Bathe a Shih Tzu Puppy

Although Shih Tzus keep themselves relatively clean,[1] they still need to be bathed on a regular basis—even more so if they get into something smelly or soil themselves on accident. Your Shih Tzu puppy may not be so fastidious with keeping himself clean, so it will be important for you to know how to bathe him properly. With proper preparation and good bathing technique, bath time will be an enjoyable experience for both you and your puppy!

Steps

Preparing for Bath Time

  1. Purchase high-quality, pet-safe shampoo and conditioner. It is recommended to bathe a Shih Tzu every three weeks.[2] However, puppies may need to be bathed more frequently, since they can soil their bottoms when they defecate. Using high-quality shampoo and conditioner will help ensure that your puppy’s coat and skin will be clean and remain healthy.
    • The variety of shampoos and conditioners from which to choose at your local pet store may be bewildering. To narrow your search, you can look for tearless, puppy-specific shampoos.[3]
    • Hypoallergenic shampoos are also good for puppies. They are free of detergents, fragrances, and additives that may be harsh on your puppy’s skin. Good-quality hypoallergenic shampoos contain such ingredients as avocado, coconut oil, or lanolin.[4]
    • Conditioner has many benefits. It prevents hair breakage, seals the hair shaft (helps to keep out dirt and stains), and can prevent dry and itchy skin after a bath.[4] Conditioner is especially useful in longhaired dogs like Shih Tzus.
    • Spray conditioners are also available that can give your puppy’s coat a nice sheen after bathing. The spray can also protect your puppy’s coat from the sun and other outdoor elements, such as wind and dry air.[2]
    • Leave-in conditioners are ideal for Shih Tzus. Conditioners that need to be rinsed out are usually not strong enough for Shih Tzu coats.[5]
    • If your puppy has specific skin issues, your veterinarian can assist you in identifying which shampoo and conditioner would be best for your puppy.
    • Human shampoos and conditioners have pHs that could irritate your puppy’s skin, so do not use your own shampoo and conditioner to bathe him.[6]
  2. Obtain additional bathing supplies. Other than shampoo and conditioner, you will need several other supplies: comb, brush, cotton balls, towels, washcloths, and a pet-specific blow dryer. The comb should be a double-sided stainless steel comb and will be used after he is dry.[4] A bristle brush will be needed to brush him before the bath.[1]
    • Canine bath brushes are available that are helpful in bathing puppies.[2]
    • Pin brushes especially useful for Shih Tzus, given their long hair.[7] Bristle and nylon mixture brushes are also good for Shih Tzus.[5]
    • The cotton balls will be helpful to keep water out of your puppy’s ears when you are bathing him.
    • You will need several towels: one to put in the bottom of the sink or tub for traction, [1] and a few with which to dry him off after the bath.
    • Washcloths will be needed to clean your puppy’s face and around his eyes.[8]
    • The blow dryer must be specific for pets, since the intense heat from human dryers could result in thermal damage to your puppy’s skin. Blow dryers are especially useful for longhaired dogs.
    • If you plan to groom your puppy after the bath, you may also need nail clippers, styptic powder, and ear cleaner.
  3. Acclimate your puppy to bath time. If this is the first time that your puppy has been bathed, he will need some time beforehand to become comfortable with the bathing process. This means that he will need to get accustomed to the sights, sounds, and sensations of bath time. Your puppy may need only a few days, or he may need even longer (a week or more) until he is at ease with what bath time will mean for him.
    • For example, let him get used to the sound of running water. [9]
    • To acclimate your puppy to the blow dryer, first show it to him when it is turned off. When he is comfortable with it being turned off, turn it on while facing away from him. Gradually move closer to him with the blow dryer turned on until he is not frightened or wary of it. This process may take at least several days, depending on your puppy's comfort level. Give him treats during this acclimation process.[10]
    • Let him sniff all the supplies that you will use to bathe and groom him.[9]
    • In addition to his regular play time, spend time touching his paws, handling his ears, and rubbing him all over in general.[9] The more comfortable he is with you touching him, the better he’ll react to you rubbing him with shampoo and conditioner.
    • Give your puppy plenty of verbal praise and treats when he responds positively to the acclimation process.[9] Rewarding him will help get him ready to have a positive experience at bath time.

