# First bath, any suggestions?



## sunnydays (Aug 22, 2012)

Hi, this is Pablo's mom again. Pablo just came home today and we noticed that he's a bit smelly, he has not had a bath yet, so we are planning on giving him his first bath tomorrow. 

I know I should put cotton balls in his ears, and we are going to pick up a puppy shampoo tomorrow. Any other suggestions? Do you think I need a conditioner too or is just shampoo ok for a puppy?

And most importantly, how can I make this fun and help him stay calm? I want his first bath to be a pleasant experience, I don't want to traumatize him in any way so he'll hate baths in the future. I tried combing him today and he had a hard time staying still, didn't seem to enjoy it, so I'm wondering how he will do with his bath tomorrow, any suggestions?

Any advice would be appreciated (or links if this was already answered)!

And here are some more pics of my new baby :biggrin1:


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## leg71 (Mar 20, 2012)

Hi -
That puppy is so adorable!! If you go to the "search" section of this forum and type in "shampoo", "conditioner" or "Baths" you will probably find some suggestions. There is also a grooming section on the forum that has great posts about puppy baths! That is how I found the best info. I'm pretty new here as well and still learning tons of tips from everyone!


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## lise (Sep 1, 2006)

Ted hates his bath but he will just have to get used to it. Part of all of our lives to have a bath or shower. The only thing I havent got him used to is a dryer. It scares the crap out of him. Since the summer has been soo hot, I just towel dry him. Remember to brush, before the bath. Brushing is something you work on. I brush Ted almost every day with lots of treats and try to make the sessions longer each time. Puppies don't have a lot of patience so we have too have it for them


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## wendylee (May 28, 2012)

Congratulations! Pablo is adorable. I have no suggestions, I don't get my new puppy until September 22nd. Good luck with the first bath.


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## Louella (Aug 21, 2012)

I love your puppy pictures, so incredibly cute. How about throwing a ball into the bath? Or, something that might float around to divert his attention?


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## Louella (Aug 21, 2012)

Great advice. I am new too so I appreciate any and all tips.


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## lise (Sep 1, 2006)

Good for when you are doing the back end maybe, but not when you are doing their face and chest. You need them looking at you. I just make sure I have everything set up and try and make it as quick as possible for him. Really, we aren't hurting them so they will learn to tolerate it the more they get bathed. I'm pretty sure that one of the old threads has a video of a woman bathing her Hav. It is excellent


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## Gabs (Apr 15, 2012)

good luck with the bath!! every dog is different, he may not mind it at all *fingers crossed*. Mine isnt a fan of it... she's nervous and I do wish I would have bathed her more frequently as a little pup. The younger they are the quicker they adapt to things ... it just becomes more of a challenge the older they get, but they do get there and she is getting better with the baths.... treats/toys dont work for her in the tub, even her favourite treats, but it may work for some dogs.


this is what I do:
- Brush before hand
- Keep a mat or towel down in the tub/sink so they have a good grip
- Have all your bathing supplies out and ready (caps off bottles, towels out, I use a small container to rinse the water off her head/face because I find it's easier than the sprayer)
- do the body 1st (it's easier!)
- Dry with a hair dryer (even a little bit in the summer). As a little pup I would put the dryer on around Gabby everyday to get her use to it (bring her in the room when I i was drying my hair so she got use to the sound), then once she was comfortable with that I started putting it on her (just a little), to get her use to it... and boy does she love it now! 
- Brush again
- Be prepared for one frisky pup!

let us know how it goes!!


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

I found the cotton balls in the ear is just IMPOSSIBLE, they constantly fall out. I just use a special ear drying out liquid in her ears after the bath.

Try to use a conditioner for sure. And invest in a GOOD metal comb to comb down to the skin... feel free to ask us any questions as you go along, we're almost always here!!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Another tip is to make sure the house is relatively warm. Not a big deal at this time of year, unless you run your C very strong, but in the winter, I found that cranking the heat up a few degrees until Kodi was out of the bath an wrapped in dry towels made him much less shivery and unhappy with the whole procedure.


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## lise (Sep 1, 2006)

Gabs said:


> good luck with the bath!! every dog is different, he may not mind it at all *fingers crossed*. Mine isnt a fan of it... she's nervous and I do wish I would have bathed her more frequently as a little pup. The younger they are the quicker they adapt to things ... it just becomes more of a challenge the older they get, but they do get there and she is getting better with the baths.... treats/toys dont work for her in the tub, even her favourite treats, but it may work for some dogs.
> 
> this is what I do:
> - Brush before hand
> ...


