmest room in the house) until dry. We've got two jrts, one with a thin long coat, one with a thick mid length curly coat. 
The thermatex coat was money very well spent, it really does help. 

It's a pain... But muddy dogs are happy dogs.


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## Patchworkpony (18 November 2015)

PucciNPoni said:



			If it's a cocker or something along those lines, if you can bear the coat to be short for winter, I'd clip it off ]
		
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 Great idea, I really like it but would the dog be warm enough on cold winter nights?


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## Amymay (18 November 2015)

bex1984 said:



			But muddy dogs are happy dogs.
		
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You said it!


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## wren123 (18 November 2015)

Towel off normally, if she is really muddy I take her home via a River to rinse off as I have nowhere indoors to wash her.  If she is really dirty I wash her outdoors with warm water then dry her with towels then hairdryer! Would rather not in the winter but she doesn't seem to get shivery,  I am very quick and make v sure she is dried thoroughly.


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## Amymay (18 November 2015)

CT - where did you get those fantastic towling coats from??


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## chahala (18 November 2015)

Speaking as professionals;   we find a freshly washed floor, followed by vacuumed carpet works a treat on the paws And for those stubborn bits - undercarriage and what have you -  nothing beats a freshly made bed- you have to get right in it mind and make sure you use all the pillows !

WOOF WOOF


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## Amymay (18 November 2015)

chahala said:



			speaking as professionals;   we find a freshly washed floor, followed by vacuumed carpet works a treat on the paws and for those stubborn bits - undercarriage and what have you -  nothing beats a freshly made bed- you have to get right in it mind and make sure you use all the pillows !

Woof woof
		
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:d  :d  :d


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## madlady (18 November 2015)

We have a collie and she is up at the stables all day with hubby.  She has a whale of a time trundling around and getting as filthy and full of straw/haylege as she can.  She gets especially muddy on the days she gets to work sheep.

We have spare stables now so, an hour before home time, she gets chucked into 'her' stable which has an inch or so of sawdust in it - that gets the worst off her.  When she gets to the house she has her feet wiped off in the kitchen (quarry tiled floor) and then goes in her cage/bed in the living room which has an extra layer of towels to soak up the damp (we then take those out at bed time so she's not sleeping on damp things).  Her bed is right next to the radiator so she's dry in half an hour or so.

I have a good stash of old towels that are just dog towels - she's happy to stand in the kitchen while we give her a rub down when needed and then she goes straight to her bed.


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## PucciNPoni (18 November 2015)

Patchworkpony said:



			Great idea, I really like it but would the dog be warm enough on cold winter nights?
		
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I think so.  They're out running around and keeping warm when outside, and then inside they'll warm up faster if they haven't got lots of extra wet hair to deal with.  Do they sleep outdoors at night?  If so, then I'd maybe get a heat lamp or some other source of heating anyway.


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## Dry Rot (18 November 2015)

We used to put hounds into a spare whelping kennel when they came in from hunting covered in mud completely filled with about four feet depth of clean barley straw. They would clean themselves and their pals by rubing in the straw and licking each other and come out clean as a whistle. Dogs do not like to be dirty. Not sure how you remove the doggy smell though!


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## EventingMum (18 November 2015)

Pinkvboots said:



			The JRT gets put in the butler sink for a wash then dried off with a towel and then a sit in front of the aga to dry off.
		
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Our three get exactly the same treatment, we have a shower head as well as taps on our sink especially for doing this. They are never cold thanks to the aga and dry pretty quickly.


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## FinnishLapphund (18 November 2015)

blackcob said:



			The sibes are almost self-cleaning, at their worst they get scrubbed with a towel but mud seems to dry up and drop off them within minutes. 

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Ditto, most of the time, my Finnish Lapphunds doesn't get that wet and muddy, so that I feel that I have to do something about it, because the little there is, disappears so quickly by itself. If I feel for it, I use fleece towels to dry them. 

If we've walked where they might have gotten road salt on the paws + belly, they might get a quick rinse in the shower first, and then a quick rub with fleece towels.


