My Cocker Spaniel Puppy Stinks!

by Nikita Goswami
(India, Karnataka, Bangalore)

My cocker spaniel stinks quite a lot but is only 2 months old. Can I give it a flea bath at this age?

Reply From Pauline (Web Owner)

Hi Nikita,

If your puppy is smelling really bad at only two month's old, and it's not obvious what's causing the smell, for example, he hasn't rolled in something really dirty and smelly, I would recommend you take your puppy for a health check with your vet - just to be on the safe side.

Once you're certain that your puppy is not suffering from an underlying illness, you can begin to think about bathing him.

However, if your puppy has dog fleas, these should be treated separately, using an appropriate flea treatment.

Bathing a puppy for the first time can be a frightening experience for a young dog, but it doesn't have to be.

I recommend that before you actually bath your puppy, you allow him to play in an empty bath for a little while to acclimatise him to the bathroom.

When he's okay with the bath, and looks comfortable playing in there, you can then bath your puppy.

I recommend you remove your puppy from the bathroom while you run warm water in the bath as the sound of the water rushing in the bath may scare him.

Check the temperature of the water, it shouldn't be too hot, just tepid.

Make sure you have all you need to hand, ie puppy shampoo, towels, etc. and then go and get your puppy.

Don't forget to close the bathroom door, just in case your puppy makes a bolt for freedom!

So that I don't repeat myself, I recommend you follow the steps recommended in the article in the following link.

Learn how bathing a puppy for the first time can be made stress-free, for both of you!

Take it slowly - bath time should be enjoyed by both your puppy and you; it should be a stress-free time.

Don't forget to keep him really warm until his coat is fully dry.

Enjoy your bath time little puppy!