Whether you love do-it-yourself projects, want to cut down on your expenses, or just want to treat your pup with strictly natural products, making your own dog shampoo is a great way to make all three of those happen.
You probably already have all the ingredients needed, and if you are missing some they are inexpensive and available at most nearby stores. They are pretty basic and include vinegar, baking soda and regular soap for washing dishes.
Why You Need Homemade Dog Shampoo
Our pups love us, but they also love rolling around in the mud, running through all kinds of filthy environments and engaging in other activities which make them all kinds of dirty. Unless they are properly washed once in a while, they can develop a pretty nasty body odor. They don’t mind it, but it might be extremely unpleasant for you and other family and friends who hang out with them.
Buying dog shampoo directly from the store is not a bad option, but taking some more time in order to go natural is almost always better and less expensive.
It’s extremely important not to use a regular shampoo that is made for humans. Our skin has a different pH (acidity level) from that of dogs. Human shampoo can be mildly dangerous for dogs and can cause some serious skin problems for them if you’re unlucky.
A dog’s pH level is in the range of 6.3 to 7.4. We will be aiming to make a shampoo that has a pH level of 7. Don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be exactly that. You are likely no expert chemist and missing the mark by a little bit won’t hurt your dog at all.
Why Homemade Dog Shampoo is Better Than Store Bought Shampoo
A few years ago I was still buying dog shampoo from the store. After the first time I experimented with making my own and washing my dog with it, I haven’t once thought about going back. Natural is just way better for the following reasons:
It’s much cheaper
The cost of basic ingredients for your homemade dog shampoo is usually 5-10 times lower than the cost of store-bought shampoo. Saving money while doing the best for your pup? Sign me up.
It’s much healthier for your pet
Every single thing you buy that was made in some kind of factory has at least the tiniest amount of chemicals contained it. Using products which have the lowest amount of unhealthy industrial chemicals is always optimal, but using something that you made yourself which is 100% natural is way better. You have complete control over what goes into it.
You can decide on a particular type of smell you want your dog to have
When making your own dog shampoo, you can add some ingredients which won’t harm your dog but will change their smell after you give them a bath. Adding lavender will make it smell exactly like that, fresh and natural, and also help to keep the fleas away. Same goes for adding other natural ingredients which possess a unique smell. Just make sure you don’t add too much of it so you don’t disrupt the acidity of your new homemade dog rinse.
Homemade Dog Shampoo for Odor
Basic Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you always want to use when making your dog shampoo. Some other more specific ingredients will be listed in the recipe section below. Don’t worry they are also cheap and readily available.
- Clean water
- Baby Shampoo or Non-toxic dish soap
- Apple cider vinegar
See? That’s pretty affordable and common. If for some reason you can’t use apple cider vinegar, you can always use white vinegar. It’s a great replacement and it won’t make any difference for the final product.
Best Body Odor Shampoo
Here’s the recipe:
- 4 cups of water
- 1 cup of baby shampoo or soap
- 1 cup of apple cider or white vinegar
Put the mixture into a plastic bottle and let it cool down in the fridge for as long as you like. When you’re ready we can tell you how to make your dog smell wonderful.
If your dog smells really bad at the moment, first make a paste out of water and baking soda. The ideal proportion is 4/5 water and 1/5 baking soda. Use the paste to make the body odor go away. Gently rub it in your dog’s hair all the way down to its skin.
Next, right after applying the baking soda paste, use the shampoo in the same way. Carefully rub it down in his hair until both his fur and skin are covered by it. Leave it on for a couple of minutes and wash it away with warm and clean water.
Bonus: Dry Skin Dog Shampoo
If your dog has very irritable skin, a skin condition, or you bathe him very frequently, he most likely needs a shampoo that will bring him some relief until his skin issues are back to normal. Here’s a recipe which can help your dog by soothing his skin, relieving itching, and making him feel comfortable again.
Additional ingredients include:
- Glycerine – an alcohol-based sugary solution
- Aloe Vera Gel
Put it together like this:
- 4 cups of water
- 1 cup of baby shampoo or soap
- 1 cup of apple cider or white vinegar
- 1/3 cup of glycerine
- 2 tablespoons of Aloe Vera Gel
A Fragrant Dog is a Happy Dog!
We all know how wonderful it is to have a loving dog as a companion. However, they love running around and they can get extremely dirty. That, of course, means that they can often be followed by a very unpleasant smell which makes them unpopular to spend time with.
So you are not forced to choose between hanging out with your friends and family or your pup, you should make some cheap dog shampoo which will make your dog smell fresh and clean for cuddles.
Don’t forget to eliminate the smelly odor from your house as well.
