Natural Flea Shampoo For Dogs

Dawn is well-known around the veterinary and shelter communities as a flea killer and flea deterrent. Vinegar removes oils from the coat and skin while leaving fluffy, irresistibly soft fur behind. Despite knowing these things, I’ve continued to pay for far more expensive bath products for Bentley (our pug), trying to combat his pheromone-induced ‘doggy’ smell. Not completely satisfied with any results so far, I decided to see if there was something more ‘natural’ out there that could answer my prayers. Yes, I love my dog so much that I include his hormone and scent issues in my prayers. Like an over-protective parent, I’m always worried about what others will think upon first meeting him. I couldn’t have any smell, especially when it’s not his fault, overshadow his radiant personality and his zest for life. I needed to make sure he had an equal opportunity at being loved by all who meet him. As he deserves. With this new concoction all mixed up, and approved by our vet, we set off for the bathroom.

If seeing is believing, consider me ‘blinded by the light’. Bentley looked positively radiant after his scrub down. I believe my exact words to him (in my best Billy Crystal accent) were ,”Dahling, you look mahvelous. Absolutely mahvelous.” Speaking of which, with his new luster, Bentley would look really cute with a pair of wings and a halo for Halloween this year, like a little angel. But I digress. He was clean. Not a single flea in sight. He was fluffy. No hint of oil or his ‘doggy’ smell. I actually carried him to each of my children, and my poor husband, and made them smeeeeell him. Not a little sniff, either. That just wouldn’t suffice. I mean nose in the fur, and a deeeep inhale. ‘See, not a whiff of anything!’ I don’t think they understood my elation. I may or may not have seen them exchanging looks, silently asking each other if Mom is OK. They just won’t understand until they’re older. Or so I tell myself. For virtually nothing on my part, I’d achieved groomer-level results. Or at least that’s how Bentley looked to me. I may be a little biased.

Also, as a friendly reminder,  no children, pugs, or husbands were harmed in the making, usage, or smell-checking of this recipe.

This dog shampoo really does work. Let it help remove those pesky hitch-hikers, keeping your fur baby(ies) flea free, and leaving your pet with a scent-free, fluffy coat to boot.

Natural Flea Shampoo For Dogs

• 1 cup liquid Dawn dish soap


• 1 cup white vinegar


• 1 quart warm water

Directions

1. Mix the three ingredients in a large bowl.


2. Transfer to a leftover squeeze bottle (like an old shampoo bottle). Give it a little shake to make sure it is mixed.


3. Apply to your doggy just as you would normal shampoo. It is best if you can massage it into the fur and let sit for 5 minutes.


4. Rinse your doggy thoroughly with warm water. Towel dry.

Pet Wellness - DIY Holistic Flea Shampoo

I rarely use anything other than a holistic approach when it comes to my pets health needs. It’ s natural remedies and holistic approaches as much as possible for my pets and my family. Pet wellness isn’t just making sure they get regular exercise and healthy food to eat, it also means keeping them on as much of natures path as possible and this means using natural remedies and holistic medicine for their happiness and well being.

Pet owners really do not need to use the harsh chemicals found in flea shampoos, to get rid of fleas and in fact, as powerful as those chemicals are, often times a dog needs to be flea dipped more than once for the treatment to be effective. Ouch! Not only do these harsh chemicals damage your dogs skin, causing itchiness and often hot spots, but it is unhealthy for you, your dog, and your children to inhale the fumes, even if it’s not directly from the bottle. And, yes, these chemicals are known to seep through your dogs skin and into his blood stream, which is one of the reasons these harsh flea shampoos cannot be used on dogs under one year, and that is really cutting it close.

Pet wellness observers have high hopes that the world will come to it’s senses and begin using holistic approaches to their pets health and well being. One good place to start is with at home recipes whether it be flea shampoo, dry skin splashes, or homemade dog food and treats. Of course holistic pet medicine projects into many many more areas than just these.

Here is a Do It Yourself Holistic Flea Shampoo that will do the job gently, naturally, healthfully and successfully.

Ingredients

- 2 cups distilled water – boiled
It is important to use distilled water for it’s better ability to clean over filtered water.

- 1 1/2 Tbls dried Soapwort root

If using a whole soapwort then chopping it up is preferably for the release of necessary compounds.

- 20 drops organic essential oil of the following: cedar, citronella, citrus, eucalyptus, lavender, lemongrass, mint or rosemary.
These particular scents have natural flea fighting qualities so these are the ones you want to use. You can use just one or combine them all into 20 drops.

- Muslin Cloth

Directions


1. Bring the 2 cups of water to a boil.

2. Add the soapwort.

3. Turn down the heat to a simmer and cover the pot. Continue to simmer for 20 minutes.

4. Remove pot from the stove and allow to cool completely. About one hour in a cool place.

5. Once cooled place muslin over a jar or bowl and slowly pour the soapwort mixture into the jar or bowl. Discard the soapwort. You want to use a jar that has a tight fitting lid for storage and no spilling.


6. Add the essential oil to the soapwort liquid, close the jar tightly and shake to combine the ingredients.

7. Store in the fridge until ready to use.


This shampoo will last up to 2 weeks in the fridge.


