How to Make Homemade Dog Shampoo

If you are anything like me then you would love to buy all organic products for your pet, but you just can’t seem to stomach the cost that most stores charge. At the end of the day, their health should trump our wallets, but that’s not how most of us operate. Instead of buying organic, why not try making it yourself. You can use all-natural ingredients and still keep the price in check.

My wife and I take our dog to one of the parks near our house pretty often in the summer. There is a stream that goes through the middle that he loves to walk through.  Most of the time he will end up submerging himself just to cool off. That means one thing for when we get home…it’s bath time.

I started doing a little bit of research because I decided that I wanted to start making my own homemade dog shampoo for him instead of purchasing it from the store. Most of them contain a lot of unneeded  chemicals and I thought this would be the better way to go.

I ended up finding an article on Yahoo that included a dog shampoo recipe for anti-itch shampoo and basic shampoo. Plus, I have listed a couple others for you.

Homemade Dog Shampoo Recipe

Basic Pet Shampoo

• 2 cups of natural liquid dish-washing soap  (I like using Method).  You could also use Dove or Dawn
• 2 cups of warm water
• 2 cups of apple cider vinegar
• 4 ounces of glycerine (You can find this at your local pharmacy)
• 1 used shampoo bottle or any other reusable container

Directions

In the old shampoo bottle you will need to first add the dish soap and then you can add the other ingredients.  Once you have everything in the bottle, give it a gentle shake to make sure everything is combined completely.

Anti Itch Dog Shampoo

• 1 cup of finely crushed oatmeal
• 1 cup of baking soda
• 4 cups of warm water
• Reusable container

Directions

The first thing you will need to do is place the oatmeal into a food processor or blender to make sure the texture is nice and fine.  Next you will combine the baking soda and warm water in a reusable containing.  Once those are mixed you can then start to gradually mix in the oatmeal and it will thicken up.

When you are bathing your dog with this mixture you will want to make sure you rub it in all the way to the skin.  Leave in in for five minutes or as long as your dog will allow it.  Then make sure you get it rinsed out completely.

Dry Shampoo For Dogs

• 1 cups baking soda
• 1 cups corn starch
• 4 drops of lavender essential oil (find this at your local drug store)

Directions

To make this dry shampoo mix the ingredients in an old storage container.  The cheap plastic soup containers that some restaurants give you for take out would work perfect. Cut a few holes in the lid and this will act as a shaker for the mixture.

I would suggest you do this outside if the weather is warm enough because it can get a little messy.  Sprinkle the shampoo on your dog and make sure you are fairly generous.  Then you can use your hands to gently work it into all your dogs fur.

Once you have it rubbed in you can leave it for a few minutes and then give your pooch a brushing.

Hypoallergenic Shampoo

• 1/2 cup of distilled water
• 1/4 cup castile soap
• 1 tsp. white or apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 reusable shampoo bottle

Directions

Start by adding the water to your old shampoo or squeeze bottle.  You can then add the castile oil to the water and shake to make sure they are mixed thoroughly.  Next you can add the vinegar and the olive oil and give it another shake.

Once you have finished applying this to your dog make sure you rinse him off completely.  Left over oils can end up having an itchy reaction to your dogs skin and it will take a few extra dog treats to make him forgive you.

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