Benefits of Dog Shampoo

Overview

It is a sad fact that the majority of dogs do carry some degree of doggy smell. Many people seem to get used to this and it is only visitors to the home who notice the smell and often find it quite offensive. Natural sources of dog odor come from various parts of a dog’s body and the skin accounts for the vast majority of doggy smell – this smell is caused by the acidification of fatty acids on the skin and can produce quite intense odors. Regular grooming is crucial for any pet. Just like with humans, grooming is essential for your dog’s overall health and this entails proper bathing for your pup with a recommended dog shampoo

A dog shampoo is a cleansing agent that is available in the market specially designed for dogs. They come in a variety of types that target specific issues or problems that one’s dog might be facing. Dog shampoo is gentle so natural oils aren’t stripped away. It protects his skin and coat but still gets the dirt out.

Dogs who spend the most of their time indoors will not need much bathing, while dogs who are outside a lot, will need to be bathed more often. Also, some dogs’ coats will accumulate grease and oil more quickly than others may require weekly baths to maintain a healthy coat.  To keep your dog free of irritation, make sure you use a dog specific shampoo.

What Types of Dog Shampoos are Available?

A wide variety of shampoos are made available to deal with all sorts of problems that one can face with their dogs. A few are listed below;

• Puppy: With no tear formula

• Brightening: To add luster and shine

• Deodorizing: For odor removal

• Herbal Protein: For conditioning using natural ingredients

• Septi-Sooth: For soothing skin infections and inflammations

• Flea and Ticks: For removing the infestation of these insects

• Premium Conditioning: For proper conditioning of coat without oily residues

• Itch Stop: To get relief from itchy skin

• Oatmeal: Helps to retain moisture while cleaning thoroughly

Benefits of Dog Shampoo

There are numerous benefits of using a good quality dog shampoo.

Helps with Germs and ticks

They are gentle and yet firm. This is so because the germs and the insects that latch onto the dog’s skin and coat are hard to remove so the shampoo needs to be effective yet it should be not so harsh as to damage the dog’s skin.

A good shampoo has this characteristic and is successfully able to eradicate all the unwanted germs and harmful fleas and ticks to give a clean and bright coat.

Hypoallergenic and Anti-itch Shampoo

Is your dog allergic to fragrances and other ingredients in regular dog shampoos? If so, choose a hypoallergenic shampoo. If your pet has issues with itching, first check for fleas, then check for food allergies. Food allergy is one of the most common causes of itchy skin. Corn, wheat, or soy are common triggers. Buy an anti-itch shampoo with hydrocortisone or lidocaine in it. These ingredients are anti-inflammatory and will soothe your dog.

If a particular spot on your dog is bothering him, try an anti-itch spray. The nozzle lets you spray the specific area that itches. This may save you from a full body shampoo with medicated shampoo.

Cleanse the skin

Dog shampoos will remove stale or rancid fatty acids and therefore reduce odor; it will also remove the skin debris, i.e. dead skin cells that may accumulate and block pores or follicles and also promote the proper production of the natural skin oils in the sebaceous glands and allow these to flow freely across the skin to help keep it moist and supple.

Condition the skin and hair.

Dog shampoos will help in reducing the static electrical charge and thereby reduce the attraction of dust and dirt to the skin, and close up the scales on each individual hair shaft which makes the hair reflect the light so it shines and looks good, as well as reducing the potential “purchase” opportunity for dust and dirt to settle on the hair.

Maintains Skin pH

The dog’s skin is covered with a thin film and the pH of this layer is known as the skin pH of the dog. Typically, the pH of a dog’s skin ranges from 2.2 to 7.5 and is comfortable in this zone

Treatment for Mange

If your dog has mange, your veterinarian may prescribe a specially-medicated shampoo. Mange is a skin disease caused by mites. The contagious mites burrow into your pet’s skin. The results are itching, hair loss, and rashes. A serious case of mange can cause problems with your dog’s immune system. Frequent bathing with proper dog shampoo helps your pet maintain proper Ph balance. This protects him against bacteria and infections.

Tips for Using a dog shampoo

Outlined below are our tips for shampooing here;

• Thoroughly wet your dog all over. The more water you get into the coat the easier it is to shampoo.

• Use a sponge to apply shampoo particularly around the face. Pouring shampoo down the back of your pet will mean you will use more than you require

• When lathering up always add more water before you add more shampoo. A shampoo won’t lather well in absence of water.

• Rub the shampoo all over including around the muzzle, lips and under the tail. These are the areas bacteria and fungus spread from and are the common causes of infection. You will find this relatively easy if you are using a sponge.

• It is important if using a medicated shampoo to allow time for it to work. In general, 10 minutes is required. Some other shampoos, which are known to irritate the skin, will specify shorter contact times with increased frequency of use to reduce the irritating effect

• Rinse thoroughly. It takes time to get rid of all the shampoo from the coat, about 5 minutes in longer haired dogs

• Dry gently. Using heat or vigorous towel drying will irritate skin that is already itchy