Whether you are a dog owner, a grooming company, the owner of dog boarding kennels or a veterinarian, one thing you will know is that animals can get mucky!
It is said that “Pets make a house a home” but they can also make a home bloody filthy!
We have all been in a situation where a little rub down with a towel is never going to shift the mountain of mud on your pooch. Be it a pesky puppy with a penchant for puddles or a belligerent Beagle with a love for a bucket; at some point in time these 4 legged friends are going to need a wash.
A few questions spring to mind;
- What products are safe to wash my dog with?
- Can I use human products on my dog?
- How often should I wash my dog?
With the pet care market worth over £4,500 million, there are an abundance of products on the market today aimed at animal lovers.
We wanted to find out what safe dog shampoo options were online for keeping your doggies fresh and healthy.
We have trawled the tinterweb to find our top 5 safe dog shampoo so that you don’t have to – we are good like that!
We looked at:
- How much does it cost?
- Are the ingredients natural and safe?
- Is the packaging recyclable?
To be clear:
- The information we have collected is from what is available online only
- We are not going to advise you on the product to choose, that is down to you
What products are safe to wash my dog with?
Pogi’s grooming wipes, fragrance free – £6.95 for 100 wipes
Pogi’s grooming wipes struck a chord with us; Pogi is a French bulldog and the inspiration behind the company and their brand. They create functional earth-friendly products to help you care for your pets.
These wipes are bamboo-based, hypoallergenic, and completely biodegradable.
Ingredients: Each wipe contains aloe vera,vitamin E, and Hawaiian awapuhi, they help clean, freshen and condition while giving your pet's coat a healthy shine. Completely free of parabens, alcohol, fragrances, chlorine, and harsh chemicals.
Function: These wipes are a quick fix for a filthy Frenchie or a smelly Schnauzer
Packaging: Oeko-Tex sustainably harvested bamboo base allows the wipes to break-down quickly, keeping parks and landfills wipe free.
You can find Pogi's grooming Wipes here
If your pooch is a little bit muckier and needs a full wash down, you could try:
4-legger organic dog shampoo - £16.95 for 473ml
Melissa Bond owner of 4-legger was diagnosed with cancer and in order to aid her recovery her oncologist insisted on a germ free zone. This meant that her dogs were frequently washed to keep germs at bay. It was during this time that she noticed the dogs were miserable and their coats were dry and flaky.
They looked at the dog shampoo bottle to discover the so called all natural organic dog shampoo they were buying had the same ingredients as the dog shampoos they would never have knowingly purchased.
Fast forward; Mellissa’s company now develops safe, sustainable, natural dog cleaning products.
Ingredients: 100% natural, hypoallergenic with aloe and lemongrass. They are biodegradable, non-toxic and soothing for normal to dry and itchy allergy sensitive skin. All ingredients are sustainably sourced and responsibly harvested to be planet friendly, human friendly, and pet friendly. No parabens, sulfates, harmful preservatives, or other ingredients that you find in traditional dog shampoo.
You can find out more about the ingredients here
Function: Shampoo to wash your dirty Doberman or grubby German Shepherd
Packaging: recyclable
You can find out more about their packaging and their beliefs here
You can buy 4-legger organic dog shampoo here - Note, since publication, 4-legger shampoo has become unavailable in the UK - keep your eyes peeled for restocking
Dog Hair day shampoo - £10.99
A range of gentle, natural & effective dog shampoo in recyclable bottles.
Ingredients: available in Tea tree and Sage, Aloe Vera and Nettle, Lavender and Chamomile, Lemon Eucalyptus and Neem
A full list of what is in the bottle is available here
Function: Shampoo, great for smelly dogs, especially those with sensitive skin or bath-anxiety
Packaging: Recyclable
Organic Little Beast Liquid Pet Shampoo 250ml - £8.99
Little Soap Company was conceived several years ago by Emma Heathcote-James. The company started out after Emma realised that natural, organic soap was not readily available in high street stores. Little Soaps aim was to make accessible soaps that are chemical free and have not been tested on animals.
