The dog grooming industry is massive and lots of pet owners are happy to indulge in order to keep their pets looking great in the most convenient way. However, some dog owners appreciate saving money while keeping their dog looking like a million bucks. You might think making your own dog shampoo would be complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. In addition, you can choose the right ingredients to customize the shampoo for your dog and their unique needs.

Start with Simple Dish Detergent

For the average dog, you don’t need a lot of ingredients to clean them up after a walk through a puddle. In fact, you can get by with using dish detergent, white vinegar, and water. Hearing dish detergent as an ingredient might seem strange, but it works quite well. It is made to get through grease without trouble, which is a great option for getting rid of the accumulated oils on your dog’s coat and skin. While you can use any scent you like, lavender dish detergents provide another benefit. Lavender can help to repel fleas, which means less worry about them coming home with your pooch.

Add Some Regular White Vinegar

Another ingredient for simple dog shampoo is white vinegar. This is yet another ingredient that you can find at home. White vinegar has deodorizing and antibacterial properties, which help keep your pet’s fur shiny and healthy. On top of that, they get a punch of antibacterial ingredients. What you need to keep in mind, however, is that white vinegar is acidic to some degree. When using this ingredient, you will want to be careful and avoid getting the shampoo into your dog’s eyes. If not, it can cause a burning sensation.

Recipe for Simple Dog Shampoo

To make this easy dog shampoo, you will need a spray bottle. You are going to combine three ingredients into a bottle. These include one-quarter cup of dish detergent, one-half cup of white vinegar, and about two cups of warm water. After the ingredients are mixed, you will shake them up in your spray bottle until you see bubbles forming inside. Then just wait for the bubbles to go down before you usually use it on your dog.

Those who have puppies may not need the same amount of shampoo, but it’s easy to drop down the amounts. For smaller dogs or young puppies, you will want to use one-quarter cup of dish detergent, one-half cup of white vinegar, and one-half cup of warm water. Otherwise, the process is exactly the same.

Shampoo for Dogs with Sensitive Skin

If your dog has more sensitive skin, you are going to want to alter the recipe to avoid drying the skin out or causing irritation. The recipe itself involves the same steps, but you will be using alternate ingredients. Here is exactly what you need for this shampoo:

• 1 quart of warm water
• 1 cup of nontoxic dish detergent
• 1 cup apple cider or white vinegar
• 1/3 cup of glycerin
• 2 tablespoons of aloe vera gel

Dry Shampoo Made at Home

If you are someone who prefers to use a dry shampoo, don’t worry. You can make that at home too. All you are going to need is a cup of corn starch, a cup of baking soda, and a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Make sure this is an oil that is safe for dogs, first. The most common tend to be lavender or lemon. This is all mixed together and then massaged into the skin on your dog. You can use a brush, comb, or your own hands. This is a good option to use on occasion, but wet baths should not be ignored. The residue from dry shampoo will accumulate over time.

No matter which option you choose, these shampoo recipes can be made at home easily. None of them requires too many ingredients and making them requires mostly mixing up a few ingredients you already have in your home. You’ll find that the process is simple as can be and it will save you money on all those grooming appointments.

Author Bio:

Wendy can’t even remember a time when she wasn’t writing and editing in some capacity. She loves puppies, coffee and Netflix, and hates frozen pizza, cell phones, and cilantro.  You can find her work over at www.simplyfordogs.com

Sources:

https://www.dogster.com/dog-health-care/homemade-dog-shampoo-recipes

https://bullymax.com/homemade-dog-shampoo-recipe/

https://www.care.com/c/stories/6360/homemade-dog-shampoo-5-natural-recipes/