How to bathe a puppy correctly

How?

A few rules to follow to bathe your puppy correctly:

1. When bathing, it is necessary to avoid contact of detergents with the mucous membranes of the nose and mouth.
2. Avoid getting water into your eyes and ears.
3. Wash gently and thoroughly
4. Prepare two towels in advance: with one you can collect the main moisture from the wool, with the second you can wipe and dry
5. Place a mat on the bottom of the bathtub to prevent paws from slipping and bathing to be less intimidating.
6. The room should be warm, without drafts.
7. Start using your blow dryer right away. The puppy will quickly get used to the noise and will not be afraid.
8. You can give a treat during bath time. This will brighten up the fears that arise, and pleasant memories will remain.
9. Talk to your baby while bathing. The gentle notes of your voice will give him confidence and calm him down.

For the first time

• Prepare a container for bathing. Place a rug on the bottom to prevent your puppy's paws from slipping.
• First, wet the wool well. Apply evenly, avoiding dry areas. To prevent water from getting into the eyes and ears, place your palm on the puppy's head and lightly press the ears toward the head with your fingers. Pour water from above.
• Lightly lather the shampoo and then apply to the coat. Wash thoroughly and gently.
• Rinse off with running water. You heard the creaking of fur - you did it, the puppy is clean.
• Dry the puppy with the first towel.
• In the second, dry his fur if you do not use a hairdryer.

CAUTION : After vaccination, the animal is weakened.
You can swim no earlier than after 2 weeks. If you need to bathe your puppy, do it in a warm room and stay there until the fur is completely dry.

Summing up

A dog’s attitude towards water largely depends on its owner, who introduces the pet to it. The question of how to bathe a puppy is not complicated if the habituation takes place taking into account all the rules and recommendations. Otherwise, the dog may develop severe hydrophobia, and all procedures with water will be accompanied by panic.

At what age can you bathe a puppy? The optimal age is 4 months. Sometimes the first water procedure takes place earlier, since dog breeders wash young animals before selling.

When is it possible?

When you can start washing your pet depends on the age at which water procedures are indicated for the new resident of your apartment. Consider the option of placing a pet in an apartment. What matters is the conditions in which man’s best friend spent his first days of life.

1. You have brought a puppy from a breeder: the puppy is already 3 months old and has received the necessary vaccinations. Can be washed from day one. After a walk, be sure to wash your paws. In dirty weather, wash your paws with paw shampoo.
2. You found a puppy on the street: you need to wash the puppy, regardless of its age. You may need flea control. With all the possible consequences of untimely washing, it is more useful to be clean.
3. You are raising a puppy without a mother dog: you already provide water treatments for your pet when you wipe it with a damp cloth every day. Unless absolutely necessary, such a puppy does not need a shower.

So when to start? Guided by common sense, it is necessary to accustom small household members to bathing from an early age. Specialists do this after vaccinations have been administered.

For the first time

Ideally, you can start bathing your baby for the first time only 2 weeks after vaccinations. In general, the puppy should not smell unpleasant. Males begin to smell stronger at the time of puberty, and females before and during estrus.

If your puppy still has a dog smell even after bathing, then you are probably bathing him too often and this is disrupting the functioning of the sebaceous glands ! The smell of a dog is the smell of fat lubricating the fur, so when the dog is washed, it begins to smell stronger because the fat begins to be released more intensely.

There is no need to wash the puppies immediately after birth: the mother dog can handle this perfectly! And in general, while living with their mother, bathing puppies will be unnecessary and even harmful.

If there is no mother and the puppy is very small, then adhere to the following rule: bathing is possible no earlier than the puppy opens his eyes (2-3 weeks after birth) and only if you found him in absolutely terrible conditions and he is really dirty — dirty with dirt, excrement, fleas/larvae, i.e. a condition that cannot be corrected with wet wipes. In addition, the puppy will need to be wrapped tightly in a thick, dry towel to avoid hypothermia and warmed on your chest .

From what age?

1, 1.5 and 2 months

Many people are interested in how many months can a dog be bathed. It is generally not advisable to wash puppies until they are two months old. That is, you cannot bathe a one-month-old puppy! Veterinarians are inclined to believe that puppies need to be taught to bathe from an early age, starting at six months . The minimum age at which months you can wash without indications for this is 3 months . Remember that it is better not to buy a dog before this age!