Ingredients: Water, sunflower oil, coconut oil, glycerine, potassium salts, lavender Oil, aloe vera oil, apricot kernal oil
Free from detergents, SLS, Alcohol, Parabens, Sorbates, Silicones, Sulphates, Preservatives
Function: Can be used to shampoo dogs, cats, rabbits and all furry creatures
Packaging: recyclable
You can buy little beasts liquid shampoo here
Wildwash Dog Shampoo - £14.95 200ml
Ingredients: Aqua/Water/Eau, ***Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Lauryl Glucoside, Coco Glucoside, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Sterols, Azadirachta Indica Leaf Extract, Laminaria Digitata (Kombu) Extract, Fucus Vesiculosus (Bladderwrack) Extract, Himanthalia Elongata Extract, *Styrax Tonkinensis (Benzoin) Resin Extract, *Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, *Litsea Cubeba (May Chang) Fruit Oil, *Michelia Alba (Magnolia) Flower Oil, *Cananga Odorata (Ylang Ylang) Flower Oil, Phospholipids, Glycolipids, Glyceryl Oleate, Polyepsilon-lysine, Sorbitan Sesquicaprylate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Parfum, Pentylene Glycol, **Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, **Limonene, **Linalool, **Geraniol, **Citral, **Benzyl Benzoate. *Essential Oil **Potential Allergen ***Organic
Function: Predominantly used by groomers and breeders, this shampoo can be used on cats and dogs
Packaging: recyclable
We also loved that Wildwash have 'refilling stations' across the country where you can take your empty bottle and have them re-filled at a discounted price
How often should I wash my dog?
The answer to this question really depends on just how clarty your dog gets; if you have a little Chihuahua that spends his or her time lounging in the house or your handbag, chances are they are not going to need a proper scrub down very often. Generally speaking, a bath every 2-3 months to avoid fungal and bacterial issues is adequate.
However, if you have a working dog or a pooch that just seems to attract dirt, then shampooing might become a monthly or even weekly task. This is why it is essential to have the right product on hand to allow you to wash your dog without it having any effect on their skin, coat or health.
Here is a guide from the Kennel Club around when, why and how often you should wash your dog
Alternatively there is always the option of using a dog groomer; it saves you time and also ensures your dog is getting a thorough clean regularly - we all get our hair cut on a regular basis, why should your 4-legged friend be any different?
There are a few things you might want to find out before choosing who to send your doggy too; here is a great blog from Millies Pet Services in Carnoustie. Angus going over some of the questions you will want to ask a potential groomer
What Questions Should I Ask a Dog Groomer? Choosing the Right Dog Groomer
Can I use human shampoo on my dog?
Don't be tempted to use shampoo designed for you and I or even worse still, household cleaning products!
Dog's skin is different to a human in that theirs is more alkaline (where as a human skin is slightly more acidic) using a product designed for you and I could make your dog itchy and flaky or worse still, more prone to bacteria and parasites.
Choose an organic, safe dog shampoo like the ones we have listed above, your pooch deserves a little pamper.
What next?
There are lots of pet products to keep your doggy dashing. Let’s be honest, your pet could quite easily have as many beauty products in the cupboard as you have – but do you really need them all?
Choosing the right product for the problem is important; chemicals can be harmful to your pet but when there are alternatives available the risks can be eliminated.
Not satisfied with the products we have listed? Here is a handy article that will lists a few more options that might tickle your fancy
How to choose a shampoo that is safe for your dog
Have you found a sustainable, pet friendly cleaning product that you would like to tell us about?
Did you enjoy this article?
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There are quite a few links in this article so I have listed them here in case you missed one: Shopping You can find Pogi's grooming Wipes here You can buy 4-legger organic dog shampoo here You can buy Dog Hair day shampoo here You can buy little beasts liquid shampoo here You can buy wildwash pet shampoo here Additional info on products The ingredients in 4-legger 4-legger packaging and beliefs Dog Hair day shampoo ingredients Wildwash re-fill centres in the UK Retailer websites The Little Soap Company Pogi pets Millies Pet Services 4 legger (USA) Helpful links Here is a guide from the Kennel Club around when, why and how often you should wash your dog What Questions Should I Ask a Dog Groomer? Choosing the Right Dog Groomer
6 thoughts to “”
Once again a very informative blog and the free gift at the end is a great hook!
Thanks for your comments George, we are happy to know you are enjoying our articles 🙂
Happy to try out! We’re at 69 High Street, Carnoustie. Angus DD7 6LE
Hey all at Millies Pet Services! We will get that free sample out to you, thanks for your interest!
I think it’s great there are products on the market that are good for the environment as well as our pets
Hey AJ, thanks for your comments, we agree 😉