when to take a bath for your new puppy first time?
 

hey guys!

so i already have snickers..and its been awhile (he's 4) and i dont quite remember when its okay for you to take a bath for your new 8 week puppy after you bring her/him home for the first time. ( i am getting morkie in a couple of weeks) and i dont quite remember when i started taking baths for snickers. I am freakishly scared of fleas.. they gross me out so much... and in a way i naturally just assume that all dogs have it unless they're treated with advantage or frontline (which snickers is) THANK GOD! does anyone know? is it okay to take a bath for your 8 week puppy? i even think i took a bath for snickers the first day i brought him home. not sure if that was okay though? he's completely healthy! i just dont wanna terrify or traumatize the little morkie!! she's too precious.

I got Jackson at 9 weeks old and the following day, he had a bath! So I think it's okay. :) I don't think dogs naturally have fleas... atleast Jackson never did, and I didn't even get him from a good breeder. But I don't know.

yeah its probably okay! i just dont want her to smell all funky and weird and be covered in dirt... ahah and its funny that you admit you didnt get jackson from a good breeder. snickers was my first puppy ever, and i bought him from a mom and pops pet store (organic of course) but still!! big risk taken there, he's perfectly healthy though.. :) and full of energy!

I didn't know any better at the time. She was just a woman whose Yorkie dog had puppies, so he was raised in a home setting, but she was definitely not a breeder doing any health testing, or breeding to standard. I would never support a breeder like her again.

yeah..i will never buy another dog from a pet store again! you never know where they got them from! scary, i guess we should just both be thankful that our babies are healthy! :)

Definitely. But it's not just pet stores -- I wouldn't really support or trust someone who is breeding Morkies, either, to be honest. And I'm not against mixes, in any way, shape or form. I just think it's pointless to be purposely breeding them for nothing other than profit, you are not bettering any breed by mixing Maltese and Yorkies. If anything, you're combining all their health problems into one. Just my humble opinion :)

i would have to agree with you there:thumbup:

i've been looking for a morkie for quite some now, and i went to visit the kennel today. it wasnt bad, conditions were clean. I of course analyzed everything to make sure the conditions were not dirty and unlivable for puppies, or anything and the breeder was actually very very nice! I have no problem with mixed breeds, i actually think they're just like any other dog that is a purebred. All my aunts and cousins have shihtzu/yorkie and they as healthy as can be. thanks for your humble opinion though!!

I have bathed all mine soon after I brought them home, but with the little ones it is extremely important to make sure they are 1000 percent dry so that they don't get a chill. However, 8 weeks is very young to be bringing a baby home- so you may want to wait a little longer.

I think Poppy was 8 or 10 weeks old when I first bathed her.

I start bathing mine weekly at 6 weeks old. I use a puppy shampoo. If you wait until they are older they will be afraid and fight you. Mine get bathed, blow dried, nails trimmed and butt an ears trimmed at 6 weeks. By they time they go to their new homes at 10 weeks or later, they know the routine.

awesome, thats what i figured..guess google isnt always right!!! :D i remember bathing snickers the first day i took him home.. he smelled funky.

Yes, I too think it's ok to bathe your new baby at 8 weeks....just be careful not to get water in her ears. Congratulations!! You'll love having a Morkie. :)

thank you! i've been searching for one for awhile now! I already have a yorkie, thought it would be more interesting to have a mixed breed this time. Plus she is the most adorable thing you've ever seen. and yes.. A BIG NO NO to water in the ears, snickers absolutely hates that too! :rolleyes:

I do recall taking a bath the day we got Carlo, and the day we got maxine. I am not sure how soon after we got them that they were bathed.

I knew you were going to say something like that!

Remy was bathed the night I picked him up

As a breeder, I never give their first bath until after their first vaccination at about 9 weeks of age. However, when my new puppy owners come to pick up their new pup I request they come with plenty of time. I do this so that I can teach them how to bathe the puppy and give them basic grooming skills. So, there pup goes home clean and fresh.

