Puppy Grooming - How to Brush and Bath Your Puppy

Pups are just like kids - the dirtier they get the more happy they are! Even as your dog gets older you will find he has an inclination to roll in anything horrid if he gets the opportunity.

Puppy hair is, to some degree, self-cleaning - but not to the point that your pup will never require a bath! There will be times when you have to do some puppy grooming and bath your pup - so get your puppy used to the procedure as early as possible.

If you have a long haired breed you will need to do frequent puppy grooming - a lesser amount for the short or smooth coated breeds. Let's take a look at the different kinds of grooming you might have to perform, according to breed, and then look at how to go about bathing your pup.

Puppy Grooming - Different breeds - different coats

Smooth coats such as Boxers and Whippets are the easiest to care for. Use a chamois, hound glove or a flexible bristle brush. First brush against the direction of the coat, then go with it. This will release and remove any loose dead hairs. Dogs that have a denser coat with an undercoat - like Labradors - require extra grooming because they moult a lot more - as anyone with a Lab will warn you! Use a bristle brush for them, and finish off with a comb paying particular consideration to the tail and neck anywhere the hair is thickest.

Handle wiry coated pups in the same way, however these will additionally have to have the longer hair 'stripped' once a month with a stripping comb. You will additionally need to take these breeds - Wire haired Dachshunds and Fox Terriers for example - to a qualified groomer roughly 3 or 4 times a year to have the coat reduced.

Some breeds have long silky fur - Yorkshire Terriers and Maltese - and will need special attention. They have little undercoat so you need to be very gentle, especially as they require daily brushing and combing. Commence the puppy grooming as soon as you get your long haired dog to acclimatize him.

Others have long but dense fur, such as Collies, and these simply require twice weekly brushing with a pin-brush and combing with a wide-toothed comb. Excess hair will need to be cut once a month. Golden Retrievers and others with less dense hair will need less attention - weekly brushing and combing and a twice yearly trim for legs and toes.

Other breeds call for regular - often weekly or even twice weekly - specialized trimming and clipping. Poodles and Bichon Frise for instance call for lots of grooming so you will need to get your dog used to these regular trips for puppy grooming from the start. Unless you are in fact qualified to do this clipping don't try it yourself - leave it to the professionals.

Get Your Puppy Used to Grooming Early

Get your puppy accustomed to grooming when he arrives in your home. When you have fed your dog and played for a bit so that he is not so active, sit down with him on the floor. Start by stroking and massaging his coat with your hand, whilst speaking quietly and calmly. Then gently bring in the brush, rewarding with praise and a treat if he is calm and well behaved.

Don't let him mess about with or chew the brush, or else he will imagine it is a game. Keep in control all the way through the process. Begin with only a few strokes of the brush, gradually building up to a full grooming session. As always patience and time will be rewarded with success.

The First Bath

You don't need to bath your puppy whenever he gets a lttle bit grubby - just remove any dry dirt with a brush and perhaps stand him in a bowl of water to wash down his feet. Save old towels especially for puppy grooming use. The time will come, though, when your puppy needs a bath. If your puppy smells then bathe it! However, if the smell comes back straight away then it might hint at a skin disorder so obtain advice from the vet.

It is not usually required to bath any pup in excess of twice a month and excessive washing is bad for the dog's skin. Begin early to get your dog accustomed to baths and try to make it routine, with as little fuss as possible. For big breeds, get someone to assist you as a wet dog can be quite heavy!

If it is hot weather, then bath your dog outside using a spray attachment on a garden hosepipe if you have one. If not then use your personal bath or shower, or even your sink if it is a small breed. Make certain the water is not too hot or excessively cold. Use a proprietary puppy shampoo or baby shampoo - just be sure it is very mild.

Damp the dog all over before applying shampoo and gently massage into the fur. Take care near the mouth and eyes and don't get water in the ears. Talk and reassure your dog all the time and reward him when he is well behaved. Rinse very carefully as residue shampoo on the skin can start a reaction and disturb the balance of the skin.

You can use a hair-dryer to dry your dog - set on a low heat. He might be worried in the beginning so you may need to acclimatize him with puppy noise training first. In good weather you can dry pup outside, but if it is chilly then be sure he is absolutely dry before letting him outside.

If your dog is similar to mine, the first thing he will carry out following a bath is to discover something to roll in! But don't be anxious - that is the joy of puppy grooming!