The bond that unites people with their pets goes beyond simple coexistence, it is a path full of physical and emotional benefits for both cases.
Owning a pet takes time, patience, and a fair amount of responsibility, though none of this compares to the amount of joy a pet can bring to a home. When you have a new puppy, there are hygienic alternatives that allow you to do without a bath when your dog is still too small. But if the big moment of the toilet has already arrived, it is very important that everything goes perfectly the first time to avoid trauma and problems.
So if your puppy is dewormed, vaccinated, advised by your vet and you are about to give him his first bath, don’t hesitate to follow these tips:
Tips for a Puppy’s First Bath
It’s very important that your dog becomes familiar with the bathroom and associates it with something positive, or at least something he can tolerate. This will help the bathing experience not be stressful for him or overwhelming for you.
The following tips or advice will guide you in making sure everything goes perfectly:
- – Have everything you need for the first bath on hand (towel, shampoo, brush…) Put everything you need within reach, so you don’t have to interrupt the bath to look for something and make it last longer than necessary. If everything is ready and located, everything will be more fluid.
- – Use a specific shampoo for puppies. Not sure which one to use? Not to worry, there are plenty articles online on how to find the right shampoo for your dog. In some, you will even find detailed information about the types of shampoos that exist and which one to choose for your pet. One of the reasons to use a dog shampoo is that its formula does not attack their skin and it uses aromas that are appropriate for the sensitive sense of smell of dogs. They hate perfumes and scents designed for humans!
- – When you start bathing your dog, gradually moisten his fur with warm water, you can start with the paws and wet them gradually. No one likes abrupt changes! Reward his behavior with small pieces of food.
- – You can also use his favorite toys so that he can tolerate the process and help the circumstances to have pleasant elements for him. In this way, you will help your dog associate the bathroom with positive things.
- – While bathing, you need to stay calm and use a positive tone to make your pup feel more relaxed. If you are stressed, he will notice and you will convey concern.
- – To dry him off, use one or two dog-specific towels depending on your pet’s size and coat to wrap him completely and remove the first layer of moisture.
- – Once these towels have absorbed the water well, use a hair dryer on low heat and speed, being careful not to startle your pup with the noise. Don’t put it too close, let alone near their ears.
Don’t forget that we have to be very attentive to his state of mind: if the puppy is very nervous, we have to stop so that he relaxes and try periodically until he is completely used to the bath.
Finally, it is very important to brush him, in order to remove all the dead hair that may have remained after the bath. Besides, brushing is usually an activity that strengthens the bond of friendship with your dog, devote a few minutes to this activity and you will see how quickly he relaxes.
How about you? Have you heard any other tips so far? Share them with us in the comment section below.
