Bathing puppy

I know breeders who bathe puppies in the 6-week range because no matter how much care is taken once they can walk, they play and explore around the whelping box and get themselves into feces. So I'd think you could bathe your puppy pretty much any time after weaned and home with you so long as you use very gentle shampoo and don't let him/her get chilled, but I wouldn't think most puppies need bathing so long as they're groomed regularly, which they need to learn to accept. Mine never did, although admittedly mine don't have the kind of coat yours must have.