How soon can I bathe my baby?

[Sadie_Mae]

So far I've just been cleaning her with baby wipes but she really needs a bath. I will continue to use wipeys if that is what is what's best but would love to give her a real bath if its not to soon. She will be 7 weeks tomorrow. Thanks for your assistance

[yorkietalkjilly]

I would wait. She's just an infant really and still should be with her mommy for her best start in life until she is 12 week of age, most reputable breeders and those of expert credentials in the dog world tell us. Just the trauma of changing homes can be upsetting to these little things and baths are frequently so very scary to dogs just coming into a knowledge of what fear is. It is about this time that a puppy's brain begins to process fear if you read what the dog development experts tell us. I'd get some doggie dry shampoo or just wipe her off with a soapy(using doggie shampoo) washcloth and rinse, rinse, rinse to be no soap residue remains to sicken her if she licks her hair. But just now, I'd allow this very young baby dog to settle in some more before putting her through any significant stress. Breeders whom a puppy have known all its few weeks of life sometimes bathe their dogs before they let them go to a new home (though I would prefer mine not to do it) but typically the dog is at least 12 weeks at that time and much more mature, has dealt a bit with what is fearful and had her momma there to soothe, nurture and help her through it; and besides, a new puppy still at the birth home is familiar with the breeder and the surroundings. A bath from a new owner in a new home without the pup's birth mom nearby to comfort baby afterward could be too unsettling and cause her fear it could take a long, long time to overcome. Just be patient and when she knows you and the surroundings better, say in a few more weeks, then I'd bathe her. Until then, just a "spit" bath.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Here's a kind of neat article and tells about the period of time when dogs learn about fear. Many dog experts think the fear period starts at around 7 weeks of age but that is not a hard and fast rule and can be earlier or later so caution all during this time to try to avoid anything that could really frighten your dog is best avoided.

puppy development stages | Wonder Puppy

[yorkietalkjilly]

Here's the whole article from the above link. I hope it copied and pasted okay. It's from a website called Wonder-Puppy.com.


Puppy Development Stages
The most important time in a puppy’s development is during the first year, especially during the first 4 months of life. By understanding the development stages, we can provide our puppies with what they need when they need it most, for optimal development!

THE IMPRINTING PERIOD: FIRST 4 MONTHS OF AGE
Like children, puppies have a small window of time during brain development when they are most impressionable. This is called the imprinting, or critical learning period. For puppies, the imprinting period is during the first 16 weeks of life. Puppies learn more during this time than they can learn in a life time. Therefore, the quality and quantity of what they experience will have a huge impact on their future personalities and determine the formation of many of their “good” or “bad” behavior tendencies. In fact, such vast change in development happens with each day that passes, the Imprinting Period is further sub-divided into multiple distinct puppy-stages.

FIRST 7 WEEKS
(NEONATAL PERIOD, TRANSITION PERIOD, AND 1ST SOCIALIZATION PERIOD)
In the first 7 weeks of life, puppies gain use of all the senses, become mobile, start growing baby teeth, transition to eating solid foods, and become completely weaned (independent) from their dog moms.
Learning is already rapidly occurring, making it important that human caretakers provide puppies with specific neurological stimulation, a complex environment, and careful, yet thorough, socialization for proper development and adjustment to living in human society.
During this time, there are also very critical lessons that the puppies must learn from their dog moms and siblings. Therefore, puppies should not be removed from their original homes before 7 weeks of age.
7–16 WEEKS (2ND SOCIALIZATION PERIOD)
The optimal time for puppies to be placed with their new human families is at 7-8 weeks of age. As soon as your puppy comes home, time is of the essence for you to provide a huge heaping of high quality socialization and schooling. This is the key to creating a socially self-confident, well-behaved puppy that is strongly bonded to you. It is also the key to preventing yappy, shy, and/or aggressive behaviors from developing later in life! Click here to read what one well-respected veterinarian has to say about the importance of early socialization and schooling.
Fear-Impact Period: During the 2nd Socialization Period, when your puppy is around 8-11 weeks of age, it is important to be aware of what is known as a Fear-Impact Period. If puppies have “bad” or scary experiences during this time, the impressions are likely to last a lifetime and resurface during maturity. So, protect your puppy from these long-term effects by avoiding bad experiences. Should your puppy become afraid for any reason, dangerous or not, immediately step in and remove him/her from the situation. That is good parenting!

