You may be well versed in the proper care of puppies, but there are small topics that some dog owners may forget to research before bringing their new canine companion home. In this article, we will answer questions that you may have about proper bathing practices for puppies, like: Can I bathe my 2-month-old puppy?
Can I Bathe My 2-Month-Old Puppy?
2-month-old puppies can be bathed. You can use a gentle shampoo formulated for puppies, and verify that the water is not too hot before bathing them.
Keep in mind that puppies will not automatically behave amazingly during bath time. Some puppies may enjoy it, but more often than not a puppy will need to acclimate to the process of getting a bath.
We recommend that you make bath time as fun as possible to give your puppy a good experience, and encourage them to enjoy this time. You can do this by smearing peanut butter on the walls of your shower or bathtub and being as gentle as possible with them.
The last thing you want is a puppy traumatized over taking a bath, and if this does happen it will make future bath times more difficult.
We recommend letting your puppy acclimate to the area in which they will be getting the bath, the sounds of running water, and the scents of the bathroom and bath products you will be using on them before giving them a bath.
How Do You Wash a 2-Month-Old Puppy?
You can start this process by gathering all of the needed supplies like shampoo, a brush or comb, extra towels, and clothes that you do not mind getting wet. You will want to make sure that the water you will be using is warm but not too hot, we do not want you to accidentally burn your puppy’s skin.
Next, you will completely soak their fur from their head all the way to their tails, making sure to avoid the eyes, ears, and nostrils. You can use a washcloth to dampen and clean their faces to avoid getting excess soap and water in these areas.
Some dogs will have a double coat so it may be a little difficult to get them thoroughly soaked, but you just keep wetting them until they are damp enough.
After they are thoroughly wet, you will want to squeeze a line of shampoo from the back of their neck to their tail, using your hands to spread the shampoo that you have just distributed.
You can scrub them from snout to tail but try your best not to get too much water in their ears, as this can cause ear infections. After they are thoroughly scrubbed clean, you will then rinse their coat until you no longer see soap suds.
How Often Should I Bathe My 2-Month-Old Puppy?
You should bathe your 2-month-old puppy once a month until they are 6 months of age, at 6 months old they may need baths more frequently. You can bathe your 2-month-old puppy more than once a month, but only if they are so dirty that they absolutely need a bath.
Bathing any dog too frequently can irritate their skin, but if your puppy seems to be scratching or licking at their skin more than normal, this is an indication that a bath may be the best course of action.
If your puppy has skin sensitivity issues, we recommend speaking with your veterinarian to gather any recommendations they may have for your puppy when it comes to bath time.
How Do I Dry My Puppy After a Bath?
You can easily dry your puppy off with towels after they have been bathed. You may need to use more than one towel if your puppy is extra damp after their bath, or if they have a longer coat.
You can use a blow dryer that has been proven safe to use on pets to dry your puppy, where you can find at most pet supply stores.
It is extremely important that you not use a human hair dryer on your puppy, as they run entirely too hot and can actually burn your puppy’s skin, so it’s best to avoid using this altogether.
You can also set your puppy up in a particularly sunny spot outside, or even inside if you don’t want them getting stinky too soon after a bath. Brushing a puppy with a long coat as you dry them will help to speed up the drying process.
Air drying can be great for puppies with short coats, but if your puppy is prone to skin issues we recommend ensuring that they are mostly dry to avoid any skin flares.
Do You Need Special Shampoo For Puppies?
You should purchase a shampoo that has been formulated for puppies. These products will generally have fewer ingredients, no strong scents that can irritate the skin, and will be tear-free to avoid any eye irritation.
You never want to use human shampoo on puppies, as they have not been tested for safe use. You do not want to use any flea or tick shampoo on puppies as these products will have strong ingredients that can cause harmful reactions in puppies.
If you need a good shampoo to kill any fleas that are currently living on your puppy, you can use Dawn dish soap. When bathing a puppy in Dawn for flea removal, you will want to lather the soap into your puppy’s coat and let it sit on the skin for 5-10 minutes.
When you have rinsed the Dawn off of your puppy, you will want to grab a fine-toothed flea comb and brush your puppy’s coat thoroughly until they are no longer picking up any dead fleas.
If your puppy is over 8 weeks of age, we recommend reaching out to a veterinarian to discuss flea and tick preventions that would be safe for use on your puppy’s size.
Conclusion
In this article, we discussed a wide range of topics relating to bathing puppies, as well as answering the question: Can I bathe my 2-month-old puppy? We hope you found the information in this article helpful, and wish you the best of luck with your new canine companion!
