Private parts and cleanliness for doodles

[Nancy and Georgia Brown]

Okay, I'm sure this has been brought up, probably countless times, but after a few searches my issue didn't come up. Maybe I just didn't type in the right words.

My pup is perfectly healthy (but maybe that is an assumption on my part) and potty training is going well. She's 9 weeks old yesterday and I have had her for a week.

She licks her pee pee constantly. There are hairs that are long in that area and they get wet when she pees. It's dried and crusty when it isn't wet. There are stains on her bedding. She's not peeing in her crate, I just think is residue from the hairs and/or licking.

The questions are: What is the proper way to keep that area clean and healthy? Do I trim those hairs even at this young age? Do I have to wash that area a couple times a day?

My last dog was a short haired dog and this was never an issue. So this is all new to me.

[Nancy and Georgia Brown]

I want to add she is the perfect dog. I read all the other problems people have with their pups and I was prepared for the worst. But crate training was a breeze. She has a soft bite-hasn't destroyed a single chew toy yet. She sleeps through the night (although I'm so paranoid that I take her out if I wake up anyway). She's very mellow most of the time. And she's gorgeous (slightly biased opinion). I think I hit the jackpot with her and I can't really take any credit being a newbie to puppy raising. Knock on wood.

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

If you haven't already done so, I would have her see a vet to get the constant licking checked out. To me, that doesn't seem normal for a young pup. My Lucy will lick her private parts for several minutes at a time, but she does that to her feet too on occasion. But she's kind of obsessive/compulsive about certain things and I don't pay too much attention to it (she'll also lick Oscar's face for several minutes, as though it's a compulsion). In a young puppy I would be more inclined to think something is bothering her down there and it should be looked at by a vet. BTW, your puppy really IS gorgeous!

One other thing, I personally have never cleaned Lucy's private parts, other than when giving her a bath. Oscar, OHOH, gets his cleaned with a baby wipe after he pees.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

I would have her checked out too if it's excessive licking but I would have a good look and see if there is any redness or soreness in the area. I would trim the hair and if she is squatting low and wetting herself a little I would use a baby wipe a couple of times a day. My boys have their pee pee hair trimmed by me regularly LOL

[BG and Gavin]

Gavin grooms right after he pees to clean himself up, but that is the only time.  I would have a good look at it as it may be an infection or something.  You may need to consult the vet if she continues.  I would also give it a wipe with soap and water.

[Breanna]

When I got Crush I was told not to let her lick her privates and to clean with a baby wipe often. I trimmed it up with an electric razor (no risk of snipping her) when she was about six months old. I'm not expert so that is my only experience. After trimming it up with a razor the area has seemed a lot more clean. 

[Judy, Meg & Polly Wolly Doodle]

we have the girls trimmed up each time they are bathed because of the same problem it's much nicer when its trimmed. baby wipes in between are nice as well

[Adina P]

Oh she's only 9 weeks...puppy madness might just be brewing.. ;-)

[Pam & Trixie]

Trixie had puppy vaginitis...it was several years ago...so I forget the symptoms...But you could google it & see if that sounds like something she might have.  I posted a little bit about it abuut 2 years ago or so...but I mainly mentioned that i delayed her spay because of it...

We did use baby wipes with her...usually only at night as that was when I read it was most important to keep bacteria away

[Nancy and Georgia Brown]

I will have to look out for that. The odd thing is that she can sleep through the night without having to go out. I have her crate next to my bed and elevated so I hear most sounds. She does fuss a bit, but nothing that lets me know she really needs to go out. She has never peed in her crate. If I do take her out she does pee, but with the treats she almost always pees when I take her out, even if it's a dribble she really wants the treat.

I let her out so frequently during the day and night that I'm not sure how she would tell me if she really needed to go out. That might be the bit in potty training I have to learn. I am concerned about the potty bells. She loves being in the back yard, so I"m not sure how to distinguish potty bells as she has to go potty vs she can get outside and play.

[Pam & Trixie]

Here is a link on puppy vaginitis symptoms: http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/diseasesandconditions/a/CW-PuppyVag...

Trixie never had many accidents & slept through the night pretty good. ...Lots of puppies can sleep through pretty good...because they are sleeping...just like we go less often when we sleep.

You can time your potty breaks so that she is not always being let out to go.  make sure you have your specific potty times though...Such as when you first get home...When you let her out of her crate, after eating, etc.

With the bell thing you do have to let them out if they ring it...or they wont want to ring it when they really do have to pee...because they wont know if you will let them out.

You can tell her to go potty when you first let her out & always praise/treat after she goes...no playing with her until after she goes potty...then she will learn that play time comes after.

[Nancy and Georgia Brown]

Thanks,

I will keep an eye out for it. I have such an irregular schedule with work and various other things I just don't know how I can establish a daily routine. It's not that I am away for long stretches as I am currently at home most of the time, it's just that my daily schedule is not in any way consistent.

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

I have never heard of puppy vaginitis, and the link provided didn't say much about symptoms. I did a google search and found more on symptoms here: http://dogcare.dailypuppy.com/juvenile-vaginitis-female-pups-4409.html

It sure sounds like this may be what this puppy has.

Nancy, Oscar doesn't often tell me when he has to go, either, but I do take him out at regular times throughout the day. Mainly, after meals, any time he comes out of his crate, every 2-3 hrs if he's been out of his crate and before bed (he's 14 mos. so he needs to go out far less than a 9 week old puppy). He rarely needs to tell me he has to go as he goes out so often on a regular schedule. When he does tell me, its by just standing at the back door and staring at me. He never did get the potty bells, which Lucy uses on a regular basis. And yes, she often rings the bells just to go out and not because she has to go potty. Potty bells aren't absolutely necessary and they do have their drawbacks. I think you can work around an irregular schedule as long as you follow the rules I stated above (but with a 9 week old puppy you may want to reduce the time to 1 hr for potty breaks when she's out of her crate).