How Soon Can I Bathe My Dog After She Gives Birth?

A quick bath will remove harmful bacteria.
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Once your dog has given birth, she probably has birthing goo left on her and needs a bath. But you want to wait a least two to five days after she's had her last puppy to give her a bath, allowing her instead to nurture her newborn puppies.

Bath Time

Wait at least two days after the last puppy is born before giving your mama dog a bath. In the meantime, you can use doggie wet wipes to clean up afterbirth and other matter that may be remaining on the mother. The afterbirth contains bacteria that you want to remove, because bacteria can be harmful to the puppies.

Bathing a Mother Dog

After a few days, when you're ready to give mama dog a bath, you want to make it a quick one -- because she will be anxious to get back to her pups. Use a mild dog shampoo to wash around the belly and bum, making sure to get all the afterbirth. Rinse thoroughly, removing all the soap suds. Towel-dry to get the bulk of the water out of mama's coat, then use a hair dryer to make sure she is completely dried. You don't want to return her to her litter with wet fur that can make the puppies cold.