Ideally, the breeder should always bathe the puppy before handing it over to the buyer and instruct it for the future . Because a bath on the first day in a new home is a huge stress for a dog child, and the buyer most likely does not have any skills in caring for a puppy.

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Before and after the first vaccination

When you can: before - the dog cannot be washed for 2-3 days, after vaccination - 2 weeks, otherwise there may be complications.

Optimal age and frequency of bathing

When can you bathe a puppy for the first time? They are washed when they reach 4 months of age, but sometimes earlier. The procedure is carried out no more than once a month. Sometimes the baby is washed when it gets dirty or for medical reasons. You can also find out how often you can bathe your puppy by consulting a veterinarian.

In some cases, swimming is prohibited. These include:

• the first 2 weeks after vaccination;
• during illness;
• with a weak immune system;
• if your skin is too sensitive;
• before going for a walk in bad weather.

You should always remember that water washes away sebum from your pet’s skin, protecting it from heavy rains. A minimal amount of sebum will make your dog more susceptible to colds.

The number of baths is reduced if the dog develops skin irritation. It is characterized by profuse dandruff all over the body.

How often?

The issue of frequency of washing a puppy is decided individually by each dog owner. To make a decision, you will have to take into account not only your own capabilities and desires, but also a number of other factors:

• conditions for keeping a pet;
• the breed of your puppy;
• presence of allergies in family members;
• pet's skin condition.

Let's start with the fact that most dogs enjoy bathing. Splashing water makes your friend as happy as it does you. The dog plays with streams of water, catches iridescent water balls, moves actively and, inspired by your joy, invents new ways to catch the running water.

So how often should you bathe? Guided by common sense, it is necessary to accustom small household members to bathing from an early age. Specialists do this after vaccinations have been administered.

Until this time, it is recommended to only wash puppies of all breeds, and not bathe them completely. You can wash it once every 3-4 months. Of course, if they are spoiled like piglets while eating delicious food, then it is not forbidden to wash them, but it is important not to use shampoo or soap more than once every 1-2 months ! You can also accustom your dog to daily care - wiping it with a damp cloth (for example, bearded or “folded” dogs: Shih Tzu, Pug, Shar Pei): most importantly, do not forget to wipe it dry after this procedure!

Remember: A clean dog feels happy and makes its owner's life happy.

Depending on the breed

Experts insist that coat care differs for different breeds of dogs.

Breed characteristics

Some breeds naturally love water and bathing is no problem for them. These include Newfoundland, poodle, retrievers, spaniels and others. The lack of fear of bodies of water is explained by their purpose - dogs were specially bred to work on water.

Since the Yorkshire Terrier is one of the most popular breeds of our time, the question often arises of how to bathe a Yorkie puppy. It is very important to accustom your pet to hygiene procedures even in puppyhood. In the future, this will be carried out by dog ​​groomers. As a rule, the baby is washed for the first time by the breeder himself before being sold. Therefore, it is not advisable to do this immediately after arriving in a new home. Yorkie puppies are washed in a small basin, otherwise the process does not differ from the standard one.

Many people are interested in how to bathe a Spitz puppy. Like any other decorative breed, the Pomeranian also needs regular visits to the groomer. For this reason, accustoming to water should take place before the pet’s first haircut. The dog's thick coat does not allow moisture to penetrate into the undercoat, so bathing takes a little longer. You need to dry a puppy (like an adult) with a hairdryer and carefully so that the undercoat gets rid of moisture.

“Winter” breeds (huskies, malamutes, samoyeds, etc.) are washed no more than 2 times a year. Their fur itself has the ability to repel dirt. Water can weaken dogs' natural defenses against the cold. In addition, the water procedures themselves for such breeds last about a day. The problem is that their thick coat does not allow moisture to penetrate into the undercoat, so it will take a long time to wet it. The moisture-saturated undercoat is dried very carefully, as it tries to retain droplets of water instead of heat.

How?

To protect the dog's skin and fur from dirt, nature provides natural lubrication, which is produced by the sebaceous glands.

If you pour water on your dog and do not use detergents, the natural protection is not impaired.

