Organic dog shampoo is becoming more common, both in pet stores and grooming facilities. However, if you don't want to purchase a natural shampoo, you can also make one yourself. Most recipes are relatively simple and can be very beneficial for your dog's skin.
Basic Shampoo Recipe
This simple recipe will clean your dog without irritating his skin or stripping him of his natural oils:
- Mix one part organic liquid soap with two parts warm water and add a spoonful of olive oil.
- Pour into a tightly sealed container and shake well to mix.
Another simple recipe involves mixing equal parts liquid soap, distilled water and white vinegar. Again, pour into a tightly sealed container and shake well. When using shampoo with vinegar, be careful to avoid contact with your dog's eyes. The vinegar smell will go away within a day and leave your dog smelling fresh longer.
For dog's with sensitive skin, mix
- one cup water
- one teaspoon organic liquid dish soap
- one teaspoon aloe vera, which will soothe the skin and reduce itchiness from allergies
- one teaspoon olive oil.
Finally, for a recipe that will help your dog's natural skin oils flourish:
- Mix equal parts organic dish soap, water and apple cider vinegar.
- Add glycerine, which can purchased at any health food store or pharmacy. If you added two parts of each of the other ingredients, add one part glycerine. The glycerine helps restore your dog's natural oils, which keep his skin at a proper balance.
Flea Repellent Recipes
There are several additives that can turn your basic shampoo recipe into a recipe that repels fleas. Cedarwood, citronella and lavender repel fleas and other insects and can easily be added to your homemade shampoo. Add only small amount, just a few drops, of only one to your recipe. Dogs have much more sensitive skin than humans so don't overdo it.
You can also make a specific rinse by soaking two halved lemons with the skin, in boiling water for a couple of hours. Let that mixture cool and then rinse your dog to repel fleas. Though this won't clean your dog, the rinse will ward off fleas.
To make a shampoo specific to repelling fleas:
- Mix two cups of distilled water with a teaspoon and a half soapwort, which can be purchased at any health food store
- Add two teaspoons each of two of the following oils: lemon, lavender, rosemary, citronella, peppermint, cedarwood
- Boil water and soapwort for 15 minutes and allow to cool for an hour before adding the oil.
Additional Tips
If your dog has sensitive skin, you can add a teaspoon of jojoba oil or aloe vera to your shampoo to make it more soothing. Since these recipes have no chemicals in them, however, they shouldn't irritate skin. Make sure not to add too much of flea repelling oils, which could irritate skin.
Use 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar with two cups warm water as a rinse. Though it doesn't smell good at first, it will give your dog a clean smell for much longer. To avoid getting vinegar in your dog's eyes, put a little petroleum jelly around your dog's eyes. Try to avoid the face with the rinse.