How often do you take a bath? How often do you bathe your dog? It’s a normal thing for us to take a shower every day, or every other day, etc. It’s not recommended to bathe our dogs too often. Nobody likes to have dirty, muddy, little 4-legged creatures running around the house, not to mention the stinky smell that often comes along with it. Unfortunately, it’s not always up to us. Dogs play outside, where there’s dirty water and mud. Before you know it, your dog is covered in dust and dirt. So for the sake of our clean household, our carpets, beds, and furniture, we have no choice but to bathe our pups. And this is where dog shampoo comes in handy for us.
"Next stop: your sofa!"
Also, let’s not forget that dog shampoos aren’t just used to clean the pet itself from mud and dirt. Many of them are used for medical purposes. And that’s what we’ll discuss today: dog shampoos from A, all the way to the Z.
First of all, there is a misunderstanding among some pet owners that want to shower their little friends using their own shampoo, thinking that it’s a good alternative to a dog shampoo. That’s a really bad idea! Don’t get me wrong, dogs are similar to people, of course. But it doesn’t mean that they should be washed with human shampoo. There’s a “slight” difference between our skins and pH balances, and in every remaining aspect of our outer bodies. So let’s get this one out of our way before proceeding, PLEASE DON’T WASH YOUR PET WITH YOUR OWN SHAMPOO! There are a lot of different dog shampoos out there. So look around and do the research. Imagine yourself choosing what to wash your hair with: I’m pretty sure it does take you more than a few minutes to read the labels and see which one fits your skin and hair type. So, it’s very easy and self-explanatory to do the same for your pup. Below are a few tips and aspects you should pay more attention to:
"Your shampoo is not good for me!"
Does your dog have a sensitive skin?
Don’t underestimate your dog. As strong as he might be, it doesn’t mean he can’t have a sensitive skin. So try to avoid using dog shampoos that have artificial coloring, fragrances, and other artificial ingredients. The principle of “everything natural is better” can be applied here very well. So going for natural fragrances and moisturizers is the best decision in this case. Vitamin E, Aloe Vera, Chamomile, Tea Tree Oil are some of the top ingredients to look at while choosing.
"My skin is so sensitive!"
Pay attention to the pH balance of your pet’s skin
The average pH balance that dog shampoos should contain is level 7. So make sure you choose it wisely to be balanced with your dog’s skin type. As we already said, there are a wide variety of different dog shampoos. A big chunk of them have a soothing effect. Shampoos that contain Aloe Vera calm itchiness and moisturize the skin. Such dog shampoos for itching help with the overall condition of your dog’s skin, keep it moist and nurture it.
"Pay attention to the pH balance of my skin...Not sure what it is…"
There are a lot of different dog shampoos for dry skin as well, particularly those same ingredients like aloe vera, tea tree oil, shea butter or glycerin. Basically anything natural that has a replenishing, refreshing and calming effect on the skin. Not forgetting one of the worst skin diseases, the sarcoptic mange condition in our pups, dog shampoos for mange are a great solution for milder cases. In fact, dog shampoos that contain medical benzoyl peroxide are one of the best ways to help get rid of those highly contagious buggers. Such shampoos also help reduce itching or scratching of the irritated skin. Washing your dog every day with a shampoo, generally, is not the best thing to do. However, there are dog shampoos for lice that require consistent using in order to help combat them. Especially the ones that contain d-Limonene help kill the lice. Also, such shampoos are usually non-toxic for your pet. So it’s safe to use them for such conditions.
"Only the best for me, please!"
To sum things up:
- It is not recommended to bathe your pet every day, especially with dog shampoos.
- Washing them even with water is enough for more frequent baths.
- There are a number of dog shampoos that are not only helpful to clean the dirt and get rid of the bad smell your pup might have.
- There is a wide array of dog shampoos that are used to kill bacteria, mites, lice, that help calm and soothe itching skin and moisturize dry skin.
- All you have to do is be very picky and attentive while choosing the best dog shampoo for your 4-legged little friend.
Happy bathing!