In almost half of the dogs sits that I’ve done with TH, the dogs have seriously needed a bath. All have been primarily indoor dogs. But their ears have been gross, they smell bad, and don’t even think about using a towel or wash cloth on them as it will ruin the cloth. Most have skin allergies and scratch a lot.
Am I missing something? We give our pups a quick bath about every other month. Why don’t people recognize their dogs need a bath?
We never bathed our dogs on a regular basis, they always got muddy parts washed and dried after every walk though.
I would presume most owners would be the same, if so, you are going to encounter this on most of your dog sits.
In 40 years of owning dogs we’ve never put any of our dogs in an actual bath. They’re not allowed upstairs plus are all working labs, retrievers and spaniels. They all get a regular hose down outside & are clean and smell good! On sits we have encountered smelly dogs & have showered many but bathed none. Let’s say some with more success than others. This Thai pooch was an angel. #dogshowerexploits
I’ve happily not had sits where hosts left me smelly dogs, but I accept sits only with pets I can manage size wise, like picking them up. Meaning if a dog needs a wash, I could do it.
My hosts by contrast in some cases have washed or had their dogs groomed right before I’ve sat. Thoughtful.
I had a sit where dogs could go off leash safely — there were fields. My sit poodle ended up making a beeline for a compost pile I didn’t realize existed and joyfully rolled herself in it, coming out smelling horribly, which made her happy. 
I ended up giving her a shower with me, which she enjoyed, surprisingly.
For my upcoming sit, I expect to wash the dog weekly, as my hosts have asked upfront, because she has a condition that requires such. Shouldn’t be a problem, because it’s her routine. And she’s small enough for me to lift.
Typically, I avoid sits with large dogs, in case pets turn out to be reactive or such, because I want to be able to pick up and control them if needed, so they, I and bystanders can stay safe.
At home, we wash our indoor dog monthly. He’s learned to tolerate that, because we bribe him with high-value treats.
My friend says dog owners can become ‘nose blind’ to how their dogs smell.
I can remember my friends telling me my house smelt (when he was alive)he used to pee in his last days on the legs of the sofa. I could never smell it personally, so I must have been nosr blind then.
I used to wash my dog in my bath often as he was forever getting muddy, I didnt have an outside tap then.
