Grooming products recommendations

[ClayPigeon]

I have a 6 month rescue pup and I've found out recently she is a kokoni breed. Her coat is single mid length and wavy. She's also light in colour and gets tear stains. She came to us from foster care smelling lovely with a very subtle perfume smell but has progressively got more and more 'doggy' smelling.

I bathed her for the first time today with an RSPCA shampoo which had no real fragrance to it. It's made her coat very fluffy so I'm wondering if it's the wrong type or if this is normal after just being bathed? She's also now smelling like wet dog despite being dry.

What sort of products do you use for grooming your pups/dogs? Or can anyone recommend something? I'm confused by all the choices and different products available. TIA

I use baby shampoo! It seems to work the same as the expensive brand dog shampoo tester bottle I was given. My spaniels go fluffy immediately after washing and drying but go back to normal within a few hours.

I have Yorkies in full coats,so long & silky to the ground, & Skyes, also long coats but not so silky. I use baby shampoo always for their faces & American brands that you can get in TKMAXX, lots of lovely ones with natural ingredients like lavender & oatmeal.
I also always use a grooming product when they get brushed every day. Either Ice on Ice, or the absolutely brilliant Cowboy Magic which also makes them smell gorgeous, or if pushed a bit of Vitapoint from Boots.

You should never use any human shampoo on a dog Swimming. Their shin is a different Ph to ours and is thinner (3-5 layers v 10-15) so even baby shampoo is too acidic.

OP you say she smells “doggy”. Can I ask what you feed as I often find the quality of food can affect a dog’s smell.
As for shampoo I love the Animology ones, though mine only get bathed if they have rolled in something smelly as you don’t want to strip the natural oils from their coats.

*skin

I use Animology on my spaniel - mainly the fox poo one but it's a very good general shampoo as it removes all odours but they also do ones for light and dark coats. He's very mud prone at the best of times so has a quick dip in the sink most days after his long walk. He always goes very fluffy after a wash but that soon goes. I towel dry him really well (and you need to use a clean towel each time), and he has a drying coat (Equafleece) to wear after so he's completely dry. You have to get the water off them else they just smell of rotten wet dog ...... I miss the summer already!

FairfaxAikman actually baby shampoo (the proper unscented, clear ones) are safe for dogs and don't harm the skin, due to baby shampoo not effecting the pH in the same way (adult shampoos destroy the pH mantel and then use moisturiser to replace it, hence not being compatible with dogs). In fact vets often state baby shampoo (again meaning the proper unscented, clear ones) can be used on most pets that can be properly bathed - in some pets it is even recommended over the specific animal equivalents (i.e. horses with sweet itch (an allergy to midge bites) generally do better with baby shampoo than equine shampoo). In dogs baby shampoo is still better than some of the over fragranced dog shampoos, although the more natural dog shampoos are preferable to baby shampoo, if you intend to wash your dog more often than every 4-8weeks.

Thanks for the recommendations all.

How often should I be bathing her? Is a dry/waterless shampoo ok to use in between?

Fairfax, she's on Wainrights puppy wet trays at the moment as that is what the fosterers fed her. She's only been with us three weeks and as she's been through quite a lot of disruption, I didn't want to change too much too soon. I don't think she's all that keen on it though, she will often leave her food for hours before eating it. Researching a suitable diet for her is on my to do list.

Swimming my mother is a professional groomer.* That advice comes from her.*