Bathing Puppy

[YvonneM]

I have a question about bathing puppy - picked up our little Maltese boy last Thursday and he has been really good so far with toileting etc but this morning I had to go out for about 3 hours and popped him in his pen with a puppy training pad only to come home to him covered in poo along with the training pad and his bedding. Not having thought about needing puppy shampoo before we brought him home and luckily having a really good pet store only 5 mins away I went out to get some. Man in the store sold me "Yours Drooly" Shear Magic Puppy Shampoo (soft and fluffy) and told me not to use it more than once per fortnight. What do I do if this happens again? What do I wash him with? Man in the store told me just to rinse him with warm water, but surely this wouldn't clean him up properly ..... would it?

What is the best shampoo to use on puppies? How often is safe? I don't want to irritate or dry out his baby skin and coat.

[julesluvscavs]

Our Miah isn't a puppy puppy anymore (shes 5 months old) but we have been washing her with Aloveeen shampoo but its not a regular thing. Shes only ever had one messy pooey bum since we got her. :)

Edited April 29, 2013 by Jules❤3Cavs

[YvonneM]

Thanks Jules ... it wasn't so much a messy bum, his bum was quite clean itself, but it looks like he has poo'd on his training pad and then proceeded to walk/sit in it .... so all over his feet and legs. Even after washing him and drying him off with the hairdryer which he was quite happy with, he still smells a bit like poo. He is also looks miserable and has taken himself off to a corner and is sulking there!

[julesluvscavs]

Oh poor thing Hes not unwell is he ?

I have used a small dusting of baby powder on occasions on my cavs when they have had the occasional tummy upsets and been like that .. and have been smelly

I use Aloveeen leave in Conditioner at such times too, its safe for puppies :)

Edited April 29, 2013 by Jules❤3Cavs

[Salukifan]

If he ends up covered in poo, I'd shampoo him each and every time it happens. You are not going to get poo out of a coat with water and you don't want it staining a white coat. You can wash just the affected bits though.

However, I suggest you rethink how you're housing him when you're out. Is a pen outside out of the question?

I'm no fan of toileting pads if the weather is mild and the pup has shelter. Get him outside and get him a good dose of Vitamin D and have his toileting behaviour reinforced, not set back.

Edited April 29, 2013 by Haredown Whippets

[YvonneM]

Thanks again Jules. He's not unwell - I guess I am just a stressed first time puppy mumma!

Haredown Whippets - the pen I have him in is reasonable in size with space for his bed, food, water and training pad and some toys. I guess I could pen him outside (in the same pen) however I am mindful of upsetting neighbours as I live in a residential area with the outdoor area that he would be penned in on the other side of the fence to my immediate neighbour's outdoor area. I would still need to put a training pad down in the pen though. During the day I have been taking him outside every hour or so and his toileting has been fine - it was just this morning's incident. He is going to be an indoor pet - with access 24/7 to outside via a doggy door which our previous pet used, once he is big enough to manage it.

I thought as much about what you said about shampooing and doubted the petstore guy - just needed validation I guess!

Between my husband and I we have a week off, but we both go back to work next week

[ellz]

My long-coated puppies get bathed weekly from the time they're old enough to stand in the bath. Bathing won't hurt, just make sure you rinse properly.

[Bjelkier]

My long-coated puppies get bathed weekly from the time they're old enough to stand in the bath. Bathing won't hurt, just make sure you rinse properly.

I do exactly the same thing with my Havanese. They need to get use to frequent bathing.

[YvonneM]

Thank you ellz and Bjelkier - your advice is exactly what I needed.

[Christina]

However, I suggest you rethink how you're housing him when you're out. Is a pen outside out of the question?

I'm no fan of toileting pads if the weather is mild and the pup has shelter. Get him outside and get him a good dose of Vitamin D and have his toileting behaviour reinforced, not set back.

How is putting him in a pen outside going to make any difference ? He can still poo in the pen & step in it.

This a a toy breed & a baby & its almost winter. There is also the theft or something going wrong issue. I hope no one who has had any of my pups would do this. I would be so upset.

A gentle shampoo when needed even if frequently short term isn't going to do him any harm. Its not like you are using bucketsful & leaving it sitting on his coat. Dilute half a teaspoon in a jug of warm water. That's plenty for a maltese puppy. You don't need it strong or frothy.

[Mim]

I just wash my dogs when they get dirty, right from when I get them until the day they leave me. Never had any issues with skin due to over-washing or anything. I've never bothered with "puppy" shampoos either and have started using human shampoo recently with great results.