All of us who have had a puppy share these doubts, when you can bathe a puppy without suffering danger of getting sick or how it should be done so that our dog assimilates it as something positive.
There are many opinions as to when it is the ideal age for a dog to take its first bath, so we have been thoroughly reviewing the veterinary encyclopedia and using good practices to show the best advice.
Index of contents
- 1 Can a puppy less than three months old be bathed?
- 1.1 How to bathe a puppy one month old or two months old
- 2 When can I bathe a puppy for the first time?
- 2.1 How to bathe a puppy three months old or older
Can a puppy less than three months old be bathed?
Puppies’ immune systems are very weak and not fully developed, so putting them in a bath can cause our pup to cool down and consequently become ill. That is why it is not recommended to bathe a dog without vaccines, because it can be very dangerous for him.
For an adult dog this is not a problem, but puppies are extremely sensitive and it is not recommended that they get sick, since a simple disease can end them.
However, and since puppies get dirty very easily, there are some formulas to clean them.
How to bathe a puppy one month old or two months old
The proper way to bathe a small puppy is by using wet wipes soaked in warm water. We can also use a sponge, but taking care not to excessively wet our dog.
The purpose is to clean it without soaking it in water, passing it some damp cloth and drying it afterwards with a soft towel, but thoroughly. We should only use water, since soap can damage your skin, it is still very small.
We must do it in a conditioned place, where there are no drafts and where the ambient temperature is very pleasant, rather warm. With a lot of patience, care and above all with many games, to create a positive environment and that our puppy associates from a young age, the bathroom with the game.
When can I bathe a puppy for the first time?
You must wait until I have all your vaccines on This usually happens over three months of age or from three months. Although there are many opinions that recommend waiting at least until it is four or five months old and continuing in the meantime with baths based on wipes moistened with water.
The truth is that once our dog is vaccinated, we can bathe him without any problem. We simply must follow some logical guidelines to avoid that the bathroom feels bad or makes you sick.
How to bathe a puppy three months old or older
We will look for a spacious and cozy place to put our dog’s bathtub. Although many people do not use specific bathtubs for dogs, they bathe them in the bathtub at home, the one that everyone uses.
You have to fill the bath a little so that the water never goes over the dog’s legs, the water should be warm, pulling hot, at about thirty-six degrees. We will put our puppy in the bathtub and with many pampering we will wet him little by little, as a game.
When it is wet, we can apply a little special soap for dogs (human soap does not work, we do not have the same pH) with great care that it does not get into the eyes, ears or mouth.
We will massage it with the soap and then we will rinse it with plenty of lukewarm water, to remove all the soap. To clean your head it is recommended to use only water, without soap.
Then we will wrap our puppy with a towel and dry it thoroughly, playing with it. It is possible that we need more than one towel and if it does not stay completely dry, we must use a hair dryer (being very careful not to burn it, the air can be excessively hot).
It is very important to avoid all drafts during the bath and after the bath. This is why many people bathe their puppy at night, before dinner, to give him dinner afterwards and to sleep for a while.
When the puppy is over six months old, we can dry it outdoors if the weather is good, such as on a hot summer day.