Dog Soap
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If you do a search there are several posts regarding this subject. It comes up quite frequently. I can't help as my vet does not recommend using soap on dogs. The PH is too high for their skin. Also, it's not very polite to just ask for someone to give you their recipes. Please read the forum rules if you haven't done so already. 
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I have made soap for my dog in the past, but having read about the pH issues I now buy regular dog shampoo for my dogs.
dixiedragon
Well-Known Member
Soap isn't recommended for dog fur - or for people hair. TBH, we worry too much about our dogs being clean. Unless your dog has some kind of skin condition, they don't need regular baths. 2-3 times a year is plenty.
Soapstars
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If you do a search there are several posts regarding this subject. It comes up quite frequently. I can't help as my vet does not recommend using soap on dogs. The PH is too high for their skin. Also, it's not very polite to just ask for someone to give you their recipes. Please read the forum rules if you haven't done so already.
Thanks for that, I have given my recipes freely a couple of times an no one has to offer any to me of course. But I have been on the receiving end of much impoliteness on here myself and I have had enough now.
Lin19687
Well-Known Member
This ! people strip their dog hair by bathing all the time. Unless they are dirty they shouldn't be washed all the time.... it makes for dry and irritated skin thus making people think their dog is allergic to food or something else.
While I agree that the search section on this forum doesn't work well, Google does. I don't think you need to leave but it is true that you shouldn't just make a post asking for someones recipe, it is rude too.
My chicken forum is worse. People post questions all the time and if they had just read the first 2 pages on that section their answer would be furnished.
With a search some have shared their recipes. As stated i could not help as I don’t make them. I too have freely shared as have others, recipes and they are here for others to use if they so choose. However, I don’t ask for others recipes as many have worked long and hard on them and aren’t likely to share.
There’s just some etiquette for the forum that are listed in the rules.
One is I’m leaving posts.
artemis
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And yet, I see so many posts with people asking for recipes and then people give them recipes without calling them on it. It's a pretty regular thing here. I think it's perfectly reasonable, based on the activity I've witnessed, to think asking for recipes is accepted practice here.
Why would you make soap out of a poor dog?!?
Steve,
It's your turn to add to the gents thread!
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/thread-titles-and-my-very-strange-mind.48904
It's your turn to add to the gents thread!
Why would you make soap out of a poor dog?!?
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/thread-titles-and-my-very-strange-mind.48904
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A dog's skin is far too sensitive for bar soaps. They have skin more sensitive than a newborn's. I could never recommend a soap for any pet really. The best soaps for a dog are one's designed for their skin and there are plenty of good brands around that smell really nice to boot.
For the record, there are several threads where you can find a recipe for a dog soap. Many of us are just against the idea and do not have one on hand.
For the record, there are several threads where you can find a recipe for a dog soap. Many of us are just against the idea and do not have one on hand.
Lin19687
Well-Known Member
I think the difference is the way it is asked.
If you ONLY ask for a recipe you get a burn.
If you say you have been trying This or That and ask how things go using This ingredient then I think you get a more pleasing response.
If I ran up to you and said "Give me a dollar" you would most likely say no
If I say " my meter is about to run out for the car, can I BORROW a dollar" you might say yes.
Not to mention there is Always Google if you are talking about most soap things (or anything else)
Either way I DO NOT think it was an attack on the OP to begin with. And then it just turned into a train wreck.
It was never meant as an attack. Just stating facts. And Lin is correct. If you've searched and tried something we are more than happy to help. I would never just come out asking for a recipe. I would investigate and search (as I and many other have done) and then if I have questions on a recipe or need help ask then.
Plus the OP is already selling. So needs to do some research when thinking of adding a new product.
When I decide to add something or am thinking of adding something I do my research too. Not asking anything of anyone else that I wouldn't do myself.
Plus the OP is already selling. So needs to do some research when thinking of adding a new product.
When I decide to add something or am thinking of adding something I do my research too. Not asking anything of anyone else that I wouldn't do myself.
Zany_in_CO
Saponifier
Me! Me! Me! Please feel free to contact me off list. I don't mind people asking for recipes. I'm happy to share when I can. When I first started soaping, there were many knowledgeable and generous soapers who helped me get to where I am. Sharing what I know by paying it forward is my way of showing gratitude for all they did for me waaaaaaay back then.
Thanks for posting that Artemis. Sadly, I don't ask for help formulating a recipe when I need it because of "the rule about asking for recipes" -- sheesh! How else are we supposed to learn and grow if we don't share what we know? Plus, if anyone is offended by the question, they can simply ignore it. That rule serves no useful purpose, to my mind at least. (Thumbs down emoji here)
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Soapstars,
Please do understand that I was not intending to be critical in any way.
For cleaning a dog I would use a very mild soap with a cleansing value well below the recommendations - say around 4 or so. Think baby soap mild. I may even raise the SF above my usual since dogs and humans don't have the same skin system.
And be prepared to use and acidic rinse like vinegar (diluted of course) because of the way soap opens the pores in hair (fur).
Please do understand that I was not intending to be critical in any way.
For cleaning a dog I would use a very mild soap with a cleansing value well below the recommendations - say around 4 or so. Think baby soap mild. I may even raise the SF above my usual since dogs and humans don't have the same skin system.
