Baby Shampoo for Dogs… Yes or No?
Let’s face some hard truths, folks – your dogs stink. Yes, even yours. And we all know it. As much as we love our little furry friends, they get into some rough stuff sometimes, and we just have to grin and bear it. However, if you want to keep your dog nice and clean, you’ll have to give them a bath from time to time.
You may have heard the tip that using baby shampoo is good for your dog’s baths, but are a little skeptical. I mean, baby shampoo? That’s for BABIES. Surely there’s a better way to wash my mutt than to use the stuff I wash my kid with, right? Well, read on to find out whether that’s true!
Why Shampoo Your Dog?
Besides the self-evident nature of the answer, there are a lot of reasons you should shampoo your dog.
Like we said before, dogs can get into some nasty stuff, and aren’t able to clean themselves enough to really deal with the nasty stuff.
Dogs are fine smelling like wet towels and hair, but you might want to keep a bit of a cleaner house than they do.
On top of everything else, dogs need protection the same way we do – dirt and other material built up in their coat could attract bacteria, which could lead to infection. Dogs might even get ticks from time to time, which necessitates a bath to get them all out.
Experts recommend bathing your dogs once a month at least, just to make sure nothing bad develops of builds up on their coat unexpectedly. Shampooing your dog also makes sure that their coat’s pH levels are maintained, which helps even more with the prevention of bacteria and viruses.
Here's a quick video that explains how to give your pup a bath at home:
Can I Use Baby Shampoo for a Dog Bath?
You’ve heard experts on TV or your next-door neighbor talk about how they use Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Shampoo to bathe their dogs, and you might be a bit skeptical. However, the truth is that it actually does work!
That said, you should always use a dog shampoo if you can.
Baby shampoos are intentionally designed to be mild in nature, especially given the fragile nature of a baby’s skin, hair and eyes. Because of this, they’re also mild enough to not be too corrosive or harmful to other dogs. Most baby shampoos are much milder than they have ever been, making them easier than ever to use on your best friend.
What Other Shampoos Should I Use?
Don’t feel the need to stock up on Johnson & Johnson for your dog just because it’s allowed, though – there are a lot better options out there that are specially formulated for dogs. You can find many of these products at your local dog spa or dog groomer, so you can feel free to ask them what products they use when they shampoo dogs.
Speaking to your dog’s pH levels, one reason it is particularly important to get the right kind of shampoo for them is that dog’s pH levels are different from humans. As a result, dog shampoos are formulated specifically to restore them to that level. What’s more, unlike baby shampoo, they will make your dog’s coat nice and lustrous, so it has that lovely shine you want to see in your dog.
WARNING: Don’t use normal human shampoos on your dog – make sure you use either baby shampoo or specially-designed dog shampoo. Even then, there are some caveats to baby shampoo, as much as it might work: baby shampoos have a tendency to dry out a dog’s coat, which can be bad for them.
The health of your dog’s coat is important; you have to make sure you treat it (and them) with respect. While baby shampoos work in a pinch, keep in mind that there are products and shampoos out there that are much better for your dog. They’ll keep their coat shiny, balance their pH levels, and offer improved sensitivity to even the most uncooperative mutt. If you want to keep your dog clean, leave it to the real stuff.
