[talented79]

Hi Everyone!

My new puppy Studd(chihuahua) is going on 7 weeks. I got him this pass SAt. When is a good time to start giving him baths and also whats the best shampoo. Right now he scratches a little bit.

thanks, shon

[Shanette Peters]

Originally Posted by talented79

Hi Everyone!

My new puppy Studd(chihuahua) is going on 7 weeks. I got him this pass SAt. When is a good time to start giving him baths and also whats the best shampoo. Right now he scratches a little bit.

thanks, shon

Hello, May I say what a cute name for a chihuahua. Personally I'd suggest to start baths now. About once or twice a month, more often is ok if he gets dirty as puppies can if they happen to get their own poop or pee on themselves. If he's not dirty enough to use shampoo on you can still get him used to baths by just using plain water. Make sure the water isn't too hot nor cold. As for what type of shampoo, start with typical puppy shampoo. Usually is tearless - ok to use on the face, and you can still use it when the dog is an adult. Make sure to rinse well and the puppy might not like water in the ears so either put cotton balls in prior to bath or use cotton balls to soak up moisture after bath. A puppy or dog is more likely to shake when the water gets in the ears. If Studd doesn't like water on his face you can use a cloth to wash him. Oh, you also say he scratches a bit? where - as in what part of his body? if it is around his neck it could be from getting used wearing a collar. take it off once in a while he will eventually get used to it. Good luck, and Have Fun! Shanette Peters/Aunty Noah's Pet Styling P.S. to make things easier for you or his vet in the future also practice handling his paws(for nail trims) and cleaning his teeth/gums.

[talented79]

yes it is around his neck & lower body from neck, middle above leg. same area both sides but he doesnt do it often.

thanks for the advice

[echo8287]

You can give him a bath now. Just make sure and dry him off good.(especially ears and head) You can do a search on the best shampoo and get a lot of hits. I use some coconut smelling stuff and conditioner that is made for dogs. They don't seem to mind it. If you start them out young they like to take a bath. I take my 2 and sometimes 3(if my daughter's dog is here) in the shower with me. I have doing it since they were 3 months old. I have to keep one of them out of the shower cause she likes a bath. David

[Shanette Peters]

Originally Posted by talented79

yes it is around his neck & lower body from neck, middle above leg. same area both sides but he doesnt do it often.

thanks for the advice

dogs can have itchy areas just like us, however if his scratching seems to get worse and your concerned(and rightly so) have a vet check him out.

for the first time ever I tried taking my dog in the shower with me, (the corner stall type - not with a tub) and it worked just fine. But for a dog as small as a chihuahua unless your gonna hold him the whole time i'd use a sink, the tub can be intimidating to a small dog

[justagirl21]

He's right to bath now, and its a good idea to start him off early so he gets used to it (and hopefully come to enjoy it). I bath nasty agressive dogs for a living as a groomer so its nice to come across a dog that is happy to work with you and the dog doesn't get so stressed either
Alot of people use a puppy or tearless shampoo on puppies which is fine, but if he's got itchy skin or if its dry I'd reccomend using a Oatmeal shampoo. I use the Dermacare range in my salon for dogs with sensitive, dry or itchy skin as its pH balanced, all natural and the Oatmeal is a very strong moisturising ingredient (and it smells lovely too)! For best results leave the shampoo on him for about 3-5mins and then rinse to really let the oatmeal soothe. For extra benefits, Dermacare also make an Oatmeal Conditioner that you also leave on the coat for about 3-5 minutes and then rinse off and it works quite well. The only thing I dislike about the Dermacare Oatmeal shampoo is that is doesn't lather very well which means you may need to shampoo twice depending on how dirty/greasy the coat is. So a good option to get the best of both worlds is to get a puppy or tearless shampoo and then an Oatmeal conditioner

[talented79]

thanks everyone for your advice!!