Can You Wash a Sheep? | How to Wash a Sheep

So, funny story. When I first brought Puzzle and Ori home as wee lil six month old lambs, the first thing I wanted to do was get them cleaned up. But, at the time, I had no idea if it was even okay to bathe a sheep. Like, would their temperature bottom out? Would they get sick from the shivers? Would their skin react poorly to the shampoo? I had no idea.

When I looked it up on the internet, it was clear to see I wasn't the only person wondering.
Some said, "Don't get sheep wet!" But what do sheep do when it rains?
Others said, "The lanolin protects them." But how?
One person asked, "If I bathe my sheep, will it shrink like a wool sweater?"

Obviously, show lambs are washed before a show. But how do they do it, and what do they wash them with?

Puzzle and Ori are six years old (going on seven in July!) They have had many, many baths in their lives. When they were babies, I bathed them quite frequently. And as adults I like to wash them at least once a year. They seem to like feeling fresh and new (though they don't particularly like cold water - especially not Ori.) Here's some stuff I've learned:

1. Sheep do not shrink when wet.
2. Any shampoo that works for humans typically works for sheep. Treat them like you'd treat a child.
3. Every sheep likes to be touched differently, so making bathtime a good time depends on knowing your sheep. (Be sensitive to those sensitive areas!)
4. Wool that is longer than half an inch can take longer than 24 hours to dry, even with a towel. So never wash your sheep in cold weather or with the full wool on.
5. The protective "lanolin" actually has two parts; The sticky wax that repels water, and the slippery suint that absorbs it and runs out of the wool. The two together form a natural barrier against flies and excess moisture, (within reason. Lanolin can act as a deterrent, but a dirty sheep, or a sheep that stays wet, is in danger of skin legions, rashes, and fly strike.)

Feel free to ask any questions in the comments, I'll be happy to answer them 😊