human shampoo

I read a letter written to Dog Fancy magazine regarding using human shampoo on dogs and thought it was good information to pass along…

Q. “When I give my dog a bath, I use human shampoo. I see no reason why I should buy dog shampoo when I don’t bathe her very often. Is it bad to use human shampoo?”

A. It may be convenient to share your shampoo with your dog, but it’s not the best thing for her. Human shampoo, which is pH-balanced for people but not for dogs, can dry out and damage your girl’s coat and skin. The resulting itchiness – aside from making your dog miserable – could cause her to scratch and chew her skin to the point of irritating and abrading it, which can set the stage for secondary bacterial or yeast infections.

Most dogs don’t need a lot of baths, as long as they don’t play in the mud, roll in something stinky or – worst of all – have a close encounter of the black-and-white kind. Regular brushing keeps the coat and skin healthy and odor-free.

When you bathe your dog, place cotton balls in her ears to keep them dry, and use only the smallest amount of shampoo needed to lather well. Rinse well, using a spray nozzle if possible. Then rinse her again to make sure you’ve gotten out all of the shampoo. Leftover shampoo residue will dull her coat and maker her itch. Next, stand back. You know she’s gonna shake!

help with rescue dog

Just read about a new book – Rescue Me! It is a guide to selecting, adopting and caring for a shelter or rescue dog. The book is also filled with real-life rescue success stories and heart-warming happy endings – how wonderful is that?