And be prepared to use and acidic rinse like vinegar (diluted of course) because of the way soap opens the pores in hair (fur).
Actually, SMF doesn't have an official rule against asking for recipes, so do feel free ask away........
However, in spite of there not being any official rule against it, there does exist an undeniable, longstanding, underlying, general culture of what many folks on SMF consider to be either improper or acceptable etiquette. Such unwritten/unspoken 'cultural etiquette' things tend to be rather subjective and can be quite difficult for newcomers to decipher off the bat unless they happen to innocently stick their proverbial foot in it, so to speak........ so in order to help newcomers navigate around these volatile 'land mines', the modmin team put together this helpful SMF Culture/Tone Sticky a couple of years ago that lists what we've found over time to be recurrent "hot button/post-at-your-own-risk" type of issues (located in the Announcements/Rules section of the forum). Looks like we should add this particular issue at hand to it.
To Soapstar- please don't take these kinds of things personally. The reason why asking for recipes tends to be a bit of a sticky wicket here at times is because of how many instances certain of our members have been burned by folks who joined the forum for what turned out to be no other reason than to point-blank ask for recipes just so they can go right out and make a quick buck with them instead of taking the time to learn about the craft or put in any research to hone/perfect it. It's happened time and again where good-hearted members gave out recipes and/or bent over backwards to be of help to such newcomers without so much of a thank you from them before they left the building and were never heard from here again, but were soon seen on Etsy or some other site selling soap made with the recipe given to them.
I'd like to ditto what Lin said in post #13. Well said.
IrishLass
Actually, SMF doesn't have an official rule against asking for recipes, so do feel free ask away........
However, in spite of there not being any official rule against it, there does exist an undeniable, longstanding, underlying, general culture of what many folks on SMF consider to be either improper or acceptable etiquette. Such unwritten/unspoken 'cultural etiquette' things tend to be rather subjective and can be quite difficult for newcomers to decipher off the bat unless they happen to innocently stick their proverbial foot in it, so to speak........ so in order to help newcomers navigate around these volatile 'land mines', the modmin team put together this helpful SMF Culture/Tone Sticky a couple of years ago that lists what we've found over time to be recurrent "hot button/post-at-your-own-risk" type of issues (located in the Announcements/Rules section of the forum). Looks like we should add this particular issue at hand to it.
IrishLass
Would it maybe be a good idea to put that sticky, or a sticky with a link and a suggestion to 'please read' on the beginner's forum. This seems to be one of the most common sources of misunderstanding here.
Obsidian
Well-Known Member
I know most people don't recommend soap for a dog but when my pup recently had a reaction to coconut oil, I opted to use castile soap instead of some heavily fragranced pet shampoo that might further irritate his skin. It worked great, cleaned off all the offending coconut oil and didn't irritate his skin further.
Its not something I would use regularly and I have since bought hypoallergenic pet shampoo but I have no issue using soap on my pets. I would think a castile or mostly OO with some neem would be about all I'd ever use.
I made some "people shampoo" with neem that I will probably use on the dogs. In all honestly, it cleans and deodorizes better than any pet shampoo I've ever used.
Its not something I would use regularly and I have since bought hypoallergenic pet shampoo but I have no issue using soap on my pets. I would think a castile or mostly OO with some neem would be about all I'd ever use.
I made some "people shampoo" with neem that I will probably use on the dogs. In all honestly, it cleans and deodorizes better than any pet shampoo I've ever used.
Soapstars
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Wow, I didn't expect so many responses.
To those of you who have given helpful responses to my post - you are much appreciated. Thank you for supporting new members. I will work through your comments and take them on board.
To those of you who said I should go and do some research - what do you think I am doing by asking on here? I regularly check Google for information and other website on the Internet - as well as here. This was another leg of my research. I am just surprised that so many seem to think I do nothing and expect you all to supply my needs. This is not true. I have researched dog soap recipes and this was part of my research. People are asking me for soap for their dogs. I do not have a dog.
As for my business soap recipes, that was the same, research and more research. I have never asked for any recipes for my cold process soaps. I have supplied a couple of recipes and asked what you thought of them. I have just re-read each of my previous posts, going right back to my first post last year. If you do the same you will see that asking for a dog soap recipe is the FIRST time I have asked. Even if you gave me a recipe, I have already found many on Google and I am making comparisons and reading between the lines before I formulate one myself.
Please stop being such a judgmental lot!
To those of you who have given helpful responses to my post - you are much appreciated. Thank you for supporting new members. I will work through your comments and take them on board.
To those of you who said I should go and do some research - what do you think I am doing by asking on here? I regularly check Google for information and other website on the Internet - as well as here. This was another leg of my research. I am just surprised that so many seem to think I do nothing and expect you all to supply my needs. This is not true. I have researched dog soap recipes and this was part of my research. People are asking me for soap for their dogs. I do not have a dog.
As for my business soap recipes, that was the same, research and more research. I have never asked for any recipes for my cold process soaps. I have supplied a couple of recipes and asked what you thought of them. I have just re-read each of my previous posts, going right back to my first post last year. If you do the same you will see that asking for a dog soap recipe is the FIRST time I have asked. Even if you gave me a recipe, I have already found many on Google and I am making comparisons and reading between the lines before I formulate one myself.
Please stop being such a judgmental lot!
