# 1st bath



## myownhavanese (Mar 11, 2017)

I want to give Opie his 1st bath. I have the CC 006 comb and the CC wood pin brush. I also bought CC pro line fair advantage shampoo (and have ice on ice). Any other products I need before I try to do this!?

Also, how do I do this? Last night he peed on the kitchen floor, then laid down in it, so the husband and I put him in the sink and just sprayed off his tummy...yeah, that went well! So I'm now more nervous to do the bath right to not make him hate it. Breeder said he's gotten a bath before...

Picture...just because I can! 









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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

I wash mine in the sink. You can put a hand towel on the bottom so it doesn't feel so slippery to him. (or one of those rubber "dish saver" mats if you have one) Make sure the water is the temperature that you would use on a baby... not too hot, not too cool. When they re used to baths, I just use the sink sprayer, but when they are puppies, I pour water gently from a pitcher, rather than use the sprayer. When you dry a little puppy, keep most of them wrapped in a towel, and cuddled against you while you use the dryer, on the coolest warm setting you have to dry one section at a time. If your dryer doesn't have different temperature settings, make SURE that you hold it far enough from the puppy (or dog) that you don't burn them... you can do that easily with a hot dryer!

Be gentle but firm, and most of all be CALM. The calmer you stay, they calmer he'll stay. Make sure YOU stay calm, even if he doesn't! He may never LIKE being bathed, but it is part of life for this breed, and they need to get used to it. Mine don't LIKE baths, but they all accept it with good grace, because it's been a way of life, every week to 10 days, since they were LITTLE babies!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Oh, and he's to die for cute, even if he has a stinky belly!


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## myownhavanese (Mar 11, 2017)

Are those the right products to use or do I need something else? 

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## myownhavanese (Mar 11, 2017)

Also, do I use the shampoo at full strength, I know I've seen other posts where people water it down...

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## whata_dog (Sep 10, 2015)

It helps me to get everything ready and where I need it before I start ; including putting 2-3 towels in the drier.
A washcloth helps with the area around the eyes. Cotton in the ears.

I squeeze water out of the legs,tail, etc before removing from the sink. Twice! Now up to three of four times with all the hair! :laugh:
Mine enjoys the warm towels! She is usually shaking like a leaf so I wrap her up like a little burrito in a fresh from the drier towel after the final conditioner rinse and "squeegee" and just hold her close to me for a few minutes, then swap with the next towel from the drier and do it again and tell her how good and beautiful she is and give her a treat. 
I make sure not to RUB the towel on her to avoid making mats/tangles - I just kind of push on it all around her.
This gets her pretty dry, then I set her on the counter with yet another dry towel and brush/comb as I blow dry on low with the spray conditioner.
It goes faster if my daughter holds the blow drier for me so I have two hands to brush and comb. (I don't have the fancy drier stands that some have)
But my Lil Girly really likes this final stage, so when daughter is not around she will put her font legs on my shoulders and stretch out while I blow the side/tummy area.
It is sooo cute! 

I think the kind of shampoo & conditioner you get dictates if you need to water it down. It should tell you on the directions. 
I have the same grooming tools and they work great. I have also added a comb with rotating teeth that my mom gave me that she used to use on our family Persian cat that passed away recently. It works GREAT on the longer hair these days before the buttercomb. There is no brand name on it- it was bought about 18 years ago. But I am sure there are
some out there still. Mine has a few bent teeth so I am thinking of finding a new one because I like it so much.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

myownhavanese said:


> Are those the right products to use or do I need something else?
> 
> Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


Yes, they are fine! All you really need at this point is the Fair Advantage. It washes and conditions in one. Might not be conditioning enough for an adult coat, but it's perfect for puppies, and only one rinse!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

myownhavanese said:


> Also, do I use the shampoo at full strength, I know I've seen other posts where people water it down...
> 
> Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


I put the Fair Advantage on full strength on (wet) puppies, just be careful around the eyes. On dogs with more mature, thicker coats, it's hard to get them wet with just water, so it can make sense to mix a little shampoo into the water you wet them down with. Then it soaks through the hair better. I still then go back and put more shampoo on them. Just make sure to rinse thoroughly!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

The warmed towels is a great idea. I haven't done it, but I bet they would ALL love it!.

I use a Shamwow to get out excess water on the older dogs. I squeegee with my hands in a pinch, but the Shamwow gets out MUCH more water. And with a brand new puppy, he isn't going to be retaining that much water anyway. I'd just get him in that towel as fast as possible.


And treat yourself to a dryer stand! they are under $20 on Amazon!!! With three to groom, I use both a force dryer (Kool Pup) and a stand dryer from Petedge. But that's probably overkill with only one to groom. I did get the Kool Pup after I'd had Kodi for a couple of years, and couldn't BELIEVE how much faster it got him dry. But, again, that's absolutely NOT a necessity for a little puppy!!!


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