It is important for pet owners and pet wellness observers to note that if your dog is heavily infested with fleas it may require more than one flea dip. The same remains true if you use the chemical approach. However, it is massively safer and more protective to your dogs skin to use a holistic flea dip as opposed to a chemical one. The other plus point of using a holistic flea dip is that you can leave it on your pet longer than you can a chemical dip, which gives you very clear instructions to leave the dip on no more than a certain time frame and to be sure to rinse it completely off your dog. Another important point is that many dogs will have a bad reaction to chemical flea dip, in turn causing you a vet bill and much discomfort and your pet a lot of discomfort and illness.  If your pet has allergies then a chemical flea dip is definitely not the way to go.

If you have a dog or cat with dry, irritated skin or hot spots try this homemade herbal rinse to help cool the skin and help with itching. I have a Saluki and they are very prone to dry skin. My poor puppy was itching terribly when I brought him home from the sanctuary and the above herbal rinse was a real light at the end of puppy’s itching tunnel. Not to mention he seemed to really enjoy the cool rinse being poured over him.

When it comes to an all around healthy, happy pet – pet wellness is the way to go, using natural holistic ingredients for cures, illnesses and help with getting pests off you pet.

Easy Dry Shampoo for Dogs ~ Fresh & Flea Free!

Dogs Dig Dry Poo Too

{sorry!}

Once again, necessity is the mother of invention at our house.  This time, necessity has been inspired by our 8 month old Newfoundland puppy named Bart who happens to be in dire need of “freshness”!  Making a spendy appointment with the groomer every week is out of the question so is a 2 hr battle with shampoo and hose, read on for an easy, affordable and safe solution.

Bart is generally clean but because we take him to the river to swim, he smells, it’s his oily coat…he can’t help it  He’s an outside dog which makes it easier to tolerate his perfume but, I’m facing a 3 hour drive in the car with him this weekend, I don’t think I can tolerate it for 3 hours!!

  

Bart gets a drink feet first, he’s a little special.

{cooler becomes future chew toy}

Time to haul out the ridiculously easy ingredients…  

Arrowroot Powder & EOs, that’s it!

note:  cornstarch can be added, that’s a personal preference.

To a small food processor or blender add:

1 cup Arrowroot Powder

5 drops Lavender

2 drops Geranium

Lavender and Geranium EOs are your friends for this purpose in two ways…

1 ~ Both are natural pest deterrents.  2 ~ The aromatherapy benefits of this combination will relax your puppy, be kind to his coat and skin and, actually change the molecular structure of the offending odor much like a diffuser does when it emits teeny droplets of EO into the air, purifying it.

Now pulse the processor or blender a few times until the powder and EOs are thoroughly blended.  Sprinkle your new “dry poo” {no giggling!} onto a cookie sheet to dry for a few hours before using.

Upcycle a salt or spice bottle with multiple shaker settings like this, the options of more or less is nice!  Or, you can get fancy and buy a pretty glass shaker at the dollar store.  

Spoon the dry poo into your container of choice and surprise your four legged buddy with a waterless bath of all natural ingredients to freshen and brighten everyones day!  

A few tips: if you have a small dog, a large round makeup brush will help you powder your puppy with a little more control then be sure to brush him out.  For the big galoots like Bart, sometimes it’s easiest to sprinkle the powder on my hands and massage up and under his long fur and brush out, he loves the attention too

One more thing before The End…

You too can use it too!

The End.

As always, please enjoy a 10% savings on Spark Naturals EOs with this code:

campwander 

Flea Shampoo for Dogs

A happy dog, is a flea free dog!  Living in Florida, fleas are something I think about yearly.  I prefer natural alternatives to the toxic flea dips, collars and other products on the market that wreak havoc on our furry friends health.

Essential oils can support a flea free Fido by acting as repellents.  It should be said they do not get rid of existing fleas, but help deter them.  A healthy diet is also important in keeping fleas at bay.  Fleas tend to opt for animals in poor health.  One thing to keep in mind when using essential oils with your dog is less is more.  I don’t recommend putting essential oils undiluted on your dogs coat as it is too strong for them, especially dogs under 60 pounds.  And never put them on a cat.  Cats can not eliminate essential oils from their bodies and can build up a toxicity to them.

Essential oils high in limonene are great repellents.  Orange and tangerine essential oils are two of the highest in limonene.  Cedarwood is also a good flea repellent and is a skin loving essential oil.

Making your own flea shampoo is easy.  Here is a gentle aromatherapy flea shampoo recipe to help you get started.

Natural Flea Shampoo

3 ounces Castille Soap

1 ounce Aloe Gel

10 drops Cedarwood Essential Oil

10 drops Orange Essential Oil

Pour the castille soap in a 4 ounce bottle.  

Add the essential oil drops.  

Top with the aloe gel.  

Cap and shake.

Resources:

Castille Soap – Dr. Bronners Unscented Baby Formula is a great castille soap.  You can find it at Target, your local natural food store or purchase on their website from the link above.

Aloe Gel – I recommend GNC’s Whole Leaf Aloe Vera Gel – Unflavored.

Bottle for your shampoo - 4 ounce bottle

A great book for natural pet care – Dr Pitcairn’s New Complete Guide for Natural Health for Dogs and Cats