When to Bathe a Boxer Puppy for the First Time

After giving birth, the boxer mother licks her cubs thoroughly and places them neatly in her basket or bed. From that moment onward, when they urinate or defecate most likely the mother will groom them and lick their deposits - in the wild they do this to avoid being tracked by their smell and thereby confuse predators.

Ideally, the pups remain for at least three months with their mother and it is her who teaches them about behavior and cleanliness; boxer dogs, despite their drool, are a particularly clean breed.

Unfortunately, most puppies are separated prematurely from their parents, sometimes even as soon as 15 days old. This means that they do not learn as fast as they should, and they do not have the warmth of their parents, which hinders their whole learning process.

For this reason, if your boxer puppy is under a month old you must avoid bathing it at all costs. As boxer puppies are so small, they will have difficulty regulating their temperature.

If your boxer puppy has urinated or has dirtied themselves in any other way, you should use baby wipes. These are only slightly damp, and they will remind them of their mother's tongue. You can also use a very soft natural hair brush and brush them every two or three days.

At this stage, the puppy begins to receive its vaccines. It is very important to note that you should not bathe your dog if it has been less than a week since they were vaccinated, or before doing so.

Also this is when they learn a routine of urinating and defecating, and in order to avoid them getting dirty we recommend keeping track of the times they relieve themselves, which are usually after sleeping and eating.

If you still think that wipes and brushes are not enough because your boxer puppy is fouling that much (something which not should happen), you can start to think about giving them their first bath, but always keep to the timelines mentioned above before and after any vaccinations. As always, make sure you're properly following the recommended vaccination schedule for dogs.

Before you do anything, check with your vet which is the best shampoo for your boxer puppy; their skin is too sensitive to use one for adult dogs. Follow these steps:

1. Get a small plastic container.
2. Find a warm and draft-free place in the house.
3. Fill the container with warm water.
4. Wash the pup and apply shampoo.
5. Rinse off and take them out of the water.
6. Dry thoroughly with a towel or even use a hairdryer at a low setting if it is still damp; a puppy cannot stay wet.

Although the experience of bathing a boxer puppy is sweet and fun, you should not do it on a regular basis as puppies have natural fat in their skin that gives them some protection.For this reason, if you bathe them constantly you will eliminate the layer of protection, exposing it to the environment, diseases, allergies and sensitivity.

Avoid washing your boxer puppy unless it is strictly necessary and leave a minimum of 25-30 days between baths.

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