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## brightmount (22 November 2015)

My yorkie doesn't really get muddy on walks. But my springer goes on the same walks and gets plastered from head to toe! So when we get in, I just leave my yorkie, but tell the springer "in the bath" and she bounds up the stairs into the bath! She doesn't mind it, as she gets a warm shower. I'm such a soft touch! She goes bonkers once she's out though and my yorkie yaps for England about the whole thing. I couldn't let my springer just dry off naturally or my house would look like a mud hut.


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## Mince Pie (22 November 2015)

Hose them off in the garden (I have a side access so don't have to go through the house) then dry them with a chamois leather type towel.


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## Amymay (22 November 2015)

I thought of this post yesterday as I brought my little dog home from our walk covered in fox and cow poo..........


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## The wife (22 November 2015)

This depends on the 'type of dirty' for us! My yellow lab comes to the yard with me every morning and due to his love of anything muddy (I swear its his colour) he spends alot of time under the hosepipe or asked to jump into a water trough before he is allowed into my car. Thankfully it is usually only 'clean mud', if you get my drift, although there are often times when he insists on jumping into ditches where he is hosed off and has to stay in the kitchen until he dries completely to stop the smell. If it is 'everyday mud' when we get home he is towelled dry and allowed straight into the living room (we gave up a long time ago /with a cream carpet and have admitted we need wooden flooring as soon as we can afford it)

If he has been out shooting, he gets a warm bath - he's still only 2 and is still learning the word 'steady' so goes into all sorts of under-growth with all guns blazing and ends up covered in cuts from brambles so the warm bath is more to get his cuts clean than anything else. He will then either choose to sleep in front of the fire in the living room or the kitchen (which 9/10 he actually prefers after shooting)

I love to see mud on my dog personally - means he is a happy little soul and I have given up making excuses for the state of the house... It's in the process of renovation anyway and I work on the theory that if people moan about a bit of mud or a slightly doggy smell in our house I don't want them in said house anyway. The dogs happiness comes first not visitors.


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## Cinnamontoast (23 November 2015)

Patchworkpony said:



			What totally fabulous dogs!
		
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Thank you! The loves of my life. 

Their coats are made by this lady. She does every material, every style. https://www.facebook.com/bobbydogsbespokedogproducts/?ref=ts&fref=ts


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## Honey08 (24 November 2015)

We use waterproof coats  in really wet weather, otherwise labs take ages to dry. We dry the undercarriage with old towels and they have Ruff and Tumble double layered towelling coats with wide belly straps if they swim or get really wet.  I then lie another towel on top of their beds.  Even though their beds are waterproof it keeps them dryer and dries the legs.


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## benz (24 November 2015)

I recently bought a doggy overall for my boxer and I only have to hose off paws (and occasionally flannel face!), it is brilliant. Got it from zoo plus. I also have the equafleece 's . I have a paw plunger thingy but it's easier to hose off. Little dog refused to wear her overall unfortunately so she gets a hose down and fleece on to dry off


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## Moobli (27 November 2015)

I seem to spend half my life out with the dogs and the other half washing down walls and floors in the cottage lol.  I have found these Aquasorb towels to be really handy though in getting excess water and mud off the dogs.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Groomers-AQ001-Aquasorb-Towel/dp/B003BOCFQ4


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## Moobli (27 November 2015)

And a blaster is an absolutely brilliant bit of kit for not only drying wet dogs but also literally blasting mud and dirt out of a dog's coat.  Not all dogs like the feel or sound of the machine though.


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## Patchworkpony (27 November 2015)

Quick question - how do you all deal with the all pervading smell of wet dog OR even dry dog smell. I know I'll be shot down for saying this but while I love, love, love the smell of horses a really heavy dog smell turns my stomach at times.


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## Auslander (28 November 2015)

Mine gets hosed down outside. He's not a fan, but has learned that it's over faster if he doesn't make a fuss. We come through the garden gate from the field, and he creeps over to stand by the hose, looking suicidal. Once clean, he goes in the conservatory and dries himself off on an old sleeping bag - I have two, so there is always a dry one and one in the wash.
I am considering getting him overalls - as he is a setter without much coat and I feel HORRIBLY guilty about making him shiver with the hose.


