While Clover’s 4 week old litter is clean and tidy for the photo shoot, puppies have a tendency to get dirty. With all of the younger pups romping around inside and adult dogs exercising outside, we wash a lot of dogs. Puppy baths can be wet affairs but they don’t have to be traumatic or chaotic. Here are some insights to help you give your golden retriever puppy a great bath.
Take time to prepare. It is tempting to just turn the hose on and start spraying but get what you need first. Order/obtain appropriate shampoo. Shampoos with all-natural ingredients, balanced ph, and limited fragrance are best. If it is cold outside, your puppy should be bathed indoors or in a sheltered location. Source warm water and test to ensure the temperature is suitable. Make sure your tap or hose pressure is reasonable (not too strong or weak).
Introduce your puppy to the experience slowly. Splash a little water on their coat, gradually moisten, and then thoroughly soak their whole body. Communicate with them during this whole process: reassure and praise/reward when they respond calmly.
Soap up your puppy. Massage in smaller amounts of shampoo and gently lather. Take care when washing your puppy’s head. No puppy enjoys soaps suds in the eyes, choking water in the nose, or a deluge in the ears. Be aware of sensitive spots on your puppy’s body including paws, genitalia, and tail.
Rinse thoroughly. With their thick double layer coats, it takes time to wash away all of the soap. Work your way from front to back, head to toe.
Dry off promptly. Puppies can get chilled following a bath. A vigorous rub with a prewarmed towel is effective. If available, blow dry them on a low heat setting.
Take a deep breath and enjoy the fresh clean puppy smell.
One final note for dog washers: schedule regular baths for your pup. Obviously a very dirty/muddy puppy necessitates a bath. However even if they aren’t covered in mud, a bath is very beneficial for their skin, coats, and emotional well-being.
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2 Responses
Hi Greg,
Here we are at week five and we are very excited! What will you be feeding puppies when you wean them from Mom Clover? We want to get some ordered and I’d like to feed our new puppy the same diet you will have him on. Thank you Greg!
Warmest Regards,
Carolyn
Zignature is a great dog food to have on hand. We use the Catfish variety.