When Can You Bathe a Puppy?
When puppies are born, their moms usually keep them clean by licking and grooming them. However, once the puppies start exploring independently and moving away from their mom, they may need extra help staying clean. From rolling around with their siblings close to the ground on excrement and debris, it's easy for a puppy to get dirty.Most times, you can sponge them off with a warm, moist washcloth or use disposable soothing puppy wipes. But other times, only a bath will do.
When puppies are born, their moms usually keep them clean by licking and grooming them. However, once the puppies start exploring independently and moving away from their mom, they may need extra help staying clean. From rolling around with their siblings close to the ground on excrement and debris, it's easy for a puppy to get dirty.Most times, you can sponge them off with a warm, moist washcloth or use disposable soothing puppy wipes. But other times, only a bath will do.
Early Introduction is Key
If your puppy is eight weeks or older, you can safely bathe your puppy if you do it carefully. Acclimating your puppy to the bathing process early on will help build their confidence and ensure a happy bathing and grooming process later on.Starting at home enables you to help ease your puppy into the bathing routine before handing your pup off to a professional grooming service further down the road; plus, you can ensure they have a positive experience with bathing from the get-go!
If your puppy is eight weeks or older, you can safely bathe your puppy if you do it carefully. Acclimating your puppy to the bathing process early on will help build their confidence and ensure a happy bathing and grooming process later on.Starting at home enables you to help ease your puppy into the bathing routine before handing your pup off to a professional grooming service further down the road; plus, you can ensure they have a positive experience with bathing from the get-go!
Puppies younger than eight weeks generally do not need to be bathed. Additionally, regulating young puppy's body temperature is complex, and placing them in water is not recommended. Use wipes or a warm washcloth to keep your puppies clean until they are ready for their first bath.
Brush and, if needed, a de-matting combPuppy shampooWashclothPlastic cup or bowl (for rinsing) or a Bathtub Wash Downspout KitBaby bathing tub, or if using a bathtub or kitchen/laundry sink--a non-slip rubber pad is helpful to place beneath your puppyFluffy towelTraining treats for your puppyHair dryer (optional)Gentle Brushing Before Bathing
Fluffy-coated puppies must be brushed with a dog brush thoroughly before being bathed. Water adds volume to mats and tangles, tightening them up during bathing. If your puppy has long fur, a de-matting comb may be helpful. These help brush through mats without harming your puppy's skin. Shorter coat breeds may not require brushing before their first bath.
Fluffy-coated puppies must be brushed with a dog brush thoroughly before being bathed. Water adds volume to mats and tangles, tightening them up during bathing. If your puppy has long fur, a de-matting comb may be helpful. These help brush through mats without harming your puppy's skin. Shorter coat breeds may not require brushing before their first bath.
Tips for a Successful Puppy Bath Time
New puppy parents need to learn the proper way to bathe a puppy. Ideally, you should know how to bathe your puppy and assemble all the necessary supplies before bringing your new puppy home. Make sure you have the following items on hand before you bathe your puppy:
Prep Your Space
Assemble all your essential items before you begin to bathe your puppy. Most puppies can be washed right in the kitchen or laundry sink. Place them on a rubber mat to prevent slipping (a typical, non-skid bathtub mat will do), and use the dish-spray hose or a hand-held spray bottle filled with warm water. Wet them down from the tail end up to the head with a gentle spray so they won't panic. Caution: Do not leave your puppy unattended on a counter or in a tub--not even for one minute! Have everything you need within arm's reach before you bathe your puppy.
Keep Your Puppy Warm and Calm
Bathing a young puppy is not much different than washing a human baby. First, you must keep them warm during the bathing process. Choose a warm room to bathe your puppy and close doors and windows to eliminate drafts. Ensure water is lukewarm and comfortable on your skin before placing your puppy in the bath. The tub does not have to be complete. Adding enough water to cover your puppy's legs is sufficient. That's where the cup and rinse hose come in handy. Make sure you have a nice fluffy towel ready for immediate drying.
Treats and Cuddle Time!
Once you've reached the end of your puppy's first bath, it's time to celebrate with treats and cuddles! Rewarding your puppy for its good behavior will make future bath times much more enjoyable. If your puppy is still damp, cuddle up with them in a second, dry, fluffy towel, and praise them for a job well done!If you start bathing puppies when they are young, practice some of these tips in our blog, and give plenty of praise and cuddles, bath time will be a typical and possibly even an enjoyable experience in their lives!