Thats what I do with my hairdryer. I try and keep Ted in for a while, while I blow dry my hair. Ted loves to cuddle in the towel for a while after bath. Its always my pleasure as long as he wants, when its a planned bath!


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## Gabs (Apr 15, 2012)

lise said:


> Thats what I do with my hairdryer. I try and keep Ted in for a while, while I blow dry my hair. Ted loves to cuddle in the towel for a while after bath. Its always my pleasure as long as he wants, when its a planned bath!


isnt that the most awesome part of the whole process.. the cuddles! melts my heart!

as much as i know she doesnt like the bath part, its the after the bath part that she loves (cuddling, RLH), shes so happy (now i just wished she would remember that DURING the bath haha)...

It is getting better I must say, we're doing weekly baths now and last week was her best bath yet:whoo:... she stood on all 4s long enough for me to get the shampoo in, then tried to make a "run" for it during the rinse haha... but great progress. Settled back down for the conditioner, it's like she knew it was almost over  We'll see what this week brings.


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## sunnydays (Aug 22, 2012)

Wow, thanks for all the helpful suggestions everyone! We will go get shampoo and conditioner this afternoon. I have a heater in the bathroom so I will turn it on before the bath to make sure he's warm, hopefully it will go ok!

He slept through the night last night with only a potty break at 4 AM, and that's because I set my alarm to take him out, he didn't whine at all and no accidents in his crate, phew! He's been such a good little boy so far, I think his breeder did a really good job at potty training.

Too bad my cat has been terrified since we brought him home, he's been hiding under the bed and won't come out! I don't know how he can be scared of this little fluff ball, but hopefully he'll come around.

I will try to take some pics of the bath and update you on how it went!


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## angiern2004 (Apr 24, 2011)

When they are that little, baths are easier in the kitchen sink, especially if you have a sprayer.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

first bath shouldnt' be a bath. You should slowly build the dog up to it. Wet his feet, dry feet. Next time wet a little more, etc etc. Take six partial washes before a full bath. With lots of treats after each session. If you make them gently he won't hate them as much.


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## sunnydays (Aug 22, 2012)

davetgabby said:


> first bath shouldnt' be a bath. You should slowly build the dog up to it. Wet his feet, dry feet. Next time wet a little more, etc etc. Take six partial washes before a full bath. With lots of treats after each session. If you make them gently he won't hate them as much.


Thanks for the advice! His head is the smelliest part of him so I was hoping to wash his head, do you think it's a bad idea to start with the head instead of his paws?


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

paws first head last might be better.


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## misstray (Feb 6, 2011)

Brody isn't a fan of the bath (or water in general), but he has learned to tolerate it. He absolutely loves being swaddled up a big towel and being held after though. I usually pop in a movie or something and just hold him. He'll just zone right out like that in my arms for the whole movie.


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## Gabs (Apr 15, 2012)

sometimes the 1st bath needs to be a 1st bath 

I wash Gabby's face/eyes every day (just a warm wash cloth), and that might be the easiest way to wash his head... you definitely dont want to spray water in his eyes/ears (he wont enjoy that one bit)

And also get them use to the area where you will be bathing them... whether it be the sink, tub etc. Gabby wiggled too much for the sink, so the tub was easier for us. So I would put her in the tub (dry, no water) every day, to the point where she would whine on her own to go in. When I get ready in the morning, she'd go to the tub and scratch for me to lift her in, and I'd let her in for a few minutes while I was getting ready (I'd stay in the bathroom with her). Then added the sounds of the water running etc etc.. its a work in progress but it gets easier with every bath! She now runs to the tub when I start the water (thats a big deal!  )

you'll see how he reacts..good luck


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

Water temperature is very important. I don't know exactly what temperature to tell you, as I do it by feel. It needs to be warm enough that the pup is absolutely comfortable when it first touches him, but not too warm that it causes them any concern. Ours get their rears, feet, and bodies washed a number of times under a sink faucet before they ever get their first bath-not for any training purpose, they just need it sometimes.. For the head, we use something to pour water over the head, rather than some sort of spray or running faucet over the head. They always want to stick their nose up when water is being put on their head, so be careful to direct it to the sides of the nose, and not get it down their nose. We have never put cotton balls, or anything else, in their ears.


