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Puppy Baths: What To Do and What Not To Do

Puppy Baths: What To Do and What Not To Do

There’s no doubt about it, bringing home a puppy means you’re in for a lot of work. To go along with the laughs and love that come home with a puppy, you know that you’re going to have to give your puppy a bath. They like to get explore the world, make messes, and get dirty with reckless abandon, so if you’ve never bathed your dog, you’re in for quite the experience. Watching your puppy get filthy is a hilarious, beautiful thing until the realization hits that you have to clean everything up, including your puppy!

Giving your puppy a bath is a standard part of bringing home a new dog, and as your local pet supplies store in State College, Pennsylvania, we are here to provide our expertise, products, and support every step of the way. We’ve put together a quick list of what to do and what not to do when it comes to puppy baths.

PUPPY BATHS: What To Do and What Not To Do

While there are many ways to properly give your dog a bath, there are also a number of things that you don’t want to do. Like children, puppies are most impressionable and it’s important to develop healthy habits and help them get comfortable with things like at-home bathing. When dogs are young is the perfect time to develop new healthy habits and

PUPPY BATHS: What To Do

  • It’s a good idea to bathe your puppy regularly, generally once every few weeks or once a month. It’s also okay to give them an extra bath or rinse as needed if they’ve gotten muddy on a walk or had an accident in their crate.
  • Muddy paws don’t require a full bath! If you need to, just dunk their paws in a bucket of warm water and gently towel them off.
  • Because most puppies go to their human homes around 8-12 weeks, they are almost always old enough for baths once you’ve brought them home!
  • Praises, treats, and encouragement are important tools in your inventory for giving your puppy a bath. Use them liberally!
  • Using a dog-appropriate shampoo is a necessity. Human shampoos and soaps have other additives that can damage your puppy’s fur and skin. At Wiscoy for Animals, our staff can help you find the right shampoo for your puppy according to their breed, coat type, size, scent, or other specific need. Feel free to contact us and ask us a question before stopping by!
  • Having everything prepared before your puppy bath is a good idea, because leaving your dog in a bath tub unattended is a terrible idea. Gather your treats, towels, shampoos, and other necessities beforehand.
  • Water in your puppy’s ears can result in a painful ear infection, and shampoo in the eyes can burn and irritate. Be careful of these sensitive areas and use a wet washcloth and a detachable sprayer for best results.

PUPPY BATHS: What Not To Do

  • Your puppy doesn’t need to take a bath every day. A bath every day can result in dry and flaky skin or a coat that sheds too easily. Neither you nor your dog want that!
  • If you wait too long for your puppy’s first bath at home, it will be more difficult for them to get used to it. As your puppy grows into an adult dog, those formative early-age experiences will make the baths easier for you and them later in life.
  • Don’t do everything all at once, and instead take things step by step. Get your puppy used to the bathtub by being in there with them without water at first. Try it again at a later date before adding water to the bath. Similarly, if you intend to use a blow-dryer on a long-haired dog, don’t set it to the highest and hottest at first. Ease them into these new experiences.
  • Water that’s too hot or too cold will make your dog uncomfortable, and they will be more sensitive to it than you will be. We recommend lukewarm water.
  • A dog’s wet coat is an attractive destination for bacteria, dirt, bugs, and other items you don’t want in your puppy’s coat. Because of this, letting your puppy outside to get dirty while they’re still wet from the bath is not a good idea.

PUPPY BATHS: DO’S AND DON’TS
CONCLUSION

Keep in mind that even if you do everything right and you’re showing your support and love to your dog throughout the experience, they may never love the bath or water – and that’s okay! We are here to support you and your puppy throughout your entire relationship with additional resources, advice, and pet supplies in State College, Pennsylvania. Contact us today for more assistance from your local pet supply store for dogs, cats, wild birds, and small mammals.