How To Clean A Puppy's Privates

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How to Clean a Puppy's Privates

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2. Grooming
3. How to Clean a Puppy's Privates

Easy 5 - 10 Minutes 1 Day

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Browse Wellness Plan Options Browse Wellness Plan Options The Female Method Female 6 Votes The Male Method Male 5 Votes

Introduction

A clean body is a healthy body. This goes for any of your dog’s body parts, including their privates. Their sanitary area should be kept rather clean to avoid infections or discomfort when going potty. Whether you’re waiting for bath time or cleaning outside of bath time, your dog’s private areas will need to be cleaned on a regular basis or when they are especially dirty.

Many pet parents notice their dogs self-clean their genitals, but there will be times you may need to clean them yourself. Female dogs in heat might require a gentle wipe, and male dogs might require a cleaning every so often as well, but mostly due to playtime dirt and not for health or sanitary reasons.

Dog's Perspective

Your puppy probably doesn’t care a whole lot about how clean the sanitary area is. They just want to play and eat and sleep and take care of their necessities such as going potty. Just like for bathing or other grooming tasks, you might need to wrangle them down to get them clean but they'll be happy once it’s all done.

Need help cleaning your pup's private parts? Book a Grooming service with a Pet Caregiver near you!

Shampoo Towel Step 1 Bathe While bathing your puppy, suds up the tummy and genitals. Scrub in small circles to get the sanitary area clean, as you do with the rest of her body. Step 2 Backside Be sure to clean the backside of her body as well. She will be uncomfortable if poop is left on her skin. If her fur is long, dried poop can become a bigger issue, so always get this back area clean during each bath. A mild dog shampoo and a bit of gentle scrubbing will do the trick. Step 3 Good rinsing Be sure to always use a fresh water rinse when cleaning your puppy’s privates. Dried soap or shampoo can cause irritation. Step 4 During heat Your puppy will go into her first heat within her first year. Her size and breed will be factors in determining when to expect her first heat. Some pet parents avoid cleaning the pup during a heat cycle, but you should know this can be quite messy. Pads, much like diapers, can help control any mess. A gentle wipe of the genital area will also keep her clean. She may lick the area often as well. Step 5 Wet wipes Whether she is in heat or not, if she needs a quick wipe, a wet washcloth or wet wipe for dogs will work wonders. She will lick her privates clean when she knows they need to be cleaned, but if you’d like to wipe her after going potty, a wet wipe is an easy and efficient way to keep her clean from front to back. Shampoo Towel Step 1 Penis Be sure you are aware of what your dog’s penis looks like normally. It shouldn’t show often but might appear when he’s anxious or has pent-up energy. If it is showing, it should be pink without discharge. When not showing, it should be hidden in the prepuce, which is the area covered with skin and fur. Step 2 Bath While your pup is in the bath, soap up his tummy and clean his privates with dog shampoo the same way you clean the rest of his body. Some pet parents use gloves for this job, but others are fine washing their hands after the bath. This cleaning should be simple and short like all other parts of his body. Step 3 Bottom Be sure you are wiping his bottom as well. Poop stuck in his fur could cause pulling and tenderness. Poo left on his skin could cause dryness and itching. Step 4 Rinse Along with the rest of his body during a bath, once you are done washing, be sure to rinse off the dog shampoo well. Allowing soap to dry on your puppy’s skin could cause itching. Step 5 Simple wipe If your dog doesn’t need a full on bath, you can use a washcloth or wet wipe to get your puppy’s privates clean. Be sure to clean both the genitals and the backside. Always wipe from front to back to avoid spreading bacteria to the genitals. Step 6 Trim Male puppies might benefit from a short trim of the fur on the tip of the prepuce sheathing the penis. If left long, this fur typically contains a drop or two of urine until it’s wiped clean. Unfortunately, this drop or two often ends up on the carpet, furniture, or even humans.

Caution & Considerations

• Your puppy will do much of their cleaning on their own.
• Excessive licking could signify an issue or irritation.
• Dried urine or poop on the skin or fur could cause matting and skin irritation.
• Keeping your puppy’s privates clean can help keep this area free of irritation and dry, itchy skin.
• Be sure you are familiar with what your dog’s privates should look like.
• A male dog may have normal discharge. You might want to clean the area during these times, but try not to worry too much about the discharge if it is a small amount and not a regular occurrence. Typically your little guy will clean his privates when this happens before you even realize it’s happening.  
• Your female puppy might go into heat at an early age. She’ll lick her genitals often to keep them clean.
• Consider wiping her and keeping her crated or covered to avoid getting any mess all over your house.
• While bathing or trimming, be sure to check your puppy’s backside for dried poop. You’ll want to keep this area trimmed to avoid poop getting stuck in your pup’s fur.