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

sunnydays said:


> Wow, thanks for all the helpful suggestions everyone! We will go get shampoo and conditioner this afternoon. I have a heater in the bathroom so I will turn it on before the bath to make sure he's warm, hopefully it will go ok!
> 
> He slept through the night last night with only a potty break at 4 AM, and that's because I set my alarm to take him out, he didn't whine at all and no accidents in his crate, phew! He's been such a good little boy so far, I think his breeder did a really good job at potty training.
> 
> ...


Sounds like you are doing a good job of training him to get up at 4 a.m.


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## Tuss (Apr 22, 2012)

Have everything ready before you start. I don't put any water in the tub/sink, i just use the sprayer (or a container if you don't have one). Do the head absolutely last (for the first bath I'd probably skip it all together). Get some tear free shampoo. Dilute a couple tablespoons shampoo in about a quart of warm water. Wet down the dog, pour about half the diluted shampoo water over his back, rub it in. You may find that enough runs down the legs to suds up them as well, if not pour some more on. Make sure you get the "bits and pieces" under the tail. Quick rinse, then snuggle the pup in a towel. the whole thing can be done in under 5 minutes if you're organized.


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## Pixiesmom (Jul 31, 2008)

Tuss said:


> Have everything ready before you start. I don't put any water in the tub/sink, i just use the sprayer (or a container if you don't have one). Do the head absolutely last (for the first bath I'd probably skip it all together). Get some tear free shampoo. Dilute a couple tablespoons shampoo in about a quart of warm water. Wet down the dog, pour about half the diluted shampoo water over his back, rub it in. You may find that enough runs down the legs to suds up them as well, if not pour some more on. Make sure you get the "bits and pieces" under the tail. Quick rinse, then snuggle the pup in a towel. the whole thing can be done in under 5 minutes if you're organized.


This is where I went wrong for the longest time-not diluting the shampoo. Finally I decided to read the bottle-duh! At least I did rinse really well.


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## sunnydays (Aug 22, 2012)

Tom King said:


> Sounds like you are doing a good job of training him to get up at 4 a.m.


Hahaa, I definitely don't want him to get used to getting up at 4 AM!! I just thought I should take him out to pee at least once during the night! I am a really deep sleeper and I don't think him whining to go pee will wake me up, that's why I set my alarm. Maybe I should just let him be


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

angiern2004 said:


> When they are that little, baths are easier in the kitchen sink, especially if you have a sprayer.


I STILL wash Kodi in the kitchen sink. He stands in one side with his hind legs, and on the divider with his front legs. I just use the sprayer towet and rinse him. My back (and knees!) would never survive tub baths.


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## lise (Sep 1, 2006)

sunnydays said:


> Hahaa, I definitely don't want him to get used to getting up at 4 AM!! I just thought I should take him out to pee at least once during the night! I am a really deep sleeper and I don't think him whining to go pee will wake me up, that's why I set my alarm. Maybe I should just let him be[/QUOTE
> \Ted woke me up at 5:30 the first week or so and after that, I now wake him up at 7 am so I can walk him and play with him and feed him before I work in my office for 8:30. Don't wake the puppy up. If he wants up bad enough, he will wake you!


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## angiern2004 (Apr 24, 2011)

krandall said:


> I STILL wash Kodi in the kitchen sink. He stands in one side with his hind legs, and on the divider with his front legs. I just use the sprayer towet and rinse him. My back (and knees!) would never survive tub baths.


Wow, you must have one big sink for as big as Kodi is!!!

I wish I could still bathe Trooper there, but he's not a fan of baths and it makes it way to easy to climb up me!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

angiern2004 said:


> Wow, you must have one big sink for as big as Kodi is!!!
> 
> I wish I could still bathe Trooper there, but he's not a fan of baths and it makes it way to easy to climb up me!


It's really not that big. It's a pretty normal, two-sided stainless steel sink from Home Depot! We do get some water on the floor, but that's what Shamwows are for!!!:biggrin1:


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## lise (Sep 1, 2006)

krandall said:


> It's really not that big. It's a pretty normal, two-sided stainless steel sink from Home Depot! We do get some water on the floor, but that's what Shamwows are for!!!:biggrin1:


ound:


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## Gabs (Apr 15, 2012)

sunnydays said:


> Hahaa, I definitely don't want him to get used to getting up at 4 AM!! I just thought I should take him out to pee at least once during the night! I am a really deep sleeper and I don't think him whining to go pee will wake me up, that's why I set my alarm. Maybe I should just let him be


i totally agree.. let sleeping dogs lay  i never woke Gabby & never had a problem

how did the bath go?


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