Bath Time Tips for Toy Poodle Puppies

The toy poodle requires grooming throughout his life. Therefore, teaching him early to accept brushing and bathing makes life easier for everyone. You should handle your puppy every day if possible. Look in his ears and rub the bottom of his feet where he generally doesn’t like to be handled. Introduce the brush and begin with just a few minutes of grooming. Increase the time you spend brushing him each day until he is comfortable with the process before bathing him.

Take time each day to brush your toy poodle puppy. Before a bath, start with a slicker brush, since his hair is still short and soft. Begin brushing at the base of his skull and work down to his tail. Brush each leg then his chest and belly. Run a comb through the puppy’s coat to check for any mats or tangles. If a tangle is detected, hold the hair straight out and use the comb to remove it. Brush the toy poodle’s ears, tail and top knot with a pin bush.

Place cotton balls in the pup’s ears to avoid getting the inside wet. Wet the toy poodle’s body with warm water. Add a small amount of puppy shampoo to his coat and work it until lather forms. Don’t use the shampoo on his face, since it may get into his eyes and burn. Rinse the puppy’s coat until the water runs clear. Next, wipe his eyes and face with a damp washcloth. Dry the puppy with a towel and use a hairdryer on the lowest setting.

When your puppy gets older, there are several cuts, such as the continental, English saddle and the Scandinavian clip. However, during the puppy years, the lamb clip or puppy cut is sufficient. All of the hair remains the same length, so no clipping is required. As the puppy ages, trimming the ends of the hair helps acclimate him to future clips. Also, handling his toenails gets him ready for nail trimmings.