How-To Bathe Your Puppy

As the weather warms up, Teddy is coming back from the park muddier and muddier!

Usually baths are something I leave to the groomer (he goes monthly), but I can't let a muddy puppy live in my house!

When I first got Teddy, I had no idea how to bathe him.  He was so tiny, that I used a mixing bowl! You can check that out in this video.  He was so small and freezing, I swear he was shivering for hours afterwards.

one muddy pup in a tub

Now that he is bigger, I bathe him in the bathtub.  I tried the kitchen sink, but he just runs out, all over the counter making a huge mess.

Here is a step by step guide on how to bathe your puppy:

1. Fill a bathtub with warm water
2. Have a bowl ready beside you, for rinsing
3. Wet your puppy, either in the tub, or using your bowl
4. Lather them in your favorite shampoo.  We have been using Earthbath Eucalyptus and Pepperment since Teddy was a baby.  It was reccomended for his dry, itchy skin, and it stopped his itches right away.  We recently received an amazing shampoo from Aesop as a gift, and can't wait to try it when this bottle is finished!
5. Rinse using your bowl
6. Reward the puppy with a treat so they love bath time.

Sounds easy, right? Not so fast.

Puppies get confused by loud sounds, and Teddy freaked out the first time I tried to blow dry him.  I figured I would let the groomer do the blow outs, and let him dry naturally after towel drying.  The first bath he had, I made the mistake of leaving the bathroom door open, and he ran around like a maniac! He jumped on and off the couch, trying to dry himself off on my bed, the blinds, the carpet, ANYTHING.

I learned my lesson, and leave him confined to the bathroom until he dries off a bit.  I let him shake off, and cuddle him in a towel too.

After bath-time is over, you will finally notice your tub filled with mud - let the cleaning begin!

For more how-to's, tips and ideas, make sure you keep checking KeepingUpWithTheodor.blogspot.ca, and subscribe! Don't forget to stay in touch on my Instagram @KeepingUpWithTheodor for a regular dose of cute pictures.