Should You Use Dry Shampoo on Your Dog?

Bath day for your dog is dramatic. Just thinking the word bath causes your four-legged friend to hide behind furniture, where you have to drag them out before depositing them in the tub. The bath itself is sure to get you just as wet as them, not to mention the entirety of the bathroom when they shake. Afterward, there is the lingering smell of wet dog, hardly covered with your shampoos scent.


If you are familiar with this scenario you might want to exchange some of your bath day dramatics for a quick rub down with dry shampoo for dogs.

What is Dry Shampoo and How Does it Work? 

 

Dry shampoo is made with a powder base, or made with a fast drying liquid.

After being left in the hair for a certain ammount of time the powder is shaken or brushed out of the hair.

If left in the hair for a certain ammount of time, the dry shampoo absorbs the excess oil from the hair follicles. 

Dry shampoos are made for humans, but they are also made for dogs.

Why Should I use Dry Shampoo for Dogs?

 

Dry shampoos offer convenience when cleaning your pets. While bath day usually involves not only washing your dog but also cleaning yourself and your bathroom, using a dry shampoo is much quicker. You can use the product when expecting visitors, or right before you take your companion out into public. This no water method of dog cleaning means less wet dog smell lingering, even though your pet is clean. It is also portable, making it easy to keep your companion fresh on vacation.

Dry Shampoo can be powder, spray or mousse.

All dry shampoos are not actually dry.

Of course, you can get them in the dry powder like Fresh Dog's Dry Shampoo Powder, but they also come in more fluid but still rinse free forms such as Bodhi Dog's waterless shampoo spray or Particular Paws foaming mousse. Many have all natural ingredients, and you can find products made in the USA if that is what you're looking go for.

The application is almost the same for each kind of product. After applying the shampoo to their fur you massage it deeper into their coat using your fingers or a brush. Despite being so simple you should always carefully read and follow the directions on anything you use to clean your pets.

Bathing a dog with conventional soap and water can wash away too many of the natural oils your dog’s skin produces. That can leave your dogs skin and fur dry and brittle. Using dry shampoo for dogs more often and only using a wet shampoo about once a month can solve some skin issues.

Washing a dog too often can strip its fur of natural oils.

Can I use Dry Sampoo only and not bathe my dog?

However, dry shampoo for dogs should not completely replace having an occasional bath

While dry shampoo will clean to a degree, some kinds may also leave Fido’s coat feeling a little rough to the touch. While they lightly clean and mask dog odors they are only removing excess oils, they cannot get rid of dirt and germs

If your friend has been playing in the dirt or has rolled in something extra smelly and gross a dry shampoo is not as good as an old-fashioned bath. Dry shampoos also don't do much to fight off common pooch pests such as fleas and ticks.

When you use dry shampoo for dogs along with your usual wet baths your dog should have a healthier coat, and you should spend less time cleaning your dog (and your bathroom) than you have in the past. As a bonus, you will have more bonding time with your dog as you brush or massage the cleaning agent into their fur, and the dog has less time to dread bath day.

It's a winning situation for everyone involved.



(images: pixabay.com)