How many times should i bath my puppy?

picklesmummy · 07-26-2009, 10:57 AM

Hello! How many times should i bath my Pugland?=) Shes 17weeks.

Thanks,
PM

baorb · 07-26-2009, 02:10 PM

Only when needed.

Binkalette · 07-26-2009, 03:47 PM

If you haven't bathed her at all yet I would do it ASAP.. not because I think she's going to be dirty or anything, but because she needs to become accustomed to bathing NOW.. Otherwise she is very likely to have problems with bathing later in life.

A pug shouldn't need bathing too often, as said before, only as needed, but it will be much, much easier on both of you if you get her used to it now. The most critical time for socialization and getting your puppy used to everything and exposed to everything you can is usually from 12-14 weeks, but all puppies are a little different.

I should mention, if she has long hair she will probably need bathing more often, and will also need to be brushed every few days. Zoey and Maggie (Lhasa Apso's) both get bathed weekly, and brushed every 1-2 days to keep them clean and their fur tangle-free. Being tangle free is very important because mats can become very painful, very quickly.. So it's important to comb all the way down to the skin.

picklesmummy · 07-31-2009, 06:20 AM

Ok, thankyou soo much, ill bath her asap=)

daysof_inspiration · 07-31-2009, 06:34 AM

I currently am about to get a dog so I cannot say that I know if this is going to be 100% fool proof for dogs but here's my opinion.

A dog should only be bathed when needed. However, you do want to socialize them to it.

With my ferrets, bathing was a big no-no because the soap dried out their skin and made them smell more. But what I would do was once every 2 weeks, I would put them in either the shower or the bath. Just with water, no soap. It got them used to the water and being handled, etc so when time did come to need soap, they were used to it.

I just thought I would put that suggestion out there for you. I haven't bathed a dog in YEARS haha

Purplex15 · 07-31-2009, 02:16 PM

What people say about bathing to often causing dry skin and ripping the natural oils out of the coat, is simply untrue.

Show dogs get bathed sometimes everyday the week of a show. The key is using good products, and rinsing everything completely out. Those are the 2 main mistakes dog owners make when bathing their own dog. They don't rinse completely (or at all in some places, like stomachs and rear ends), and use cheap products. A lot of dog owners also don't get dogs completely clean, sometimes they bath dogs with matts, making it impossible for the shampoo to reach the skin (and causing shampoo residue to stay in the matts). To be honest, most dog owners have no idea what actually goes into bathing when professinals do it. Most are shocked when I go over the whole process with them.

If you use good products and completely rinse out everything used, then a dog shouldn't have any problem with frequent bathing. Now not every dog is the same, and this is just a general rule. I have met a couple dogs that had very sensitive skin, and it was best to just leave it alone as much as possible. but I'd say if your dog has a normal coat and skin, then frequent bathing is fine.

and you should def. get her done ASAP. I recommend using a professional groomer for the first time. They can really teach the pup what is expected of them for the bath. Another good reason for this, is that your puppy will probably be horrible for the first time, and you will probably end up feeling bad, b/c you are mommy. Its good for the first time to be done by someone who is not going to give in to the dog b/c they feel sorry. But do find a good groomer, and ask them what they do for first timers. The first time is kind of crucial, and if the pup has a good experiance, it will make grooming so much easier in the future, for you and other groomers (which will end up costing you less money).

daysof_inspiration · 07-31-2009, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purplex15

What people say about bathing to often causing dry skin and ripping the natural oils out of the coat, is simply untrue.

Ahhh, I see.
I just knew that with ferrets it did. I never have bathed by cats unless they got into something and a dog, I just assumed since everyone says only when needed, there was a reason behind it with their skin and coats.

Michiyo-Fir · 08-01-2009, 01:39 AM

I bathe my Papillon every week to maybe 1.5 weeks. It never dries out her hair or skin because I use high quality show grooming products. Our breeder sometimes bathes a dog 3 times in a weekend of showing. It doesn't seem to do any harm to the skin or coat so I think it's true that if you clean properly and use the right products, there are no skin drying problems.

I would say for pugs every 3 weeks or so is fine but some like to get in dirty things and roll in them. If that's the case, then bathe whenever you think they smell or have dirt.