Bathing Your Shih Tzu Puppy

  1. Prepare the bathing area. Because your puppy is so small, you can easily bathe him in either the utility sink (if you have one) or the bathtub. Whichever location you choose, be sure to place either a towel or slip-proof mat on the bottom surface to keep your puppy from slipping or falling during his bath.[1]
    • In addition, it is important for puppies to be warm.[3] A small space heater may be useful in keeping the room warm.
    • Organize all of your supplies in the bathing area. This will keep you organized and efficient, as well as lessen the chance that you will have to turn your back on your puppy during the bathing process.
    • Place some of your puppy’s toys in the sink or bathtub. This will help keep him entertained during the bath and will make the experience more fun for him.[11] Plastic toys and toys inside which you can hide a treat are good to have your puppy play with during bath time.[12]
    • Consider diluting the shampoo (1 part shampoo to 10 parts water)[1] and conditioner (1 part conditioner to 8 parts water).[4] Diluting each product may be necessary if your puppy has particularly sensitive skin.
    • It would be helpful to keep some treats nearby to feed to your puppy while you are bathing him.
  2. Bring your puppy to the bathing area. Rather than calling him to come to you, you should go to him, pick him up, and carry him to the sink or tub.[6] If your puppy is extremely young, he may not yet know how to respond consistently to his name being called—this is another reason to go to him rather than call him to come to you.
    • Walk slowly with your puppy and talk to him in a quiet and soothing voice to keep him calm before bath time. His first bath may be an unsettling experience for him, so you will want to make him feel as comfortable as possible.
    • You can also offer him some treats as you are carrying him.
  3. Brush your puppy. Use a bristle brush to smooth out your puppy’s coat and remove mats (areas of clumped fur) before bathing him. These mats can become nearly impossible to comb or brush through when the fur becomes wet, so it is preferable to get the hair as smooth as possible before getting your puppy wet.[2]
    • Shih Tzus have long hair, which can make brushing a challenge.
    • Detangling sprays are available that could help you brush through knots and mats in your puppy's fur.[8] Detangling products are available at your local pet store.
    • Spraying water on your puppy's coat while you are brushing him can also brush through knots.[1]
    • Brush down your puppy and toward his back.[1]
  4. Get your puppy wet. It is very important to test the temperature of the water before getting your puppy wet. The water should be no warmer than lukewarm. [2] If you are bathing him in your bathtub, try using a handheld showerhead to get him wet. If he is frightened by the showerhead, you can fill a pitcher with water and pour the water over him.
    • Gently hold his head up to avoid getting his face and eyes wet.[1]
    • Make sure that you place cotton balls in his ears before getting him wet.[1]
  5. Apply shampoo to your puppy’s coat. Follow the instructions on the shampoo bottle to determine how much shampoo to use. Starting from the back of your puppy’s head and working your way back to his tail, use your hands to gently work the shampoo into his coat and skin. As mentioned previously, you could use a canine bath brush rather than your hands to bathe your puppy.
    • Pay particular attention to your puppy’s belly and the area between his back legs.[13] These areas tend to get very dirty, so you want to make sure you don’t miss these places when you bathe your puppy.
    • Gently position your puppy's head upward when shampooing him to avoid getting shampoo in your puppy’s eyes, ears, and mouth.[11]
  6. Rinse out the shampoo. Residue from the shampoo can make your puppy’s skin itchy and uncomfortable,[11] so you will need to rinse his coat thoroughly to remove all of the shampoo. Because dogs’ coats tend to be thicker than human hair,[11] several rinses may be necessary to get all of the shampoo out.
    • You will know when you have rinsed out all of the shampoo when you no longer see suds in your puppy's coat or in the water in the bottom of the sink or tub.
  7. Apply conditioner to your puppy’s coat. Apply the conditioner in the same way that you applied the shampoo. This is a crucial step to moisturize your puppy’s coat, replenish his skin’s essential oils, prevent hair breakage, and seal the hair shaft.[4] Follow the instructions on the conditioner bottle to determine how much conditioner to use and how long you should leave it in before rinsing it out.
  8. Clean your puppy’s face. Dampen a clean washcloth and gently wipe your puppy’s face. Be sure to wipe in the corners of his eyes, and around his eyes, to remove tear stain and excess goo.[8] Make sure to clean around the corners of his mouth as well.
    • Shih Tzus have shallow eye sockets, which makes them prone to excessive tearing and subsequent reddish-brown tear stains.[14]
    • You can use a small amount of hydrogen peroxide, applied to a cotton ball or small washcloth, to remove the tear stains.[15]
  9. Dry off your puppy. First, use a few towels to pat him dry. It is important to pat him dry, since using a rubbing motion can cause split ends to develop in his coat.[2] Once you have patted him dry, use the blow dryer to finish drying him off. Use one hand to work through and lift the hair while you are using the blow dryer.[2] This will ensure that all layers of his coat are fully dried.
    • To prevent thermal damage to your puppy's skin, use the lowest possible heat setting on the blow dryer and do not keep the heat in any one area for a long period of time.[10]
    • Make sure to keep the blow dryer's nozzle at least a few inches (about five to eight centimeters) away from your pet's coat.[10]
    • Keep in mind that your puppy will probably have the urge to shake off as soon as you finish rinsing out the conditioner.
    • Remember to remove the cotton balls from his ears after you have finished drying him off.