Once you've reached the end of your puppy's first bath, it's time to celebrate with treats and cuddles! Rewarding your puppy for its good behavior will make future bath times much more enjoyable. If your puppy is still damp, cuddle up with them in a second, dry, fluffy towel, and praise them for a job well done!If you start bathing puppies when they are young, practice some of these tips in our blog, and give plenty of praise and cuddles, bath time will be a typical and possibly even an enjoyable experience in their lives!
Use a Gentle Shampoo
In most cases, a puppy tearless shampoo works best, but if your baby gets into something smelly, you may use a deodorizing shampoo.If the skin is dry or flaky, a soothing oatmeal shampoo would be a good choice, leaving the lather on for ten minutes before rinsing.If the puppy has fleas, for safety's sake, use a natural dog flea and tick shampoo to get rid of those unwelcome visitors, and then use a flea and tick preventative to prevent future outbreaks. Or, if your puppy is already being treated for fleas and ticks, there are gentle shampoos that do not wash off the topical treatment.
Do not use shampoos made for humans; they have a different pH level, often contain harsher detergents than quality pet products, and can dry out your dog's coat.
No matter which shampoo you use, keep the lather out of the puppy's eyes and avoid getting water into their ear canals. To start, add approximately a half-cap-size amount of the puppy shampoo to the palms of your hands and gently massage it into your puppy's coat and skin.We recommend avoiding shampooing and rinsing your puppy's face and head during their first bath. Instead, add some shampoo to a washcloth and gently wipe your puppy's face and head area. Once your puppy has acclimated to bath time, you can move on to adding a small amount of the puppy shampoo to the palms of your hand and gently massaging it into your puppy's fur, avoiding the eyes and ear canals.
Rinse Well
Always rinse the shampoo thoroughly; any shampoo left in the coat will cause dryness and itching. Try using a plastic cup or bowl under clean running water to rinse off the puppy shampoo. If you have a hand-held water spout on your bathtub or kitchen sink, use it to rinse your puppy. If your faucet has no hand-held water spout, try the top-rated Wondurdog Bathtub Spout Dog Wash Kit.
Dry Off
Immediately gently towel dry your puppy, being careful not to rub too hard, starting with its head and working your way down. Drying your puppy's face first, before washing your puppy's body, gets the most unpleasant part out of the way, and your puppy will be able to see what you are doing! If it is winter time where you are, or especially cold indoors, you may want to use a hand-held blow dryer on "warm" (NOT hot!) air to get some of the moisture out of your puppy's fur, taking care not to blow air into their delicate ear canal.
In most cases, a puppy tearless shampoo works best, but if your baby gets into something smelly, you may use a deodorizing shampoo.If the skin is dry or flaky, a soothing oatmeal shampoo would be a good choice, leaving the lather on for ten minutes before rinsing.If the puppy has fleas, for safety's sake, use a natural dog flea and tick shampoo to get rid of those unwelcome visitors, and then use a flea and tick preventative to prevent future outbreaks. Or, if your puppy is already being treated for fleas and ticks, there are gentle shampoos that do not wash off the topical treatment.
Do not use shampoos made for humans; they have a different pH level, often contain harsher detergents than quality pet products, and can dry out your dog's coat.
No matter which shampoo you use, keep the lather out of the puppy's eyes and avoid getting water into their ear canals. To start, add approximately a half-cap-size amount of the puppy shampoo to the palms of your hands and gently massage it into your puppy's coat and skin.We recommend avoiding shampooing and rinsing your puppy's face and head during their first bath. Instead, add some shampoo to a washcloth and gently wipe your puppy's face and head area. Once your puppy has acclimated to bath time, you can move on to adding a small amount of the puppy shampoo to the palms of your hand and gently massaging it into your puppy's fur, avoiding the eyes and ear canals.
Rinse Well
Always rinse the shampoo thoroughly; any shampoo left in the coat will cause dryness and itching. Try using a plastic cup or bowl under clean running water to rinse off the puppy shampoo. If you have a hand-held water spout on your bathtub or kitchen sink, use it to rinse your puppy. If your faucet has no hand-held water spout, try the top-rated Wondurdog Bathtub Spout Dog Wash Kit.
Dry Off
Immediately gently towel dry your puppy, being careful not to rub too hard, starting with its head and working your way down. Drying your puppy's face first, before washing your puppy's body, gets the most unpleasant part out of the way, and your puppy will be able to see what you are doing! If it is winter time where you are, or especially cold indoors, you may want to use a hand-held blow dryer on "warm" (NOT hot!) air to get some of the moisture out of your puppy's fur, taking care not to blow air into their delicate ear canal.