People soap on dogs

[DWinMadison]

Well y’all, this one got a bath yesterday with my anise bath bar. Yep, the same one I use on me. I just put her in the shower with me. It’s SO much easier and less wasteful to lather up her belly with a bar as opposed to trying to get shampoo under there in the palm of my hand. Am I a bad person? I’ve used bar soap on her several times now, and she comes out soft and smelling great with not skin irritation.

 

[Obsidian]

A lot of people with disagree with this since a dog has a drastically different ph then lye soap but I've done it with no issues.

Like you, I find it easier to rinse and it completely removes odors where shampoo leaves you with a wet dog scented dog

 

[Lin19687]

please search for this topic on SMF. There have been many threads on it. Some threads not so good.
Dogs skin is different and should not be washed often

 

[Arimara]

I wouldn't use any of my soaps on a dog. Their skin is as sensitive as a baby's, if not more so. I've bought products for my daughter's dog where she did not smell like a wet dog. Like for our hair, I'm not afraid of spending a little more for a good shampoo

 

[LilyJo]

There are some amazingly good sydnet -based dog shampoos that are formulated for the specific ph of dog skin and also take into account the tpxic nature of many essential oils and FOs. I wouldnt risk lye soap on my dog, they might get away with it once or twice but I am conscious they cant tell you if something is 'off'.

 

[DWinMadison]

A lot of people with disagree with this since a dog has a drastically different ph then lye soap but I've done it with no issues.

Like you, I find it easier to rinse and it completely removes odors where shampoo leaves you with a wet dog scented dog

^This!

Ellie gets bathed about every two weeks. It hasn’t bothered her at all. We’ve had dogs with sensitive skin...prone to hot spots, etc. I’d give this dog a kidney, so trust me, I’d never do anything to hurt her.

 

[Obsidian]

I have a itchy dog that has to be bathed every 1-2 weeks. So far nothing has helped, not expensive medicated shampoos, prescription meds or diet change. He isn't dry and flaky or greasy and fungus-y.

Today he got his first bath with my homemade shampoo bars. For once he is actually stink free, really hoping this will help his skin issues, at least some.

 

[cmzaha]

My daughter has used my neem based low coconut oil, gm soap for years on her dogs with no problems. In fact she mentions that they stay odor free longer to not scratch and one of the dogs has skin issues. I do use a light essential oil blend but not sure at the moment what it is, since I only make them once a year.

 

[Lin19687]

I have a itchy dog that has to be bathed every 1-2 weeks. So far nothing has helped, not expensive medicated shampoos, prescription meds or diet change. He isn't dry and flaky or greasy and fungus-y.

Today he got his first bath with my homemade shampoo bars. For once he is actually stink free, really hoping this will help his skin issues, at least some.

Most likely it is a food allergy or treat allergy.

Dogs need the oils they produce to keep their skin and Fur at it's best.

 

[Cal43]

I don’t see why It should be a problem. I’ve heard people say don’t feed dogs people food, but I once had a dog that had a constipation problem from the dog food. I decided to cook him rice and chicken as his meal. This helped him so much that I never went back to dog food. You have to do what’s best for you and your pets.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I use bar soap on my dogs - we have done since before I started making own soap. Now I make my own soap for them - it has some neem oil and some carefully chosen EOs that are not harmful to dogs ( and not used in excessive amounts). I would much prefer that than a chemical based commercial dog shampoo any day. Dogs' skin is actually more alkaline than humans', so in theory they would find the same bar of soap that we use less irritating than we would.
Most dog owners are fully aware of the right way to care for their dog/s, and, just as with people, every animal is different in what they can tolerate.

 

[DWinMadison]

A dog groomer we used to use told me she bathes her own dogs with Dawn dish soap but saves the “fancy shampoo” for her customers.

 

[HowieRoll]

(This is merely an observational post...)

I have no idea whether or not real soap is okay for dogs, as I'm not a veterinarian, but we got a dog almost a year ago and since then I've spent a great deal of time in and out of pet stores and online looking at pet products (seriously, an absurd amount! What it is about these little ones that make buying things for them such a joy?!). One thing I've seen quite a bit of is "all natural dog shampoos" (as often claimed on the bottle) made with saponified oils. In other words, it's KOH liquid soap. I've also seen "dog bar shampoo," which is NaOH soap. And they sell like hot cakes, especially in some of the more high-end boutique-y kind of pet stores. Again, I have no idea about whether or not it's a good idea, but there are a lot of products like those out on the market.

PS @DWinMadison - gorgeous dog!

