It is about time you started bathing a puppy at about 8 weeks old who is stronger than when it was only born. Younger puppies, below eight weeks of age can be cleaned with a wet towel soaked in warm water. However, young puppies have poor thermoregulation and cannot control their body temperatures like the older ones do; as such, a pup less than eight weeks old might be exposed to overheating or excessive chilling during its washing.
Preparing for the First Bath
Before giving your 8-week-old puppy a bath, spend some energy playing with them. Go out on a walk with them or play tug-of-war using a rope toy. Also, let them clear themselves before they are bathed. In case you want to bathe your dog in the bathroom, turn on hot showers and fill tubs so as to heat the room. Once the shower has turned cold and the room feels cozy enough, then you can start filling up the tub with warm water suitable for cleaning your puppy.
How to Give an 8-Week-Old Puppy a Bath
Using your palm or hands apply little drops of shampoo meant for puppies on your puppy’s neck region down to its tail part in order for it to lather well. Provide your puppy with clean rinse by splashing warm running water over it using either cupped hands or handheld sprayer which will remove any soap suds still remaining on its skin surface. It is vital that you rinse all residue from your pet’s coat after shampooing since drying up could irritate its skin making it scratch itself afterwards.
While taking care of your baby’s safety first during this bathroom process; put a non-slip mat in the bathtub on which he/she can stand without slipping while being washed.
During the Bath
Make sure that no soap gets into his eyes and ears as well as no water enters his ears. Meanwhile, rubbing little circles on its fur will help to get it cleaner. They can either love or hate it if it is their first bath ever. Talk calmly with your baby until they are comfortable with the idea of taking a bath. Also, once the puppy is all clean you can reward him/her with a nice tasty treat.
After the Bath
To soak as much water as possible from your puppy use one towel and make firm yet gentle motions while drying them off. You can keep them cozy using another dry towel as soon as the puppy gets completely dry by being rubbed down with the first towel. If you like, use warm or cool but not hot air from a hair dryer to finish drying your pet. After that give him/her his favorite treat.
Dog’s Perspective
Your 8-week-old puppy, while stronger than in previous weeks, still needs to be thoroughly dried before going outside or playing around freely. They may be reluctant to go into water or even any sound running towards them when they are wet. Begin this process now and give some praise for good behavior while bathing them.
Grooming Interval and Technique
Dog’s bathing frequency can vary depending on the breed, lifestyle and type of coat. Bathing too frequently may dry out their skin and coats while not bathing enough may result in health issues and a smelly dog. The middle ground often lies from washing them once every seven days to just several times within a year. In grooming your pet, its breed is the major determining factor for its full bath frequency.
Also, your pup’s breed affects the number of time spent on grooming it. Long-haired pups may get more tangles and mats which require regular care. Dogs with any medical condition will need extra recommendations from the vet. Bathing also depends on seasonal changes in weather conditions. For example, dogs might need baths more often during hotter months because of doggie smell or skin allergy.
In conclusion,
Your eight week old puppy is a cute little ball of energy that is going to get dirty at some points in time. There are safe hours for you to wash your puppy but remember to ensure you dry off your spoiled fur baby so she/he does not catch a cold after all this. Use few ingredients for cleaning up your pup so you can start cuddling or playing together again soon.
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