When can you bathe a puppy?

How early can I bathe my puppy?

Usually, it is important that a puppy doesn’t have their first bath before eight weeks old as they can’t regulate their body temperatures yet and so can easily become chilled. Thankfully they won’t be going outside much at this age and so a wipe over with a damp cloth is usually all they will need.

Once your puppy comes home with you at around eight weeks old, you might be wondering when you should start bathing them.

When it comes to when you can bath your puppy and how often you need to bath them, there is no set answer! It totally depends on your own dog, what kind of coat they have, their lifestyle, how often they leap into puddles and mud, and how fragrant they are (or aren’t!).

Once a month is probably ideal but some will need more frequent bathing and others will need less. As long as you are using a gentle dog-specific shampoo, rinsing it properly and drying them appropriately, it really is up to you.

What you will need for your puppy’s first bath

Here are the must-haves of puppy bathing time.

• Somewhere to bath your puppy. This could be a shower cubicle, a purpose-designed dog bath, or a wet room. Whatever you choose, make sure you have access to warm water, the flooring is non-slippery and you aren’t in a cold area. Having a shower hose helps and makes it much easier to rinse the shampoo.
• Towels
• Puppy shampoo
• Coat conditioner for long haired dogs to prevent tangles
• Suitable gentle puppy brush or comb
• Hair dryer with a cool setting (and make sure you familiarise your puppy with this before bath day)
• Plenty of treats
• Ideally someone to help you!

How to get started

1. Give the coat a brush or comb to get rid of any dirt and to ensure it is free from any tangles.
2. Get the water to the right temperature. This should be warm but it is important that it is not hot. Puppies feel the heat far more than you do.
3. If you are using a shower hose, prepare this in advance, and make sure everyone else in the house knows not to use any water while you are bathing the puppy to prevent sudden temperature changes
4. Gently place your puppy in the bath/shower. If you are using a special puppy bath, this should be inside your bathtub/shower cubicle. Make sure the surface they are standing on is not slip (use a rubber mat if necessary) as sliding around can be really scary for a puppy.
5. Distract the puppy with a taste treat. This is where a friend comes in handy – but you can also get treat holders/licky mats etc. that stick to the wall and provide a great distraction/reward.
6. Slowly soak your puppy’s coat in warm water. Be careful not to get water in their eyes or into their ears – and keep checking the temperature of the water. If you are doing this in a bath, don’t let the water level come any higher than a quarter of the way up their legs.
7. Prepare the puppy shampoo by mixing it with water and then spread the shampoo evenly on their body, legs and tail, taking care to avoid their face – especially eyes and ears.
   1. Only use the minimal amount of shampoo you can so it is easier to rinse out.
   2. Always read the label as some shampoos are concentrated and so need to be diluted.
8. Using the balls of your fingers (never your nails - and if you do have long nails, wear soft gloves so you don’t scratch them), gently massage the shampoo into the coat so you can get all the dirt and dust out – as well as being enjoyable for the puppy.
9. Rinse. It is important to rinse out absolutely all of the shampoo once you have finished bathing your puppy. You might need to do several rinses to make sure you’ve got rid of all of it.
10. Use conditioner if your dog has a long coat.
11. If your dog has loose facial or body skin, get between the skin folds with baby wipes or a damp cloth to make sure they are clean and soap-free – then make sure they are totally dry.
12. Wrap your puppy in a towel while still in the bath and rub them gently to remove the excess water. Then put them on the floor (again, make sure it isn’t slippery) and stand well back!
    1. When they come out of the bath, your puppy will automatically want to shake themselves. Your bathroom (and you) might get a bit wet, but it’s their instinctive way of getting rid of most of the water.
    2. When they have done this, you can continue to towel dry them. Again, this is where having someone to hold them helps - or you can sit them on their knee on the floor to keep them secure and feeling safe.
    3. Once they are towel dried as much as you can, you can begin to use the hairdryer. Ideally use a diffuser so the heat is spread evenly and only have it on a low, cool setting.
    4. A hairdryer can be a bit scary so always go slowly and avoid blowing air at their face and ears. Try to get them as dry as you can - and with long-haired puppies, stop frequently to brush or comb through the hair to make sure it isn’t getting tangled.
       NOTE: You should have spent time getting your puppy used to the hair drier before bath day!
13. Once you have finished bathing your puppy and drying them off, comb or brush them through thoroughly.

Treat time!

Last but not least, give your puppy one last treat as a reward - and go and have one yourself!

Puppy bathing tips:

• Make sure the dryer isn’t too close to their skin, is not directed into their eyes and keep the airflow cool.
• When dogs get wet their natural response is to roll and rub their heads, necks and bodies on any available ground, including grass. To stop them getting dirty as soon as they’ve just been bathed, make sure all doors to the garden are closed!
• Small and thin-coated breeds get cold easily, so keep your puppy in a warm room until they’re completely dry.
• It is very important to rinse the shampoo and/or conditioner thoroughly as residue can make their coat itchy or dry.
• Make bath-time a fun experience for you both – and if you can have a friend to help you the first few times, it will make it much easier.

How to get your puppy used to the hairdryer

If your puppy coat is very long or thick, they can take a surprisingly long time to dry so you may want to use a hairdryer. Hairdryers can be quite frightening for a dog if they are not introduced properly, so give your puppy a chance to meet the hairdryer long before bath day.

Find a quiet hairdryer. Often expensive ones that are high powered and come with high heat settings are the noisiest. Find one with a small motor that is less noisy. Travel hairdryers are often the best.

You can start introducing it from an early age, initially just letting them hear the dryer in the same room – maybe even when you are drying your own hair. This way the noise won’t be anything unusual for them.

Once they are happy with the noise, you can sit on the floor with it and let your puppy approach it slowly (first off, and later on at a low (quiet) setting). From here, you can let them feel the air on their body – with lots of treats to convince them that there is nothing to worry about.

And that’s it – it’s as easy as that to bathe your puppy!

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Last reviewed by expert behaviourist Carolyn Menteith on 7 July 2024.