Homemade Dog Shampoo
Here is a recipe for a dry dog shampoo to use when you haven’t got time to bathe your dog or if he is too big to pick up and put in the bath.
Is your dog like a dirt magnet?
Here are the ingredients for a dry shampoo using two items you may already have in your store cupboard.
Just mix equal parts of baking soda and cornstarch.
Add a few drops of lavender or another essential oil (optional)
Put into an old talcum powder container, spice or pepper pot.
Apply to the dog’s dry coat whilst brushing, avoid getting the powder in eyes and nose.
Rub down with a towel to remove all the powder.
How does dry dog shampoo work?
The baking soda is a natural deodoriser, the cornstarch removes excess oil. the essential oil simply adds a little fragrance.
This can be repeated weekly if necessary.
Homemade flea shampoo
This is a gentle, homemade, inexpensive dog shampoo which should kill fleas, certainly worth a try before you buy the branded ones which cost loads and contain chemicals.
You will need:
Half a cup of water
Quarter of a cup of baby shampoo
A quarter of a cup of white or apple cider vinegar.
Mix in a spray bottle and apply all over the dog.
Leave for five minutes
Comb to remove dead fleas.
Rinse and comb again.
Bathing Tips
Start with the body first and head last, a dog tends to shake once his head is wet.
Use an old sponge to get into difficult areas.
The fur should literally be ‘squeaky’ clean, that’s how you know that all the dog shampoo has been rinsed out.
Pop a cotton ball, loosely, into each ear to help keep the inside of the ears dry. Infections can start when the ears get wet.
Put a towel on the bottom of the bath to prevent skidding.
When drying, blot, don’t rub, this will prevent tangles.
Be prepared to get very wet!
How Often Do You Bathe Your Dog?
Surprisingly, it is possible that you could be bathing your dog too much.
It can lead to:-
Damaged hair follicles
Skin Irritation
Increased chance of bacterial or fungal infections.
A dog who is mainly in the home should only have a bath 2-3 times per year but a dog with a skin condition or allergy will need to be bathed much more frequently.
If your dog rolls in mud, let it dry as much as possible, brush out as much as you can, then bathe as normal.
Each breed of dog has a different coat and a different technique of washing will be required to get optimum results Dog groomers are always happy to show you how to bathe your dog the correct way.
Does your Dog Try To Escape From the Bath?
Make bath time easier with this Stay and Wash Tub Restraint. These are used by professional groomers. There is a rubber suction cup which sticks to the wall and a 19-inch lead.
   