Content

• Method 2 of 3: Prepare
• Method 3 of 3: Wash and dry your puppy
• Tips

1 Think about the last time you bathed your puppy. It is best to bathe your puppy once a month. However, you are unlikely to dry out his skin if you use a mild dog shampoo and bathe him every two weeks. If you bathe your puppy too often, you run the risk of washing away the natural oils that keep the skin hydrated and the coat soft.

2 Examine your puppy's skin for dryness. Signs of dryness include dandruff flakes and rough, cracked skin. If you find these signs, you may want to take longer bathing intervals.

3 See if the puppy has had time to roll around in some unpleasant substance. Regardless of when you last bathed your puppy, there will be times when it will need to be washed immediately. If the puppy smells bad or there is dirt on the coat, be sure to bathe him!

Method 2 of 3: Prepare

1. 1 Comb your puppy. Before you put the puppy in the bath, you need to comb it. Depending on the pet's coat, use a hairbrush or comb with sparse teeth (if the coat is coarse and harsh) or fine-toothed (if the coat is soft and silky). Pay attention to the areas where the coat rubs against the coat most often, such as behind the ears, under the armpits, or in the groin.
   • Remove any tangles carefully. If they are tangled too tightly, try inserting a comb between the skin and the mat and then trimming it gently with scissors.
   • If your puppy wriggles and wriggles out of hand, do not try to go it alone. If the puppy suddenly twitches at the wrong time, you can injure both him and yourself. Ask the helper to hold the puppy firmly, then you will have both hands free and you can carefully separate the mat from the rest of the coat and trim it.
2. 2 Wear clothes that you don't mind getting wet. Even a small puppy can splash water in such a way that it doesn't seem a little! Therefore, it is better to wear old house clothes or a waterproof apron.
3. 3 Think about where you are going to bathe your puppy. If the puppy is large, it is best to bathe him in the tub, because that is the safest place for him. You can buy a small breed puppy right in the sink.
   • If it's hot outside, you can bathe your puppy outdoors in the tub or kiddie pool. If you are using plain, unheated water (such as from a hose), make sure that it is sufficiently hot in the sun, as small puppies get hypothermic quickly.
4. 4 Choose a good mild shampoo formulated specifically for dogs. It should not only smell good, but also have beneficial properties, such as moisturizing the coat or making it shiny.
   • Never wash your puppy with regular shampoo! Puppy skin is more sensitive than human skin and has a different pH level, so you can damage it with regular shampoo.
   • When in doubt about the best shampoo to buy, oatmeal shampoo is a good choice because it is gentle and moisturizing.
   • If your puppy has a medium or long coat, you can use a conditioner or balm to make it easier to detangle.
   • If you are unsure of which shampoo is best, or your puppy has very sensitive skin, check with your veterinarian and follow their recommendations.
5. 5 Prepare your bathing area. It doesn't matter if you decide to bathe your puppy in the tub or sink, put a rug on the bottom so that the puppy does not slip, otherwise he may get scared and agitated.
   • Prepare some towels and a special dog shampoo in advance. Place them side by side so they are close at hand.
6. 6 Fill an empty tub or sink with water. The water should be warm, about the same temperature as you can bathe your baby in. To check the temperature of the water, dip your elbow in the water. If the water is too cold or too hot, adjust the temperature and then gently place the puppy in the tub.
   • Fill the tub 10–12 cm (if you have a large breed puppy) or less (if you have a small puppy). The water level in the bath should be below the elbows of the animal, then the puppy will not feel that he is drowning. Many puppies are happy to try to swim at this depth.
7. 7 Try to calm your puppy in a cheerful and friendly voice. Tell your pet how good and smart he is, how good he is. Keep in mind that the first bath is stressful for the puppy, so be as gentle and patient with him as possible. Pet your puppy while bathing and try to keep him calm and happy.