4–6 MONTHS (JUVENILE PERIOD)
During this time, your puppy will gain more energy, and become more “mouthy” and restless from the discomfort of teething as the baby teeth begin to fall out and the adult teeth erupt. This will typically occur between 4-6 months of age, but sometimes lasts longer.
Your puppy will also begin to acquire an adult coat and attain most of his/her height. During this time, he/she will also become sexually mature, so this is a great time to get your puppy spayed or neutered… before related behavior problems manifest!
2nd Fear-Impact Period: Starting in the 5th month of the Juvenile period, there may be a Second Fear-Impact Period that lasts for 3 weeks. This is similar to the First Fear-Impact Period. If it does not occur at this time, it will occur later during the Adolescent Period.
iStock_000017125484XSmall
6–12 MONTHS (ADOLESCENT PERIOD)
Hold on tight—your puppy will now be attaining full “puppy power” and will begin to test his/her wings! This is usually a difficult time for many puppy parents, but can be a mess for those with puppies that missed early establishment of boundaries, socialization and training.
Your puppy will be likely to have much more energy, spend more time exploring the environment, become easily distracted, and may even seem less interested in you and forgetful of his/her training skills. Just be patient, consistent, and supportive—make sure boundaries are still well in place, review your training, and continue building on your successes.
2nd Fear-Impact Period (if has not yet occurred): Puppies that did not experience their Second Fear-Impact Period in the last stage of puppy-hood will experience it during the Adolescent Period. The Second Fear-Impact period is similar to the First Fear-Impact Period and lasts for approximately 3 weeks.

1–4 YEARS OF AGE (MATURITY PERIOD)
Golden Retriever (2 years)
Physically, small-medium breed puppies develop more quickly than large-giant breed puppies. Smaller breed puppies will usually attain maturity by around 1 year of age and large-giant puppies can take up to 2 years.
Mentally and socially, a dog may be considered a puppy for up to 4 years!

[yorkietalkjilly]

Can't say I agree with the young age this website recommends spaying/neutering but just wanted to get your their information about developmental stages and when fear-imprinting usually takes place.

[gemy]

AS a breeder I will bathe my pups at 5 or 6wks old, they will also have already had their nails trimmed by then. Been introduced to a very soft brush, had their everything handled, ears, privates, teeth, mouth, paws, etc.

They will not only have heard a blow dryer, but have experienced the rush of air over their bodies. My large breed dogs will not go home until at least 8 wks old. This should not be the case with a small breed.

AS a pet owner who got their pup, their small breed pup at 7 wks old, I would recommend not bathing until at least 10wks old. Try as well as you can to make do with wipes, or dry shampoo. Hopefully your pup will have settled in by then.

Have you brought your pup to the vet yet?

[yorkiefan_]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

Can't say I agree with the young age this website recommends spaying/neutering but just wanted to get your their information about developmental stages and when fear-imprinting usually takes place.

When do you recommend? My vet said I should have Cookie spayed after her first period, and that spaying before two years seems to correlate with a lower risk of a type of cancer (forgot which he said though).

[Sadie_Mae]

Thank you all for your advice. I'll keep using wipeys. We took her to the vet the same day we brought her home. She goes back next Saturday. I have really been babying her to help her learn to trust me. She is doing awesome with me. She has not been without adult supervision since we got her. I have her going to my friends house while I am at work. She's getting lots of socialization but not so much as to over stimulate her.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by yorkiefan_

When do you recommend? My vet said I should have Cookie spayed after her first period, and that spaying before two years seems to correlate with a lower risk of a type of cancer (forgot which he said though).

Getting it done before there first heat (it is not like a period at all) prevent mammary cancer completely. Not spaying your female can cause the to get in infection that can kill them in 24 hours.

[Jmoler]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

Getting it done before there first heat (it is not like a period at all) prevent mammary cancer completely. Not spaying your female can cause the to get in infection that can kill them in 24 hours.

Completely agree!! We spay at our clinic at either 4lb or 4months. Whatever they reach first.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by Jmoler

Completely agree!! We spay at our clinic at either 4lb or 4months. Whatever they reach first.

I wouldn't spay before 6 months

[gemy]

Originally Posted by yorkiefan_

When do you recommend? My vet said I should have Cookie spayed after her first period, and that spaying before two years seems to correlate with a lower risk of a type of cancer (forgot which he said though).

Your vet in my opinion is on top of the latest research. Listen to them. If you like, you can go on here and look up threads I have posted about this very self same subject with links to research articles et al.


Just make very very sure, you know how to a)recognize when heat begins, and b) keep her very very safe over her first heat. Ask the vet for the signs, and start having an eagle eye on your gal around about 6months old and on.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by gemy

Your vet in my opinion is on top of the latest research. Listen to them. If you like, you can go on here and look up threads I have posted about this very self same subject with links to research articles et al.


Just make very very sure, you know how to a)recognize when heat begins, and b) keep her very very safe over her first heat. Ask the vet for the signs, and start having an eagle eye on your gal around about 6months old and on.

Heartily agree. Myself, I'd probably wait until the dog is a year of age to be sure he/she had some weight on it, besides all the latest thought on reasons to wait a bit.