My friend and I were visiting the dog park recently when she asked me if I thought dogs were dirty. I looked over at one of my dogs… Standing at the top of a muddy grass-covered knoll. He was playing “king of the mountain” with about 5 other dogs. None of the dogs was more than a foot tall. So the dirt they were kicking up went all over their stomachs and faces. I must have looked at her like she was crazy because she started to laugh… Hysterically. Yes, dogs get dirty! My friend and I are both very careful about what what we wash our dogs with. There are a lot of chemicals and synthetics in many dog shampoos. Together we developed our own holistic DIY dog shampoo and low and behold we’re saving money on grooming!
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How Dirt Is Much More Than What Meets the Eye
No one wants to have a dirty dog. Heck, and really dogs don’t like being dirty. The smells they have may not bother them, but dirty skin… It drives them bonkers. It makes them itchy, and too much itching can lead to infection. The everyday bacteria and germs that develop from their sebum and perspiration, coupled with dirt and dust makes me want to wash my dogs every week. But, we don’t want to strip their oils, so they are groomed every 2 weeks.
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Jump in My bed!?!?
Let’s face it, It is very easy for your dog to get dirty, even if s/he is an inside-all-the-time dog. Dirt comes from more than the obvious places like a muddy dog park. It comes particles in the air, dead skin cells, body oil, food that dries in their facial fur, rolling around in dust or pollen, and even from their daily walks. Plus, their paws get dirty… Really dirty. Not only do they walk on their paws, they sweat through their paws. This is why we recommend daily brushing, and wiping down, as well as regular paw washes!
Infection
As mentioned above, when dogs get dirty they tend to itch. The accumulated debris that builds up on an unwashed dog can have long-term effects. But you also don’t want to strip your dog’s coat of its’ natural oils. This is one reason why you need a mild, but effective DIY Dog Shampoo. When left dirty, a dog will naturally itch due to a histamine reaction. Itching leads to miniscule tears in the skin. When repeated, the cycle becomes fairly unstoppable until infection sets in. Also, dirty dog skin definitely aids in hot spots and yeast overgrowth (source).
What Makes A Good Dog Shampoo
When you give your dog a bath, you should not use human shampoo as it not only is too harsh, it also disrupts the pH balance of a dog’s skin. Why is this? Acid or alkaline differences in human versus dog skin. Human shampoo can dehydrate your dog’s skin, making him or her susceptible to bacteria and parasites.
What To Look For
There are several factors to consider when buying or making your own DIY dog shampoo. These include:
Organic Ingredients
Certified organic ingredients are free from synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, as well as all hormones and antibiotics. In this environment plants and their subsequent oils boost their phytochemical production (vitamins and antioxidants). This translates to healthier skin and fur.
100% Natural Ingredients
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Because skin is the largest organ your dog has, use all natural ingredients. Make sure that the DIY dog shampoo you make, and especially if you buy an OTC product, is chemical free, sulfate free, free of artificial fragrances and colors, and is paraben free. Also, you should be able to pronounce the ingredients in dog shampoo. Nothing with coca-XYZ, isopro-XYZ, methyl-XYZ, etc., and absolutely no artificial preservatives or mineral oil. Scents are not needed, however, if you add them, use well-sourced, dog-safe essential oils.
Our DIY Dog Shampoo Recipes
Coconut Shampoo
Ingredients
- ½ cup Coconut Milk (canned)
- ½ cup Liquid Castile Soap (recommendation: Dr. Bronners Unscented)
- ½ tsp Almond Oil (vitamin E oil also works, if your dog has long hair, add up to 1 tsp of oil)
- Add-On of Choice if desired
Honey Shampoo
Ingredients
- ½ cup Liquid Castile Soap (recommendation: Dr. Bronners Unscented)
- ¼ cup Coconut Milk (canned)
- 2 tbsp Fractionated Coconut Oil
- ¼ cup Honey (should be runny, best not to use raw honey)
- 1 tbsp Almond Oil (vitamin E oil also works)
- Add-On of Choice (note: recipe makes 8 ounces of DIY dog shampoo)
Directions For Making DIY Dog Shampoo
- Combine all ingredients in an amber glass bottle or a PBA-free plastic jar. Ideally your jar should have a pour spout.
- Shake well to mix the ingredients. The honey-based shampoo will require more mixing.
- Store for up to one month if you included add-ons.
Directions For Using DIY Dog Shampoo
Thoroughly brush your dog prior to bath. Before applying shampoo, make sure that your dog is very wet. We wash our dog in sections versus getting our dog wet all over all at once. Shake bottle of shampoo to combine ingredients. Apply one teaspoon of shampoo over the area you plan on cleaning. Work the shampoo into your dog’s fur and skin, massaging and gently raking your fingertips down to the skin. Rinse very well. If your dog is dirty, repeat until water runs clear. Remember to shake the shampoo bottle prior to every use. When done with one area, move on to the next until your dog is completely washed.
Dry Skin Add-Ons
Oatmeal is very soothing for dry skin. This add on works best with castile soap-based DIY dog shampoo recipes. Pour 1 cup of oatmeal into a food processor and grind until it becomes a very fine powder. Mix the powder into the shampoo. Another great add-on for dry skin is aloe gel. Add up to 3 tablespoons of aloe gel to your DIY dog shampoo of choice. When you bathe your dog with dry skin add-ons, allow the shampoo to stand for 3-5 minutes before rinsing. Always shake the bottle of shampoo prior to use.
Essential Oil Add-Ons
Select only therapeutic, properly sourced organic essential oils from reputable companies. Depending on the issue you are remedying, use one or more of the essential oils listed below. Include up to 15 drops in an 8 ounce bottle of the DIY dog shampoo of your choice. Do not use these around your dog’s face, especially their eyes, nose, and mouth, anus, or inner ear flaps. Maintain a separate bottle of DIY dog shampoo for those areas. While oregano essential oil can be beneficial, we do not recommend using it at this time. It is incredibly powerful and overwhelming and should only be used with exacting precision.
We Recommend Plant Therapyessential oils
Word of Caution: Cats are highly sensitive to essential oils. It’s for this reason that we don’t recommend bathing your dog with DIY dog shampoo that includes essential oils if you also have a cat.
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Aging and Inflammation – older, aches and pains: Frankincense, Helichrysum, Melaleuca, Myrrh, Niaouli, and Rosemary.
Natural Insect Repellent – flea, tick, etc: Catnip, Citronella, Geranium, Lemon Eucalyptus, and Lemon Tea Tree.
Pleasant Company – fresh scent: Almond, Lavender, Niaouli, Peppermint, and Vanilla.
Yeasty Skin – overgrowth: Frankincense, Lavender, Lemon Grass, Peppermint, and Rosemary.
Not Into DIY? Here Are Dog Shampoos We Recommend
While there are several dog shampoos on the market, we’ve analyzed many of them in order to select the ones that we would use on our own dogs. Here are a few of the best:
- Earthbath Oatmeal & Aloe Shampoo Fragrance Free (not organic)
- 4-Legger Certified Organic Dog Shampoo (USDA certified organic)
Healthy and Easy and Helps Save You Some Money
We actually really like making our own DIY dog shampoo. It’s easy to do. We’re in control of the ingredient selection. And not only that, it saves us some money. As long as you are 100% knowledgeable about ingredients that your dog can tolerate and the proper use of essential oils for dogs, the options are fairly unlimited!
Rebecca!
p.s. You can use our dog shampoo on humans too!
Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Recipe