What id they have the basic skill set and know how to bath the pup? Do you serve Lunch and beverages?

Naw, I thought you'd take me out for dinner.

You got it. That would be our pleasure. :)

Just Kidding.......

bath a puppy
 

If your puppy is young and small, you can bath him/her in the kitchen sink. Place a clean wet wash cloth on the bottom of the sink so the pup won't slip.
Use a doggie shampoo instead of human's because of the PH balance. Try to bath your puppy less warm water because dogs are very senstive to heat. Rinse him/her from back to head, this way, he will not be that scared.

Vets and breeders usually would suggest don't bathe the puppy unless he is dirty or very smelly. Too much bathing strips the protecive oils from the coat.

Good luck and have fun bathing your new pups :)


Catt

what kind of shampoo do you guys use? I mean..i know there are certain shampoos that say "puppy" shampoo, but what about those natural ones that are really lightly concentrated and have no harsh ingredients in it. For example just a all natural oatmeal shampoo? I would assume thats okay right? gosh i feel liek i've never had a puppy before.. its just been too long since snickers has been so little! ;)

Bio Groom Fluffy Puppy, it is a mild soapless shampoo. I continue to use it on my adult yorkie's heads.

shampoo for pups
 

Whatever works best for your dog!! I have tried a lot out there that you can find on the market. My pup, Chu Chu has very cottony, fine hair and so far I am very happy with Paul Mitchell. I got the oatmeal one which is also tearless. I don’t think it is possible to bathe a dog without getting some in their eyes so I prefer a gentle product. Using any whitening shampoo on a frequent basis will cause the hair to dry out so I dont really recommend the whitening ones.

And you will find that your pups might have tear stain. Make sure to clean up the hair around their beautiful big eyes and pull out the hair in the ears. Keep their hair out of their eyes and ears are very important. I try to clean their eyes every day. I use clean water on a damp clean rag and try to be sure and get any tear material, which is usually somewhat sticky, off of the face.

Start early and let your pups know that it is routine. Be clam and relax then your pups will be getting more and more clam and relax and accepting the routine. In the beginning, my pups will try to fight and wiggles a lot. Now he is getting used to it. When I clean one eye..he will shut the other and just stays down, my girl friend always says that looks like my dog is having a spa treatment :)

Good luck and have fun!

Catt Moretti

snickers has REALLY REALLY sensitive skin, and he's always biting his paws and scratching himself!! i've tried everything.. :( oatmeal doesnt seem to do any good... the hot spot stuff..nothing. !! i just noticed that alot of yorkies get skin allergies.

None of mine have had skin allergies. I think it might have a lot to do with what you feed them. Cheap food will lead to skin problems. If they do have any sensitivities, the cheaper food is more likely to contain things tht will irritate. Some yorkies have a problem with corn, others wheat, but usually a grain is at the root of the problem. So look to your food for skin problems.

I am surprised no one has mentioned how young your puppy is to be separating from mom & siblings. 8 weeks is much too young for a toy breed. They should stay with mom & siblings at least til they are 12 weeks old. Believe me, it will make a world of difference to their temperment and socialization. Puppies removed from mom & siblings too young can have biting problems, be extra nervous and afraid of everything, not get along with other dogs well, bond with one person and be more afraid of everyone else, take longer to house train, and in general not be as well adjusted as those who are given the benefit of a good start. Mom & siblings teach so many things that you do not see. A gentle nip, a nose poked to encourage the right direction -- mom is always busy correcting the pups. Such a shame when puppies are denied a full month of mothing!!! If you could watch a litter with their momma dog from 8 to 12 weeks of age, you would realize how much they stand to benefit!! Please ask the breeder to keep longer. If it was me -- that would be a red flag to turn me away from the breeder. If she does not care enough to keep the puppies together with mom & siblings for the full benefit of nurturing, she would not be the breeder for me. Of course, I would also not be going with a breeder that purposely mixed breeds for not other purpose than to line a pocket. :( My advice is to keep looking!