Dog shampoo yes or no?

[billybagpuss]

I don't really want to use anything on my border retriever but she definitely rolled in something on her walk tonight and smells, we have given her a warm shower but for the future I'm under increasing pressure from my family to get some.

Usually I just give her a good brush and she's fine.

Am I being silly?

[BiteyShark]

If mine is just dirty with mud he gets a rinse with water.

If he has rolled in something a bit smelly or has poo on him (he sometimes runs about before he has finished pooing ) then he gets washed with puppy shampoo.

I do have stronger 'fox poo' shampoo that I have only used once.

[adaline]

We use puppy shampoo to wash ours - for extra strong smells you can use tomato ketchup or any tomato based sauce, then rinse.

[sayhelloandwavegoodbye]

What's the argument against dog shampoo?

[Aprilislonggone]

We use baby shampoo or Fairy!

[billybagpuss]

Thank you all,

@sayhello. I am against shampoo generally because the natural oils in the skin and hair get compromised and they end up smelling more doggy to compensate. We never shampooed when I had dogs as a kid and I know other people who never shampoo their dogs and just brush and wash with water when necessary.

But everyone is making me question myself so I'm quite happy to be told Im being silly.

[theboxofdelights]

We use aveeno skin relief soothing shampoo.

[BiteyShark]

I avoid shampoo unless necessary as mine hates smelling 'nice' and proceeds to rub himself on the carpets and floor straight afterwards. So unless he smells like he 'needs' shampoo I don't bother.

[billybagpuss]

@Bitey yep that sounds about right, My Best Buy since getting Billypup is a steam cleaner.

[HarrietSchulenberg]

I use dog shampoo but only when he's rolled in something nasty. Mine has a short coat and doesn't really get smelly so he doesn't need showering often. Last one was July, next one due this week.

[Unicornandbows]

I use earth bath which I find to be really good on my dog

[TheHodgeoftheHedge]

I agree you shouldn’t wash a dog too often with shampoo and I don’t like the overly sweet/synthetic smells of some shampoos, but particularly when they’ve rolled in something disgusting, you really do need more than water.

This is my go to
www.animology.co.uk/product/fox-poo/

[LaurieFairyCake]

I use pet head range for her. Human shampoos are at the wrong Ph level for dogs.

Both 'life's an itch' and 'flake free' are brilliant shampoos that improve my dogs skin. She also has a salmon oil supplement for her skin.

[LizzieBennettDarcy]

Animology fox poo shampoo.

It's on subscribe from Amazon, we use so much of it.

It's gentle, smells great and I put a little squirt in the water. Our cocker spaniel is a magnet to stinks and this is the only thing that works!

[ps1991]

We just use whatever shampoo we have. Once every few months we take him to the groomers and she uses all the fancy dog shampoo, but if he rolls in anything stinky he gets put in our bath with human shampoo!

[villainousbroodmare]

Human shampoos are around pH 5.5. Dog shampoos are more neutral. Many dogs have skin reactions to shampoos designed for humans, so dog shampoos are far preferable, though obviously in a foxshit emergency, use what is to hand.
I'm a vet and tbh most people's dogs are imo pretty smelly and could do with a good wash. Most owners seem oblivious to it, however and to the reek of decaying teeth also.

[LittleBLUEsmurfHouse]

Baby shampoo or dog shampoo (whichever I've got to hand) but only if dog has rolled in something nasty, had diahorrea or something equally nasty. Really they shouldnt be shampooed more than every couple of months.

If your dog generally smells though change their food - I swear "doggy" smell is down to poor quality ingredients and/or the food not suiting that dog.

[theboxofdelights]

villanous, that is interesting, it was our then vet who advised us to use Aveeno on our dog - have used it on her for a decade.

[Floralnomad]

I’ve no idea what the groomers use on him and on the odd occasion I have to bath him if he’s rolled in something disgusting I use Superdrug tea tree and peppermint foaming facial wash , it’s the only thing I’ve found that gets rid of all smells and you only need a couple of squirts of it to lather up . He’s never had a reaction to it . I’ve tried the Fox poo shampoo that pp have mentioned and I can still smell the Fox poo afterwards .