Is it ok to give my 12 week old puppy a bath?

Question

We've had her for 1 day, and the breeder told us to wait 3 weeks before we bathe him, but he really stinks. Would it be ok if we bathed him?

Answer 1

Hey toriam222,

Yes you can give a 12 week old puppy a bath. Our breeder told us to give our Yorkie a bath once a week, when he was just 10 weeks old. The Vet agreed. You need to be sure they get dried off completely, that means blow drying carefully.

See the Yahoo Answer below too.

Answer 2

I"ve Always Bathed Mine At 2-3 Weeks Old Never Killed Any Of Em,I Got 17 Living Specimens To Prove It,I've Bathed 100's...Give The Stinkin Thing A Bath(Don't Get Water Inside Their Ears,Use Q-Tip Very Carefully)Or Have Dog Groomer Do Inner Ears...

Answer 3

The breeder probably knows best. If you can't stand the smell, put the puppy in one side of your kitchen sink and then run the water on the other side. Make sure the water isn't very hot. Take a washcloth and soak it in the water and sort of give your new puppy a sponge-bath. I would hold off on the soap for now...the sponge bath should help just enough to hold you over for the next couple weeks.

Congrats on the new member of the family!

Answer 4

The only reason to wait for bathing is 1- He has sutures in (from a spay/neuter, etc) or 2-they used a flea treatment. the only flea treatments that really work (Frontline, Advanage) say to wait 2-3 days before bathing. Some people are also concerned that being wet will make the pup sick. Just make sure you dry him off well! Bathe away!

Answer 5

NO!!!!! Wash her off IMMEDIATELY with warm water and dish soap - but DON'T put it anywhere near her eyes!!! Then rinse, rinse, rinse, and hold her in a towel until she's dry - GO NOW!!!! Flea soap is old fashioned and contains chemicals you DON'T NEED. THrow it out. DIsh soap will kill fleas without killing your puppy - as a matter of fact, so will regular puppy shampoo. Don't do anything else to your puppy until you read the directions. Now go wash her before that crap soaks into her skin! If she acts strangely later on, get her to an emergency vet right away, no waiting around, or you could lose her.

Answer 6

My Golden had his first bath at 6 weeks. It's perfectly fine as long as you get a puppy shampoo. HOWEVER, if the breeder told you to wait, it *might* be for good reason. Who knows. I would contact the breeder again and ask why. It might be something breed specific that we don't know about. Good luck!

Answer 7

Well, try calling the vet tomorrow and ask them. I don't see why giving them a bath would hurt. Little puppies were out in the rain long before there were breeders. :)

Answer 8

Yes, you can bath your puppy. Go slowly, make it a pleasant experience so you won't have problems in the future. Use a dog shampoo, and if the puppy will let you, introduce him carefully to a blow dryer. Turn the dryer on and hold it away from the puppy to let him get used to the noise, gradually moving it closer. If you can, dry the puppy so he doesn't get cold. If he won't let you, don't force it this time, but dry him as much as possible with a towel and keep him inside until dry.

Answer 9

Im sure it will be fine, as long as you make it a very quick bath. Is it really necessary too? If he has rolled in something, then fair enough, but if its just doggy smells, thats natural.

When bathing your puppy, make sure you don't get his ears wet, this makes them really cold. And check the water temperature as you would for a human baby.

Also, dogs should only be bathed as little as possible, like.. 4 times a year. Unless they are going into shows, or have rolled in something etc.

Answer 10

Why did the breeder say wait 3 weeks? Was she spayed before you got her? I would agree if she has new stitches to avoid getting her wet.

If she can't be immersed in water, try wetting a washcloth with water and dog shampoo and giving her a good rub down, this might help with the smell.