Getting used to and teaching puppies to bathe

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10.29.2018Care

Bathing a dog is an important hygiene procedure. It is necessary to keep your pet clean, and sometimes is a way to get rid of skin parasites. Puppies are no exception - due to their age, they cannot yet take care of themselves. But nevertheless, their owners often have a question: at what age can a puppy be bathed? And what does this require?

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.

Getting to know water

Before the first bath, the puppy is first introduced to the water. The process takes place gradually and slowly. To do this, the pet is brought to a bath filled with water or a swimming pool and gently lowered. At the same time, the baby is gently held by the stomach.

In a calm environment, the puppy quickly gets used to the water and after a short period of time willingly bathes. Some breeds were originally bred to work in reservoirs, so there are practically no problems with them.

However, if your pet still experiences anxiety and restlessness, then it is better not to make him hysterical. It is necessary to carefully remove the puppy from the water and reschedule the introduction to the water for the next time.

It is important! Under no circumstances should you suddenly throw a puppy into a pond or pour water on it. The baby will get stress and hydrophobia for life. Subsequent attempts to bathe the dog will be accompanied by panic on the part of the animal.

Preparing for a swim

When can you bathe a puppy? The baby is washed either depending on the condition of his coat, or shortly before the first visit to the pet salon.

For the process to go smoothly, you need to follow certain rules and recommendations.

Before the hygiene procedure, it is better to comb the puppy so that after washing the fur does not get tangled. This applies to all breeds with long or curly hair.
The owner himself must wear comfortable clothes that are not afraid of getting dirty and wet.
Depending on the size of the puppy, bathe it in a bathtub or sink. Miniature dogs can be bathed in a basin. The pet should be washed outdoors only in hot and windy weather.
Water must first be drawn into the washing area so that it is below the pet’s elbow joint (approximately 10-12 cm). The optimal temperature is 35 degrees.
You need to choose a hygiene product in advance. There are special shampoos for puppies or specific breeds. Dogs should not be washed with human shampoos and gels.
Always have a towel at hand. It is best to have several of them at once.
Communication with your pet during the procedure is very important for him. The first bath is always stressful for the animal, so there should be a gentle attitude towards the baby.

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.

I recommend: How to prepare your dog for an appointment with a veterinarian

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.

How does the process work?

The puppy is lowered into the water in a quiet and calm environment, without unnecessary noise. Your pet may become nervous if he has never encountered water before. The key is to be patient and not take an aggressive approach. To stop your puppy from feeling stressed, you can gently pour warm water over his back.

When your pet calms down, you can gradually wet it with water. At the same time, they continue to stroke him. Then shampoo is applied to the body and foamed with gentle, massaging movements.

The animal's face is washed with a special clean dishcloth. After moistening it with warm water, gently wipe the puppy’s head. This should not be done if the baby is in an anxious state.

It is necessary to wash off the foam from the wool at least once so that its residue does not cause irritation on dry skin. You need to rinse your pet thoroughly until the foam completely disappears from the animal’s body.

First bath

The first bath should be as comfortable as possible. The wrong approach can frighten the baby and make washing in the future not a pleasant experience, but a terrible execution.

Following simple rules will help you to endure this activity calmly, and perhaps even fall in love with it:

the water temperature should be close to the dog’s body temperature – 36-40 degrees Celsius;
the bottom of the bathroom should be covered with a rubber mat, diaper, towel so that the pet’s paws do not slip or move apart;
water should not get on the face, eyes or ears;
The wool should be well moistened before applying shampoo;
do not apply shampoo directly to the coat - dilute it in a small amount of warm water, this will make it easier to foam and avoid intensive soaping, which can tangle the coat;
Lather your back first, carefully moving up to your head, rinse off the shampoo the other way around - from your head down;
repeat 2 times;
After bathing, wrap the puppy in a towel, dry the coat well, let it dry almost completely, then dry it with a hairdryer and comb it.

You can read more about bathing in the articles: “How often can you wash a dog”, “Caring for a dog’s coat”. Possible problems with fur due to improper care are described in the article: “Dandruff in dogs and methods of treating it.”

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.

Features of washing an adult Yorkie

An adult Yorkshire Terrier needs to be bathed every 7-10 days. Wool gets dirty quickly, without washing it will hang in icicles and look untidy. If the dog has been cut, you can bathe it 2 times a month. Not all owners know how often they can wash their Yorkies. They bathe them like regular dogs, once every 2-3 months. But such care is not suitable for this breed. And show Yorkies are washed several times a week. In this case, the wool is treated with a special conditioner, oils, and wound.

Water treatments are necessary for the Yorkshire Terrier. It is not difficult to wash this dog correctly, but you need to do it according to the rules, taking into account the characteristics of the coat. Bathing is required not only for cleaning, but also for renewing the coat, exfoliating dead particles from the skin, moisturizing and nourishing it. A pure Yorkie looks attractive, attracting the glances of passersby.

Dear readers, when I, your beloved York, wrote this article (of course I wrote it, what did you think?), I tried very hard! Write your impressions in the comments!

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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.