But the use of special detergents disrupts the release of lubricants that protect the skin and coat. When you decide to wash your four-legged friend, choose care products that can compensate for the lost protection.

Washing a dog in 3 stages

Washing your pet at home consists of 3 parts: preparatory, actual bathing and final procedures. Each of them has features and nuances that you need to know.

Preparation

Before bathing, the room and pet must be prepared.

Preliminary:

You can put a muzzle (preferably nylon) and a leash on the dog - the first is especially necessary for biting pets, and the second is tied to prevent escape from the bathroom.

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Process

Large dogs are bathed in a bathtub, and small dogs are bathed in a basin or baby bath. Tiny dogs such as Pomeranians, Chihuahuas or Yorkies may be intimidated by a large container.

Otherwise, the sequence of actions for properly washing a dog is no different:

When bathing, the dog's head is slightly raised to prevent water and foam from getting into the eyes, mouth and ears. It is necessary to encourage your pet, calm him down, and praise him.

Some dogs, especially those not accustomed to bathing procedures, are afraid to wash themselves. The main thing is to act carefully. The affection will help you adapt. Under no circumstances should you shout, even if the pet bit in a fit of fear or tried to get out of the bath.

After the bath

When the last drop of shampoo is washed off, you need to:

It is better to wait until the fur coat dries itself. All this time you need to make sure that the dog does not end up in a draft.

If necessary, you can use a hairdryer. The mode chosen is gentle, with slightly warm air.

After leaving the bathroom, many dogs begin to run around the apartment like crazy, rubbing against furniture and carpets. There is no need to interfere - this way they warm up and stretch their joints.

You cannot take your dog outside immediately after bathing, even if he is already dry. You need to wait a couple more hours, otherwise your pet may catch a cold.

Choosing a Shampoo

Shampoos for dogs are developed by specialists taking into account the characteristics of the skin of our little brothers. We can say with confidence that dog shampoos do not contain dubious fragrances, alkalis, dyes and other “charms” of human life.

Don't let the price of shampoos for dogs and puppies scare you. Usually these are very concentrated products. Economy class options are diluted 1:3, professional ones 1:10. One bottle will last you for a couple of years.

Shampoos and conditioners from manufacturers are considered the most “thoughtful”:

• Iv San Bernard (Yves San Bernard),
• company 8 in 1
• Perfect Coat
• Hartz,
• Jean-Pierre Negu

Read the instructions carefully and choose a shampoo based on your friend's coat type.

The use of conditioner is necessary for adult dogs. It is better to choose a conditioner from the same manufacturer as the shampoo. In this case the effect will be better.

IMPORTANT: Washing conditions vary for dogs of large and small breeds, short-haired and long-haired dogs.

Tips for teaching a puppy to bathe

For the first time, you should not put your pet directly into the water - he may get scared. Let him get used to the bathtub, shower stall or basin in which you are going to wash him a little. Talk to the dog in a calm and confident voice, stroke it.

Once your puppy is comfortable, begin to evenly wet his fur using a ladle or shower head. Monitor the water temperature. Wet the fur generously, rubbing the water in with massaging movements so that it reaches the skin, and also do not allow water to get into the ears and eyes.

Lather a small amount of shampoo in your palms and apply it to the coat. If you are using a concentrated shampoo, dilute it in the recommended volume of warm water. Massage lightly and rinse after 1-3 minutes. Do not skimp on water - the product must be completely washed out of the wool until it squeaks slightly. Monitor the dog’s reaction and do not delay water procedures unnecessarily. If the puppy is very fluffy or very dirty, it is advisable to apply shampoo twice.

After washing, wrap the puppy in a towel and gently pat the fur, removing most of the moisture. Give your pet a treat - this will help reinforce the positive emotions from bathing. Then dry the wool with a second towel or a hairdryer with adjustable settings. It is better to accustom your puppy to a hair dryer right away, so that later he will not be afraid of noise and air currents. Make sure that after bathing your pet is not in a draft.

Follow these simple instructions and teaching your puppy to bathe will be easy and enjoyable. You can also seek advice from experienced breeders or veterinarians. They will provide advice on how to properly bathe your pet based on its breed, age and health.