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Cleaning puppy after shipping?

1K views 9 replies 9 participants last post by  Kaiserine 
#1 ·
Hi everyone!

My boy is finally flying home to me this weekend. It looks like it'll be about a two hours and forty minute flight, so I assume the little guy will likely have an accident. I've heard from a few different people to bring towels and baby wipes to clean up pups after they've shipped, is that what you guys would suggest?

I was also wondering if a bath once we get home would be recommended. Just a rinse? Puppy shampoo?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Will reward with puppy pics! ?
 
#2 ·
Rex flew from Colorado to Florida but I don't remember how long it took but when he arrived he was a mess. There wasn't any option, he had to be bathed. You figure they're in the shipping crate for at least an hour (probably more) before they take off and then another hour when they land, and then the flight time itself so you know there's gonna be a bit of a mess to clean up.
 
#3 ·
Ask you breeder if they bathe before they ship out. If they do then just a rinse will be fine, using shampoo will dry out their coat. However deciding if you should depends on the state of the puppy, however expect to need to give puppy a bathe. (Just the thought of urine sticking to a coat makes me cringe.) Have multiple towels ready, about 2-4, already covering your backseat. And one not covering your seat to carry puppy to the bathroom, should puppy need a bath.

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#4 ·
If the puppy is a mess, just leave it in the crate until you get home.
Feed him, love on him, and once he's had a chance to unwind and relax, give him a warm bath.
Use high quality puppy shampoo. Shampoo, rinse, drain all water, shampoo and rise again.
One good bath will not cause irreparable damage to his coat or dry out his skin too much.

The last puppy I had shipped to me stunk to high heaven! Her crate was a toxic waste dump...LOL.
I put on my oldest most ragged clothes, stuff I threw out afterward. Once she arrived, I spent 4 hours with her. I fed her by hand, loved on her, made her very happy to be in her new home. When I could see that she was relaxing and beginning to understand that I was her new friend, I filled the utility sink with 4 or 5" of warm water and added a great deal of shampoo in it. I quietly set her in the shampoo/water, and offered her some steak leftovers, she paid more attention to the food than the water. Once she was comfortable standing in the water, her bath began. After the first shampoo, she was put in a clean crate for a few minutes as I refilled the sink. She was not as excited about the second shampoo, but never panicked, as some do.

To this day, this lady LOVES being bathed.
 
#5 ·
I always bring a bottle of water, some kibble, a bowl or cup, paper towels, hand sanitizer, a plastic bag or two, and a leash.

Breeders usually withhold food and water for a period of time before shipping which helps cut down on mess.

I always park on the end of the lot, leash the puppy, let it do its business, give it a little water and maybe a little kibble and let the puppy have a little breather.

I take this time to also clean any mess in the crate as I don't want the puppy wallowing in poo or pee any longer than they have to. You might consider bringing a clean towel with you.

What one breeder does is to cut out a piece of sturdy cardboard the size of the bottom of the crate and wrap a towel around it and tape it in place. This way it gives you a clean side to flip for the ride home.

You might not want to give the pup a bath immediately because his resistance might be a little low with all the stress from changes and the plane ride. If you felt it was necessary, you might want to do a sponge bath and dry the puppy thoroughly.
 
#6 ·
i had 2 dogs shipped from MO to NJ both times with a layover in atlanta. one dog got stuck a for a few extra hours during the layover 'cause snow in NJ. both came fine no mess at all. some pee soaked up by the towels on the bottom. so i can't help other than letting you know it's not a guarantee it's going to be all messy.
 
#7 ·
airlines here will not let you put ANYTHING in a crate other than paper ...

I advise taking a jug of water, several towels, fresh bedding for the crate, a HARNESS!!! cheapie one from walmart fine....puppies can slip collars because they are NOT leash trained...put that harness on IN THE BUILDING - I know people who have lost panic-ed puppies!!!! Whoever is with you can dump the crate contents if dirty, re-bed the crate....meanwhile, you can wet down a towel and use that to clean him a bit if needed....I always have plastic bags for dirty bedding so you can throw it away easily...

Have fun with your puppy!

Lee
 
#8 · (Edited)
Oooohhhh! How exciting!

Our Raff just flew to us from Kansas City a few weeks ago. Kansas to a Knoxville, TN with over an hour stop in Chicago.

Miracle of miracles--he kept his crate clean! Maybe you'll have similar good fortune.

One word of advice--I would not let him out to potty until you get home. There could be parvo and all kinds of awful stuff on the ground.
 
#9 ·
Benny flew from PA to WA with an hour (I think) layover in Chicago. I took some old towels, water for drinking and sluicing out the crate, a bowl, paper towels, disposable gloves, and a kitchen size garbage bag to dispose of the garbage from cleaning the crate and/or puppy. When he arrived the crate was a mess and so was Benny to a lesser extent. We gave him some water, removed the soiled puppy pad, wiped off Benny, and rinsed and dried the crate. I let him relax a bit when we got home, fed him, then bathed him.
 
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