Conclusion

You’ll want to keep your puppy’s privates your business so they can stay clean and healthy. Your puppy may clean and maintain them all alone, but a healthy dog is one who trusts their owner to care for this as well. Pay attention to any odd signs of trouble and clean as usual.

If you'd rather leave it to the experts, book a Grooming service with a Pet Caregiver near you!

Success Stories and Grooming Questions

Grooming Questions & Answers

Question Rumble Pit bull 1 Year 1 found helpful Question 1 found helpful Rumble Pit bull 1 Year

My Son rescued Rumble- unsure of breed/age (trainer said maybe a year/just over a year). He has very sensitive skin and we are thinking when he pees, it goes on his skin and irritates it. He obviously licks himself a lot.I would like to make wipes for him. Can I use a mixture of Castile soap, Vitamin E or Aloe? I have read that tea tree and lavender essential oil is toxic. Any help is appreciated!

4 years, 2 months ago Rumble's Owner Question Lady Papillon 10 Years 0 found helpful Question 0 found helpful Lady Papillon 10 Years

Irritation Issues.How often should I bathe Lady? I have had a hard time keeping her from itching at some point, each summer when it seems the topical flea treatments aren't enough with how often we go to parks or the beach. So, I have to treat my home by vacuuming, thoroughly cleaning her bedding, and more frequent and diligent grooming. When I notice her scratching after being treated, I assume I was unsuccessful and now have more of a pest issue than before. The defeat comes knowing I have to start the process over. Too much bathing can't be good for her coat or her anxiety. Not enough means more and more bites from crawling bugs to drive us both insane. I noticed her skin can redden in small patches where she's been biting and I worry all day that I am making it worse. I want her to get a break from all the discomfort and finally feel I've treated her properly. Until she is flea-free AND her hot spots clear up, I will always feel I am not bathing enough to kill all the fleas AND that I bathe her too much and am causing her even more discomfort. Her armpits have gone raw in less than a dime-sized area where she chews at herself the most. Would a cone be the only way to let her heal if she can't leave her fur alone? Am I not rinsing her enough, and soap residue is the culprit? What's the right balance to keep her and healthy without irritating her skin and causing other issues?Thank you for your time,Distraught Dog Dad

4 years, 2 months ago Lady's Owner

Bravecto. You only have to give it to her once every 3 months and it works. It may be a little costly but it is actually much cheaper in the long term. Definitely worth it.

2 years, 6 months ago Sheila P.

Bravecto. You only have to give it to her once every 3 months and it works. It may be a little costly but it is actually much cheaper in the long term. Definitely worth it.

2 years, 6 months ago Sheila P. Question Sheila pit bull terrier 5 Years 1 found helpful Question 1 found helpful Sheila pit bull terrier 5 Years

Hi my dogs genital areas look dirty. It looks like she has dirt in the pores. I have tried a warm washcloth, but I am not very sure how to clean it and help her out. I don’t want to hurt her.

7 years, 6 months ago Sheila's Owner Paige Thompson Dog Groomer 0 Dog owners recommended

Hi Leah! It doesnt sound like Sheila is dirty, if the warm wash cloth isnt helping. Many dogs get discoloration on the underside of their body. Its especially noticeable in these areas because of the thin fur. If you think its a cause for concern you should ask your veterinarian during her next exam. Thanks and good luck! Paige

7 years, 6 months ago Question Grey French Bulldog 5 Months 1 found helpful Question 1 found helpful Grey French Bulldog 5 Months

How to remover urine stain in genital area of my female frenchie

5 years, 8 months ago Grey's Owner Darlene Stott Dog Trainer and Groomer 0 Dog owners recommended

Hello and thank you for the question. You have to be careful here, because of where the stain is - you don't want to irritate the area or cause stinging. You could try a gentle fur cleaning wipe from the pet supply store. Or, a dry shampoo from the vet (let them know why you are buying it - they may have the perfect product!). A baking soda paste can be applied to Grey's fur, gently rubbed and thoroughly rinsed afterward. You can also call your local groomer; they may have products for sale, too. Good luck!

5 years, 8 months ago

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Success grizzly German Shepherd 5 Months

poop

5 years, 7 months ago poop 5 years, 7 months ago grizzly's Owner

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