I have never used a store shampoo to bathe my dog, simply because it’s easier just to use what I have on-hand to bathe her. I love to make my own recipes to keep my dog super clean (and non-irritated) and save some money at the same time. Depending on my dog’s issues, I have made various different pet shampoos, and they are super easy to make. Here are my homemade pet shampoos that I use on my dog, and on my cat as well, when I can catch her.
For itchy skin and foul odor, I use baking soda and white vinegar on my dog. I simply pour about half a cup of baking soda and a fourth cup white vinegar to her lukewarm bath water, and let the fizzing concoction rest on her skin for about 5 minutes. The white vinegar and baking soda work together to cleanse her fur and get rid of her nasty odor, and the baking soda works to calm down her aching skin. When she has open sores or scratches, I nix the white vinegar, and simply just use the baking soda. It cleans her skin without irritating it, and she comes out of the tub so white she actually glows.
For a summery bath after jumping in the canal and stinking to high heaven, I use Dawn dish soap with white vinegar, simply pouring about a fourth cup of the white vinegar to her tub water and rinsing her with it first, and then breaking out the dish soap. I prefer to use Dawn dish soap with lemon or lavender in it, as both of these scents repel ticks and fleas. I lather her up good and then rinse her completely. The vinegar helps get rid of bacteria and odor from the canal, and the dish soap helps break up slime and grease in her fur from the nasty canal water.
When my dog is super itchy from allergies, the best bath for her is an oatmeal and baking soda bath. I fill the tub about halfway with cold water (cold is best on that hot, burning skin) and add 2 cups of instant oatmeal to the tub. I then add about half a cup of baking soda and rub the goop all over my dog’s body, paying special attention to her “hot spots” like her neck, armpits, and butt areas. I leave the calming and soothing mixture on her skin for 10 minutes (or longer, if I can keep her standing still) and then rinse her completely with cold water. She comes out of the tub feeling excellent, and when she has hives from allergies, they are gone almost instantly after this miracle bath. My brother’s dog also had hives, and I had him do this same bath on his dog, and we actually watched the swelling and hives just disappear like magic after this awesome bath.
