# safe homemade pup shampoo?



## crazy dog mom (Feb 26, 2009)

I've heard there are safe puppy shampoos on the market, but I was wondering if anyone knows if it's safe to make a homemade shampoo. There's a recipe I saw on another site that is supposedly safe for pups of all breeds, but I'd rather have the opinion of people knowledgeable about chis before I use it. It calls for water, vinegar, glycerine and dish soap. The dish soap part gives me pause, because different dish soaps have different ingredients, so I can't be sure if my particular brand is safe. 

I live in a very rural area, and any store that would carry a puppy-specific shampoo is at least 40 minutes away, so I would be so appreciative if I could make something at home. If the above ingredients don't sound safe, does anyone have any other recommendations as to what I could use?


----------



## jessicalynn (Feb 26, 2009)

I found a couple things online, I got some at petsmart called baby bebe that i'm happy with though. 

http://hubpages.com/hub/The_Best_Homemade_Dog_Shampoo

here's another:
The recipe for a homemade dog shampoo is as follows. There are several slight variants of this recipe around but they are pretty much the same. You should mix together a pint of liquid dishwashing soap (Ivory, Dawn or Dove are gentle enough), a pint of water, a pint of apple cider vinegar and 4 ounces of glycerine. You can buy glycerine at the pharmacy. Combine the ingredients until everything is mixed together well. Keep it in an airtight, easy to pour container and clearly label it. You can use one of your old shampoo bottles if you like.


or you can just use baby shampoo I have heard too.


----------



## jeanie brown (Jan 5, 2009)

dodge had really dry flaky skin i rubbed a small amount of unscented baby oil into hes coat and now it is soft and shiny so a day or so befor a bath i just rub a little into hes coat and then shampoo off . seems fine


----------



## BeckyLa (Feb 18, 2009)

I have severe hand excema and have to be extremely careful what I use. I use Johnson's Baby Shampoo on Dani, and myself for that matter, and she does fine.


----------



## rhaubejoi (Dec 10, 2008)

jeanie brown said:


> dodge had really dry flaky skin i rubbed a small amount of unscented baby oil into hes coat and now it is soft and shiny so a day or so befor a bath i just rub a little into hes coat and then shampoo off . seems fine


I wouldnt put baby oil on a baby or a puppy. it is a petroleum product and highly flammable. They don't even allow it in hospital nurseries.

Cider vinegar will eat that dead skin off instead of just making it look gone and be safer for him too.

sorry if that sounded harsh, it wasnt meant to be.


----------



## barefoot (Sep 24, 2008)

I personally would only use dog shampoo. Dogs have a different ph balance than humans. Baby shampoo is made with humans ph in mind. You could get flakey skin etc. I know that it strips my hair. Also if you don't rinse it well would them ingesting it when they lick harm them? 
Someone please correct me if I am wrong. I would just be worried.
NOw I have heard of baths with oatmeal and milk. That would probably be ok. Don't they sometimes say you can wash your hair in egg. I would think that would be ok too. Anything food related.


----------



## barefoot (Sep 24, 2008)

I remember a few years ago they quit advising you to use baby oil with children. In the U.S. baby oil has to have a safety cap on now. If it is ingested the child can asperate and it can coat the lungs , sufficating the child. From what I heard their is no way to help the child if this happens. I guess there were cases where children died from swallowing baby oil and asperating when they were sick.


----------



## crazy dog mom (Feb 26, 2009)

Thanks for your input everyone. I hadn't thought of looking to see if I can order some online; I think that's what I'll do. 

I didn't know all that about baby oil being dangerous. It's been a long time since my kids (my human kids, that is) were babies. It's good to know.


----------



## Guest (Mar 23, 2009)

I've used dog shampoo called "Bichon Bubbles" for years and it's very mild and keeps their skin nice and their coats shining. I mix it in a gallon container. The recipe is one bottle of Ivory or Dove dishwashing liquid (22 oz), 2 ounces of glycerine, 2 cups of apple cider vinegar and fill the container up the rest of the way with water. My groomer keeps this all the time and uses it on the white dogs that come in to be groomed. I use baby shampoo on my Chi, Kozanna, on occasion, too. I give them all fish oil and they have great skin and hair/fur.


----------