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## Goldenstar (28 November 2015)

Mine clean themselves on the furniture and then finish off with a roll on the white company duvet covers .
Works for us .


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## Amymay (28 November 2015)

Goldenstar said:



			Mine clean themselves on the furniture and then finish off with a roll on the white company duvet covers .
Works for us .
		
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 just what mine would do, given half a chance.


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## Sandstone1 (28 November 2015)

Auslander said:



			Mine gets hosed down outside. He's not a fan, but has learned that it's over faster if he doesn't make a fuss. We come through the garden gate from the field, and he creeps over to stand by the hose, looking suicidal. Once clean, he goes in the conservatory and dries himself off on an old sleeping bag - I have two, so there is always a dry one and one in the wash.
I am considering getting him overalls - as he is a setter without much coat and I feel HORRIBLY guilty about making him shiver with the hose.
		
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They can get dead tail from cold hosing. Best to use warm water in a bucket.


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## ILuvCowparsely (28 November 2015)

Patchworkpony said:



			How do you deal with wet, muddy dogs in the house in winter? Has anyone used a paw plunger? They look as if they could do a good job with muddy paws.
		
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We tie the dog to a tie ring and cold hose off then put her on the chain by her kennel till she dries off enough then let her in.  If majorly bad we dry her paws if body dry or we stop her in the vestibule and shut her in there then  let her through to the rest of the house


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## FinnishLapphund (28 November 2015)

Patchworkpony said:



			Quick question - how do you all deal with the all pervading smell of wet dog OR even dry dog smell. I know I'll be shot down for saying this but while I love, love, love the smell of horses a really heavy dog smell turns my stomach at times.
		
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I had heard about that wet dogs smelled a lot, when I bought my first dog, a Norwegian Buhund, about 25 years ago. But when she got wet from rain, she didn't smell wet dog, and even when she had had a bath with shampoo, she still didn't smell much wet dog. It came like a little shock, the first time I did meet a wet dog of another breed, which really smelled wet dog. 

Fortunately for me, Finnish Lapphunds are the same as Buhunds, and doesn't smell much.


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## planete (28 November 2015)

Towel rubbed then indoors to finish drying in the warm.  Lucky enough to be on sandy soils, so any dry sand shed indoors just gets hoovered up.  I cannot imagine what I would do if we were on clay, probably have an outdoor shower for the dogs!  
When I had a working sheepdog, he would be put in a kennel with a deep straw bed until he was dry before being allowed indoors.


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## chillipup (28 November 2015)

If really muddy all over, I've always put them in the downstairs shower,in winter, then rough towel dried, before they can go into large kitchen/diner which had vinyl flooring. In summer (warm, dry weather) it is hose outside and let them run around til dry before allowing into house. Little ones get put in sink for a quick wash and towel dried before they can run off and go crazy all round the house drying themselves on whatever they can!!


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## Patchworkpony (29 November 2015)

FinnishLapphund said:



			I had heard about that wet dogs smelled a lot, when I bought my first dog, a Norwegian Buhund, about 25 years ago. But when she got wet from rain, she didn't smell wet dog, and even when she had had a bath with shampoo, she still didn't smell much wet dog. It came like a little shock, the first time I did meet a wet dog of another breed, which really smelled wet dog. 

Fortunately for me, Finnish Lapphunds are the same as Buhunds, and doesn't smell much.
		
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 It can be a shock. I met two lovely wet spaniels the other day up on Dartmoor and after stroking them I couldn't get the terrible smell off my hands, even with washing. Makes you think. However I spoke to a professional dog groomer who said clipped dogs don't smell so bad when wet and this pair badly needed a good groom or a clip.


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## thewonderhorse (30 November 2015)

ihatework said:



			Hosepipe removes worst of mud and then shut in kitchen until dry
		
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Yep do this with my GSD. He is a mud monster. Hose piped off (much to his disgust!!) and towels on the floor to soak up the worst and he dries eventually. There is no cure for winter, mud and wet dogs


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