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.

Teddy's First Visit to the Vet and Other Adventures

In our contract, The Canadian Kennel Club mandates that Teddy needs to visit the Vet within 2 business days of bringing him home.  Fortunately, I found a lovely Veterinarian, who just opened a new practice, and is taking new puppies.  What is even more fortunate (for me), is that he is open from 9-4 on weekends.  I wish my own doctor had such a flexible schedule!

Being just 1.5 kilometers away, my mother and I decided to walk to the vet.  Teddy however, was NOT keen on walking outside.  The second I put him down on the cold concrete, he started trembling.  Then I realized, not only would this be Teddy’s first visit to the Vet, but it was also:

1. His first steps on concrete
2. His first time being outside in a city
3. His first time seeing cars, buses, and bikes pass by
4. His first time encountering dogs, other than the ones at the breeder
5. His first time meeting people outside of his home

Teddy handled it pretty well considering the world around him was changing.  I tried putting him down on the sidewalk a few times, but he would not walk.  Knowing that many dogs fear the vet, I wanted to make sure that he had a positive experience, so settled on carrying him the whole way there.

The Yonge-Davenport Pet Hospital is a warm and welcoming place.  Dr. Stefanescu and his staff welcomed us at the door, and could not believe how cute sweet Teddy really is.  There was a small greyhound there, and Teddy was not bothered by him at all.  Dr. Stefanescu fed Teddy a treat, and won him over instantly.

Teddy was not intimidated or afraid at all by his exam.  He sat nicely on the counter while Dr. Stefanescu checked his heartbeat, his knees, his weight, and everything else.  I mentioned that he keeps itching, so Dr. Stefanescu checked him out, and noted his dry skin.  He recommended using a moisturizing shampoo, which led to Teddy’s first bath (more to come on that).

Dr. Stefanescu tried to encourage Teddy to follow us down the hall, back to the front door, but no number of treats, or nice words would get him moving.  I booked his next round of shots, and reviewed insurance options.

After our visit was done, and we (unsuccessfully) tried walking Teddy on the street again, and we headed over to Wooftown, a local pet store whos staff are so nice and friendly.  I had previously ordered a pair (set?) of booties there, which turned out to be too big.  They helped us pick out the perfect harness (the smallest one they had), that I like because it pulls him from the chest, not from the neck like a collar, or from the shoulders like most harnesses.  I will review that in a separate post.

Wooftown also had a good selection of moisturizing shampoos, most of them made from naturally occurring ingredients.  While I am not typically overly concerned with making sure my products are free from things I can’t pronounce, I recognize that Teddy is constantly licking his skin, and might end up drinking a lot of the bath water. 

Wooftown helped me select the Tea Tree and Aloe Vera Shampoo from Earthbath Pet.  I liked it because I know personally how soothing Tea Tree and Aloe Vera are on dry, irritated skin.  It also contains Olive Oil as a moisturizer, and is not overly scented, like the lavender shampoo for example.  I will post separately about this shampoo, and our first bath, but this product is AMAZING! Teddy is no longer itching, his coat is SO soft and fluffy (yay olive oil), and his scent is too good to be true.

Teddy was exhausted after our walk (read: his lift) home, and snoozed for a good portion of the afternoon, even through many rounds of visitors.  Hindsight teaches me that I should have kept him playing, because he did not sleep that night. 

After putting Teddy in his crate, he started his super sad, howling cry, which to me sounds somewhere between a baby shrieking, and a bird.  Definitely not a puppy.  It is the most depressing noise in the world, and even though I know that I am supposed to just let him cry, I could not, so I took him out and played for a bit.  The issue is that he never wanted to go back in, so I ended up sleeping on the floor between his crate and Pet Loo.  Great night for him, horrible night for me.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get your puppy to sleep alone in the night?

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.