 

[Andrew]

all the information you need is here from the American Kennel Club. Dogs have a different pH balance so they need a slightly different soap. The short of it is that canine acid mantle is much less acidic than humans. So I would assume that a soap based shampoo would work great on dogs since it is alkaline and much less harsh than a detergent based shampoo.

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/easy-natural-homemade-dog-shampoo/

 

[Teresa408]

Thanks for asking this. My mom was asking me about soap for her little white dog. I made her some plain olive and coconut oil soap because she has allergies and I think it might be ok for the dog too.

He rolls in nasty things and the neighborhood cats love to leave presents in the yard.

I’m thinking that rubbing a bar on his hair and letting it sit a minute may be less disruptive to his skin than washing him several times to get the funk out.

Maybe she could use his normal shampoo and use the bar for the dirtiest parts.

Anyone have tricks for a stinky white dog?
I know I sound mean, I love the little guy so much and I love babysitting him, I just hate the frequent baths because of his bad habits.

Any tips for the little guy are welcome.

 

[Andrew]

View attachment 38486 Thanks for asking this. My mom was asking me about soap for her little white dog. I made her some plain olive and coconut oil soap because she has allergies and I think it might be ok for the dog too.

He rolls in nasty things and the neighborhood cats love to leave presents in the yard.

I’m thinking that rubbing a bar on his hair and letting it sit a minute may be less disruptive to his skin than washing him several times to get the funk out.

Maybe she could use his normal shampoo and use the bar for the dirtiest parts.

Anyone have tricks for a stinky white dog?
I know I sound mean, I love the little guy so much and I love babysitting him, I just hate the frequent baths because of his bad habits.

Any tips for the little guy are welcome.

Me and my parents would comb baking soda or corn starch through the hair when our schnauzer or sheep dog would roll in stuff. it whitens and deodorizes. You got to do that with dry hair after a bath though.

 

[KiwiMoose]

View attachment 38486 Thanks for asking this. My mom was asking me about soap for her little white dog. I made her some plain olive and coconut oil soap because she has allergies and I think it might be ok for the dog too.

He rolls in nasty things and the neighborhood cats love to leave presents in the yard.

I’m thinking that rubbing a bar on his hair and letting it sit a minute may be less disruptive to his skin than washing him several times to get the funk out.

Maybe she could use his normal shampoo and use the bar for the dirtiest parts.

Anyone have tricks for a stinky white dog?
I know I sound mean, I love the little guy so much and I love babysitting him, I just hate the frequent baths because of his bad habits.

Any tips for the little guy are welcome.

My Maggie ( in my profile pic) wandered off up the road the other day ( someone left the garage door open!) and when we found her she was COVERED in cat poo. From head to tail to paw to ears! She absolutely stunk! I popped her in the bath and used my own dog recipe soap on her and she was as good as gold.

 

[DWinMadison]

(This is merely an observational post...)

I have no idea whether or not real soap is okay for dogs, as I'm not a veterinarian, but we got a dog almost a year ago and since then I've spent a great deal of time in and out of pet stores and online looking at pet products (seriously, an absurd amount! What it is about these little ones that make buying things for them such a joy?!). One thing I've seen quite a bit of is "all natural dog shampoos" (as often claimed on the bottle) made with saponified oils. In other words, it's KOH liquid soap. I've also seen "dog bar shampoo," which is NaOH soap. And they sell like hot cakes, especially in some of the more high-end boutique-y kind of pet stores. Again, I have no idea about whether or not it's a good idea, but there are a lot of products like those out on the market.

PS @DWinMadison - gorgeous dog!

Thanks. She’s a “shelter princess” who saved our daughter’s life, so yeah, she’s spoiled a little bit.

 

[beckster51]

Thanks. She’s a “shelter princess” who saved our daughter’s life, so yeah, she’s spoiled a little bit.

OK, this is OT, but you keep mentioning your anise soap. Do you use anise EO? And if so, how much? Thanks for allowing me this mental wandering!

 

[DWinMadison]

OK, this is OT, but you keep mentioning your anise soap. Do you use anise EO? And if so, how much? Thanks for allowing me this mental wandering!

You can probably hear the snickers from all around the globe on that question. A could of months ago, I went on a rant about anise EO and how it smell like "feet." Then I tried it in CP, and it has become one of my favorite scents. I've used it around 30% in combo with grapefruit and rosemary for what I call "Mediteranean" bars. Also, I did a sandalwood/tangerine /anise bar that was great. It's clean and refreshing. Try it. You'll like it.