To keep your dog’s health in top condition, and to keep your home clean, you need your dog bathed regularly. A Puppy Spa Day will ensure a clean, shiny and fresh-smelling coat. This will also keep your floors and fabrics clean in your home. Bathing dogs helps remove dead skin cells, excess oil, causes of allergic reaction, dust mites, and fleas. When you are choosing the right product for your furry family member, you want the right dog shampoo; a bad choice can pose severe damage to a dog’s skin & coat.
It took me some trial and error, when it came to bathing my dogs. I have two little dachshunds, a mother and a daughter. I learned the hard way to never use a human shampoo on dogs: human shampoos may contain chemicals that aren’t suitable for furry babies. My Momma dog has sensitive wrinkly skin on her legs to begin with. I tried changing all her foods, purifying her water, and making sure she wasn’t in a stressful environment. The real game changer was finding the right shampoo that wouldn’t make her skin flake. The wrong shampoo can dry out her sensitive skin; causing her to scratch relentlessly & be irritated because the pH value is important. Coming across this brand changed her little wrinkle paws.
I learned through friends with similar breeds, canine skin is thinner and more alkaline compared to human skin, a situation which requires shampoo specially made for dogs. I was worried, because a lot of dog grooming products are expensive, and seem excessive. I had visions of Westminster Dog Show suds behind glossy curtains. Rationalizing spending a lot of money on their food and care, you don’t want to cheap out on their coat. But let’s face it. We’re all on a budget. So, for my dogs, I followed the breed community’s advice to bathe my babies once per week. I looked through The Vac Shop Pet Supplies section, and bought the Fresh Wave Dog Shampoo with Lemongrass. Here is my teeny baby sweetie, Eritrea, all 4lbs of her. After her bath, with her shiny coat, below.
Both the dogs and I like the mild scent, the natural ingredients, and the deep clean this product provides. I tried it on her Momma too (but she is camera shy, and wouldn’t let the paparazzi take any pictures), and she didn’t spend the post bath time wriggling around trying to rub the shampoo or water off like with other brands. I have tried many different types, but this shampoo is so gentle!
Look for shampoos with natural ingredients, like pine, cedar wood, lime, and lemongrass. It is important to rinse off the shampoo completely as the residual can cause irritate skin. Shampoos with artificial fragrances are a no-no because perfumes are derived from chemicals, lead spots that irritate the eyes and skin of you and your pet. Puppy Spa Day helps tackle shedding, matting, and animal dander. Milder shampoos will help with younger pups. Using something like the Fresh Wave Dog Shampoo you are being mindful of your dog and the planet, with plant based compounds that are Non-GMO and non-hazardous materials.
According to this link from the AKC, American Kennel Club, dogs need to be bathed at different frequencies based on their breed and lifestyle. Some dog breeds can go from week to week with 1 bath, some breeds can manage once in every three months. However, if your pet is adventurous in the dirt, you will have to bathe more frequently. For my household, we are constantly washing and wiping paws in the spring and fall.
My dogs live in the inner city, and there always seem to be grease, grime, and who-knows-what-you-rolled-around-in on their walks. I need to give them a rub down before I let them on their soft beds or my fleece throws, to keep the mess down. The bonus with this product is, it makes your dog’s coat shiny and soft too. According to Fresh Wave’s website, “Whether you’re washing a puppy, or senior-citizen, Fresh Wave will leave them clean and fit to be hugged” which I think is a bit adorable. Fresh Wave’s odor-removing formula—perfected over 30 years—works at the molecular level to destroy odors. It turns the “wet dog” smell into a “beautiful dog” smell and even eliminates skunk odors.
Come by The Vac Shop with all your cleaning supplies questions!