How to Wash a White Puppy

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Medium
15 - 30 Minutes
1 Week

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Introduction

There is nothing quite as eye-catching as the sight of a snow-white dog walking down the street. However, keeping Snowball looking her best can be a challenge as anyone who owns a white-haired dog can tell you. Since Snowball is still a puppy that likes to get into everything, keeping her coat nice and white is going to take a bit of hard work on your side. Keep in mind that food, urine, and tear stains need to be cleaned up immediately or they could become permanent stains. The good news is that dirt, in general, does not cause staining and regular bathing will keep Snowball clean. 

Dog's Perspective

Keep in mind, you should never over-bathe your dog. This can strip Snowball's hair and skin of their natural oils that protect them. Also note that there are special "bleaching" shampoos on the market, made just for white dogs. Most of these shampoos have a blue or violet tone to them. These shampoos are designed to gently remove stains and restore the brightness to Snowball's coat. 

The Soak the Dog Method

Effective
0 Votes
Slicker Brush
Shampoo
Pin Brush
Towel
Step
1
Soak Snowball down
Put Snowball in the tub and using a handheld shower head or a pitcher, soak her down. Do this slowly with warm water to avoid burning her with water that is too hot or too cold.
Step
2
Add the shampoo
Add a generous portion of the shampoo and rub it into every inch of her fur. Let it sit for a few minutes. This is a good time to give Snowball a treat or a toy to distract her from the act of shampooing.
Step
3
Rinse
Time to rinse Snowball thoroughly. Make sure you remove all traces of the shampoo, along with everything else that was trapped in her coat. You may need to slowly pick out any debris or dirt that may have accumulated.
Step
4
Condition
Using a top-quality conditioner, rub it into her coat. A good conditioner will help reduce staining and keep the fur soft and white. Feel free to use plenty of treats to keep her still throughout this process.
Step
5
Dry
Using a nice, soft towel, dry Snowball off and you should now have your snow-white princess back. Try to resist rubbing the towel along her body and pat her down dry instead.
Step
6
In between baths
You can use baby wipes in between baths to help keep Snowball clean and dry shampoos on her face and legs. A little TLC and Snowball can always look her best when it's time to go out and meet her public.

The Absorption Method

Effective
0 Votes
Slicker Brush
Shampoo
Scissors
Pin Brush
Towel
Step
1
It starts with a bath
Give Snowball a bath using a vet-approved whitening shampoo. Most now have a blue or violet hue to them, which helps make the white of Snowball's coat look whiter. Pay extra attention to those areas that tend to stain the most which include the area under the eyes, her muzzle, chest, and of course, her rump. Let the shampoo soak into her coat for a good five minutes. This will allow it to penetrate the individual hair shafts and release more of the dirt and excess oil.
Step
2
Rinse thoroughly
Using a handheld shower and your fingers, rinse Snowball's coat thoroughly. Take your fingers and run them through her coat to make sure you get all of the shampoo out or the residue could irritate her skin.
Step
3
Condition
Apply a good quality, vet-approved conditioner to Snowball's coat. Try not to get any in her mouth, eyes, or ears as it can cause irritation or nausea. Let the conditioner sit for a few minutes. This allows the hair shafts to absorb more of the conditioner and helps slow down the rate at which they absorb stains. Rinse with tepid water to remove the excess conditioner from her hair. Dry her off with a nice soft towel.
Step
4
Brush out
Using a pin or slicker brush, brush her coat from stem to stern, paying particular attention to those areas that tend to stain the most. Always work in the direction in which Snowball's coat is growing. This will help remove tangles and spread the natural oils her skin develops throughout her coat.
Step
5
Those stains
Start by making a paste of hydrogen peroxide and cornstarch and apply it to those areas of Snowball's coat that are still stained. Rub the paste into her fur thoroughly using your fingers. Allow it to remain in place for up to 15 minutes, based on how bad the stain happens to be. Brush out the stained area to remove any debris, then rinse thoroughly with warm water and dry with a soft towel.
Step
6
If the stains remain
If there are still tear stains, urine stains, or food stains in her fur, you can trim the hair back a little at a time. Doing it this way will help you keep things level and will stop you from removing too much hair.

Caution & Considerations

  • Never use shampoos, soaps, or conditioners made for human use on your dog. They contain ingredients that have been found to be toxic to dogs.
  • Always use shampoos, soaps, and conditioners that are vet-approved. This means they have been proven safe for use on your pup.
  • Brush your pup daily, as this will help keep dirt buildup to a minimum and help keep her coat looking nice and white for much longer.
  • If you must trim her hair, use straight thinning shears with a sharp blade and rounded tips.
  • Use baby wipes in between baths to help keep her coat cleaner, especially those areas that are most prone to staining. You may want to keep some of these on hand whenever you go on an outing.
  • Be sure to use tepid water (about the same temperature you would use to bathe a baby). Any hotter than this could burn your pup's skin and cold water may make a bath uncomfortable.

Conclusion

Keeping Snowball looking her best takes a lot of work. In fact, it is a daily task, as you should be wiping her face using a canine wipe daily, using a tear stain remover, wiping her body down with a baby wipe, and, of course, giving her regular baths using a whitening shampoo. No matter how much hard work keeping her coat nice and white might seem, when you sit back, and she gives you that "I look great!" look, you'll know it was all worthwhile!

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