Finishing Up the Bathing Process

  1. Comb your puppy’s coat. When he is fully dried off, use your double-sided stainless steel comb to comb through his coat and remove any tangles.[4] Once his coat is all smoothed out, you can use your spray conditioner to put a nice finishing touch on his coat.
  2. Clean your puppy’s ears. Keeping your puppy’s ears clean is just as important as keeping the rest of him clean. Following the instructions on the ear cleaner bottle, pour the recommended amount of ear cleaner into your puppy’s ears, one at a time, and gently massage his ears. Use a clean cotton ball to clear out any obvious debris.[1]
    • If you are comfortable doing so, use a small pair of tweezers to remove hair from your puppy’s ear canal.[1] If you are unsure of how to do this, your veterinarian or local pet groomer can do this for you.
  3. Trim your puppy’s nails. Using your nail clippers, trim your puppy’s nails down to just above the quick. The quick is the blood vessel that runs halfway through your puppy’s nail.[16] It is easy to identify if your puppy has light-colored or transparent nails.
    • The quick has many nerve endings.[16] If you trim past the quick, not only will the nail start to bleed slightly, but your puppy will experience some pain.
    • If your puppy has light-colored or transparent nails, you may be able to see the quick from the side of your puppy's nail. If this is the case, trim the nail until you see that you are just above the quick.
    • If your puppy has dark-colored nails, trim a very small amount at a time and look at the cut edge of the nail. Stop trimming when you begin to see a gray or pink oval in the cut edge of the nail—this oval is the quick.[17]
    • If you trim the past the quick and the nail starts to bleed, dab a small amount of styptic powder onto the nail to stop the bleeding.[16] The bleeding will stop immediately after you apply the styptic powder.
    • If you are not comfortable with trimming your puppy’s nails, your veterinarian or local pet groomer can perform this task.

Tips

  • Because of a puppy's tendency to soil itself, regularly trimming the hair around your puppy’s anus can help keep this area relatively clean.[2]
  • Your puppy may not be very cooperative when you try to bathe him. If this is the case, consider taking him to your local pet groomer to get him bathed.

Warnings

  • Frequent bathing can strip your puppy’s skin of important essential oils.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 http://www.mustloveshihtzus.com/shih-tzu-grooming-tips/
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 http://www.allshihtzu.com/bathing-a-shih-tzu
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://www.dogchannel.com/dog-information/dog-groomer-salzberg/when-to-bathe-a-puppy.aspx
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 http://www.dogchannel.com/dog-information/dog-groomer-salzberg/smells-like-shih-tzu.aspx
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 http://www.theshihtzuclub.co.uk/breed-resources/grooming/grooming-long-coat
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 http://www.vetstreet.com/dr-marty-becker/simple-tricks-to-make-dogs-bath-time-easier-faster-and-neater
  7. ↑ http://www.allshihtzu.com/shih-tzu-grooming-tools
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 http://www.pets4homes.co.uk/pet-advice/how-to-groom-and-care-for-the-coat-of-the-shih-tzu.html
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_Shampoo.php
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 http://www.vetstreet.com/dr-marty-becker/is-it-safe-to-blow-dry-my-dog
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/bathing-your-dog
  12. ↑ http://www.petmd.com/dog/grooming/evr_multi_bath_time_fun#
  13. ↑ http://www.pets4homes.co.uk/pet-advice/how-to-groom-and-care-for-the-coat-of-the-shih-tzu.html/
  14. ↑ http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/dogs-and-tear-stains
  15. ↑ http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/dogs-and-tear-stains?page=2
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 http://www.petmd.com/dog/puppycenter/grooming/evr_dg_clipping_nails#
  17. ↑ http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/ClientED/dog_claws.aspx

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