Demystifying Shampoos for Dogs (and owners!) with Special Skin Needs
When thinking about dog shampoos, there is so much to consider. It gets even trickier when either you or your dog have special needs. Thankfully, as a Master Candidate Groomer, I pride myself on being your local shampoo expert to help you choose what’s best for your pet with confidence.
When clients come in for grooming with special shampoo needs, it is usually related to a scent sensitivity, their dog’s dry skin, their dog’s itchy skin, or their dog’s sensitive skin. So let’s break down these issues and help you find a product that’s right for your pet.
SENSITIVE SKIN
There are some areas on a dog that are already prone to sensitivity, such as their faces. And puppies, of course, are sensitive to products as well. I will always use a face-safe shampoo on all dogs, regardless of its secondary properties. A face-safe shampoo may or may not have scents, so be sure to specify if you need a scent-free shampoo. Puppies will always be bathed with a puppy-safe shampoo, and again, these may or may not be scented. Puppy shampoos are also often tearless, meaning they do not sting a wiggly puppy’s eyes. Tearless and Face Safe are often similar in formulation, but a tearless shampoo may have less optical brighteners (among other things) that may cause a reaction with the tear duct. Rest assured, regardless of the product used on your pet’s face, we will always keep the product out of the eyes, mouth, and ears. There are endless face safe and tearless shampoos to choose from, but South Bark’s Blueberry Facial is one of the most common and classic facial shampoo options on the market that is also safe for puppies. This is the face shampoo I choose to use for my clients.
Some dogs have sensitive skin everywhere, not just on the face. These dogs may be prone to product reaction, such as skin redness or hives, excess sebum production, or intense itching or chewing post-bath. These are the dogs that hypoallergenic shampoo was made for! Dogs that have extremely sensitive skin can benefit from a hypoallergenic formula. Unfortunately, a truly hypoallergenic product may be different for every dog, as a dog can react to ANYTHING. It’s also important to note that not all hypoallergenic shampoos are scent-free, so make sure to factor this in if you have specific needs in either direction. It may take a variety of hypoallergenic shampoos before you find the one that works well for your pet. A visit to the vet may lead you to discover root causes of your pup’s hypersensitivity, and a prescription shampoo may be your best bet down the line. Chris Christiansen has a wonderful hypoallergenic shampoo that I routinely use, and Duoxo is commonly a vet-prescribed shampoo brand. Make sure to ask your vet for recommendations on which one of their shampoos may be right for your pet.
OWNER SENSITIVITY
It isn’t always a dog’s sensitivity that requires special attention; sometimes, an owner might have allergies or extreme scent sensitivity. In these cases, you’re looking for a scent-free shampoo formula. As stated above, many hypoallergenic shampoos still have mild to strong scents, so be sure to test your product beforehand. Chris Christiansen and Ecos are two brands that offer entirely scentless shampoo formulations. Chris Christansen is a professional grade product that can be bought in bulk or in 16 oz bottles online and will need significant dilution. This shampoo is offered to my clients. Ecos is a consumer grade product that does not need to be diluted beforehand and is found at most local stores for emergency bathing in between appointments.
DRY SKIN
Dogs with dry skin may be suffering from such an affliction for a variety of reasons. In its purest form, dry skin is a breakdown of the keratinization process as well as an underproduction of sebum from the glands in your dog’s skin. This can happen for a variety of reasons, and your vet will be an integral part of understanding why your dog’s skin may be underproducing sebum. Dogs with dry skin may need to be bathed either more or less frequently with a mild, hydrating shampoo followed by a humectant conditioner. A hypoallergenic shampoo may not hurt your pup, but a hydrating shampoo will be much better and will help to resolve the skin issue rather than simply not making it worse. Iv San Bernard is the industry leader in hydrating shampoos and conditioners, and Chris Christiansen makes a serviceable product with chamomile that will help hydrate the coat so it does not continue to dry out with the skin. Both brands are gentle and smell fantastic, and have quickly become some of my favorites.
ITCHY SKIN
Itching in dogs can be caused by near endless reasons, including but not limited to dry skin, fleas, environmental allergies, food allergies, a skin infection, stress, boredom, learned behavior, open wounds, trauma to the skin, and beyond. Each of these conditions will need a targeted solution, and your vet is the best place to get answers. As far as shampoo goes, a hypoallergenic shampoo will be your go-to short term option as you work to uncover the greater cause behind your dog’s itching. Unless, of course, an active flea infestation is present – then it’s straight to the flea shampoo.
A NOTE ON OATMEAL SHAMPOO
Many pet owners hear that an oatmeal shampoo is the best way to resolve a variety of skin issues. Unfortunately, this is simply a myth that has taken on mythic proportions. As Barbara Bird, an industry leader in canine skin and product testing, has said time and again: oatmeal shampoo simply does not have enough actual oatmeal in it to be an effective remedy for any skin concerns. Instead, it would be better to make a strong batch of oatmeal and soak your dog’s affected skin with freshly made oats (not Quaker, please)! Real oats are incredibly medicinal for humans as well when prepared properly. So, do your pup a favor and put down the oatmeal shampoo. Instead, try one of our remedies above – or if you’re really brave, turn breakfast into a fun spa (or should we say “spaw”) experience with your furry friends.
FINAL THOUGHTS
It is my hope that this article helps demystify the process of choosing a dog-safe shampoo for your four legged family members. If you have any questions, I am here to offer my expertise every step of the way.
