Not cleaning

[Christina Le Breton]

My female doesnt clean herself, and I am unsure which forum this should be in.

She is 10 months old and has never once attempted to clean her vaginal area. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to maybe even train her to? To be honest, I dont like doing it for her but obviously I have to. She is in heat right now, which makes everything worse.

Any advice would be great.

[Jill Ramsey]

Does she like peanut butter? maybe putting a little in the area?...

[Christina Le Breton]

she does, and I have thought of this. Just curious though, if she gets any in the area...I dont want infection lol.

I can try it, hopefully it will work :(

[Jill Ramsey]

just kind of put it around the area, very lightly.

[Amber]

Maybe if you take baby wipes and do it for her for a little while, she'll get the idea?

[Grace Erick]

I'm a 2-1/2 year new dog owner, and I never see my fixed female clean herself. I never thought about it. Maybe it's more of a concern for dog's that are in heat.

Christina, fixing your dog before her first heat cuts greatly of your dog getting cancer, so you may want to consider doing it. I know she is past that, but it may still help. Just a thought.

[heathea]

Okay, eww.
Maybe b/c I have never had a dog in heat (all mine are always fixed) but do you all realize you have just suggested to put gooey pb on a poor dog who is bleeding to encourage her to lick herself.
eww. What if that doesn't work, thats a hell of a mess you got there.
I would recommend cleaning with baby wipes yourself, then using doggie sanitary pads.
I would then probably get the dog fixed as you probably wouldn't want that trait bred into the breed.

Sorry to have such a juvenile response to the pb, but I was eating a Peanut Butter sandwhich at my desk for lunch when I came across this dilema.
Take care,
Heather

[Jill Ramsey]

Sorry Heather!! :neutral:

[Christina Le Breton]

I do clean it for her myself, lots. She is white and gets more then enough baths (sometimes just with water) she gets dirty very easily. Waiting until after she is done her heat to try anything would be my best bet.

She wont be bred, but for the time being the breeder does not want her fixed so we are waiting for a bit. Fully aware of the advantages to altering though...my muts are both fixed. We may fix her in the near future, but for right now....

This is also her 2nd heat. We do have doggy diapers that I line with thin pads as well.

[Jesse Cruz]

You know since they very first day my babies came home I ALWAYS use unscented baby wipes to clean them after they go potty, whether its #1 or #2. They are so use to this that when we walk into the house they just sit in the foyer waiting for their turn to get cleaned :o .

That's something that keeps them clean at all times and your house too. I freak about them putting dirty butts on my pillow, sorry :bunny:

[Christina Le Breton]

haha, thanks for that.

Yes, we clean her very often. And when the boys get the yucky yellow stuff, we rinse them out.

I guess they are more like babies then one thinks :)