Method 3 of 3: Wash and dry your puppy

1. 1 Place your puppy in the tub. Talk to him lovingly. The puppy may get nervous and whine because many puppies don't like being in the water at all. The sooner you start teaching your pet to bathe, the more relaxed it will be in the future.
   • Pet your puppy and talk to him while bathing. This will calm him down and he will less fuss and spray water.
   • Try to make bathing a game. If your puppy is wary of water, try putting some water in your palm and watering lightly on the back of the puppy. Scoop up more water and splash the puppy's paws. Now, when you put the puppy in the water, it will no longer be such a shock for him.
2. 2 Gradually wet the entire puppy's coat. Continue stroking the puppy and use your other hand to wet the fur on his neck and head. For this, it is convenient to use a plastic cup with a spout (as, for example, for pouring water into an iron). So gradually wet all of the puppy's fur.
   • Try to keep water out of your puppy's eyes.
   • Before applying shampoo to the coat, you need to thoroughly wet it all over.
3. 3 Apply shampoo to the coat. Squeeze out about a dollar's worth of shampoo and massage it into the puppy's coat with gentle massage movements. Remember to wash all parts of your body, from head to feet.
   • Do not forget to wash under the arms, under the tail, in the groin.
   • When you shampoo your puppy, you have an adorable little yeti.
   SPECIALIST'S ADVICE

   

   Lancy woo

   
   
   Certified Groomer Lancey Wu is a Certified Groomer and owner of VIP Grooming in San Francisco, California. VIP Grooming has been in San Francisco for over 35 years. Lancey is certified in pet grooming by WWPSA (World Pet Products and Services Association). VIP Grooming was voted Best in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2007, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2018 and 2019 and received the Bay Woof “Beast of Bay” award in 2014. In 2018, thanks to Lancey's work, he was listed on the Bureau of Economic Development and Human Resources' Register of Cultural Heritage Organizations of San Francisco.

   Lancy woo
   Certified groomer

   Expert advice: The easiest way to bathe your puppy is to use warm water and a low-pressure shower with a diffuser head. A low-pressure shower is good for washing your puppy gently without causing stress or irritation while bathing.

   
   
4. 4 Wash the puppy's face separately. To do this, take a washcloth dipped in warm water. Gently rub the puppy's face with a cloth, being careful not to get into the eyes.
   • Washing your face can be particularly difficult. Be patient and wait for the puppy to more or less calm down.
5. 5 Rinse the lather off the coat thoroughly. Drain the soapy water and start rinsing the coat with clean water. Thoroughly rinsing off all shampoo residues is one of the most important tasks when bathing a puppy.
   • You will have to rinse more than once. Water the puppy with clean water until all the foam has been removed. All shampoo must be thoroughly rinsed off, otherwise residues may irritate the puppy's skin.
   • Never leave your puppy in the tub or sink when you turn on the tap! This will scare him, and he can burn himself with hot water.Therefore, if you need to re-fill the bath with water, take the puppy out during this time and wrap him in a towel so that he does not freeze. The towel will be all in soap, and you will have to take a clean one to wipe the puppy later, but your pet will not be overcooled.
   • If your puppy has long hair or a lot of wrinkles, rinse off the shampoo especially thoroughly.
6. 6 Dry the puppy's coat. Lift it out of the tub and wrap it in a clean, dry towel. Dry it off with a towel to remove most of the water. Then you can dry the coat with a hair dryer set for low speed and cool air. Keep the hair dryer at least 30 cm away from the puppy. Move the hair dryer constantly, otherwise, if the temperature suddenly turns out to be too hot, the air directed to one point can burn the puppy.
   • If you bathe your puppy in the fresh air on a hot day, let the puppy shake himself off and run around the yard - the coat will dry in the sun.
7. 7 Pet your puppy. After bathing, it is very important to praise your pet and make it clear how well it has behaved. You can reward him with a favorite treat to encourage this behavior for the future.

Tips

• If the puppy is lying around in rotten stuff or something worse, you will have to wash it especially thoroughly to get rid of the unpleasant smell.