# Natural handmade dog soap??



## bensonbenson884 (Jan 30, 2014)

Does any one have any natural recipes for natural dog soaps?? Maybe a cold press method? One that will work with there ph, and is good for itchy/dry skin so maybe something with honey and or oats?? Any feed back would be great thank you


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## lsg (Jan 30, 2014)

I would hesitate to give anyone a cp recipe to use on dogs, although I do make a bar for my Great Pyr.  Wholesale Supplies Plus has come out with a pet shampoo base that you might try.
http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/ProductDetail.aspx?CatalogID=2&GroupID=332&CategoryID=2098&ProductID=9606&ProductName=Crafters+Choice%e2%84%a2+Pet+Shampoo+Base+

Here is a link with a recipe using M&P:

http://www.pvsoap.com/recipe_dog_bone_soap.htm


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## bensonbenson884 (Jan 30, 2014)

Thank you very much will look in to them


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## jade-15 (Feb 6, 2014)

I have done some research into this, but not made one.

Dogs skin has a different pH to humans which is why you should never use human shampoo on them. However, from what I understand dog shampoo has a pH similar to cold process soap, which means it should be suitable (in theory). I would stick to things like olive oil, lard, palm, and Shea butter. As dogs aren't meant to eat chocolate, I personally would avoid cocoa butter (I'm not sure what part of chocolate they react to. Safest IMO to avoid, especially as there will be residual cocoa butter in superfat).
A lot of dry, red, itchy skin on dogs can be due to allergies/sensitivities which is why I would use a small number of oils in the recipe. Maybe a Castile would be best.  In the information I read some EOs are ok - but I would definitely encourage you do research this for yourself before using.

As I said, I have not made any soap for dogs, only "researched" it (via google), and the comments above are just my personal thoughts on it - definitely not speaking from experience.

One suggestion for soothing dogs skin is to make them a bath in colloidal oatmeal -
Oatmeal in sachet/bag thing, add dog and water and let doggy have a splash around for a while.
My dog hates water so there's no way this would work for him!


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## cmzaha (Feb 6, 2014)

I do make a doggie soap that has been good for my daughter's dog that has skin problems. I also have several customers that buy it regularly. I use lard, coconut, PKO, Sunflower, Avocado, Castor and Neem Oil with goats milk, fresh aloe, jojoba oil, citronella, lavender and tea tree oil. 1% total essentials  Very strong uncaffeinated coffee for the liquid. I also use very fine ground baby oatmeal


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## Lin (Feb 6, 2014)

Theobromine is whats toxic in chocolate to dogs. They are unable to break it down, and it causes a caffeine like overdose toxicity. There is no theobromine in cocoa butter.

I would never buy that WSP base, it doesn't state the ingredients! I'm really shocked, I understand ingredients not being required but would never buy a base to work with without knowing the ingredients much less something to put on my dog without knowing the ingredients.


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## paillo (Feb 6, 2014)

I make a doggie soap with chamomile-infused beer, goat milk, oils of babassu, castor, emu, neem (latest batch first time with neem, curing), avocado and shea. Also a generous amount of colloidal oatmeal. And a few other things.

Have one dog with extremely sensitive, itchy skin, not even the veterinary colloidal oatmeal soap would stop the constant scratching until she bled, bald patches, scabs, and misery for her. I've been using only my soap on her for a year, and her skin, and coat, have completely cleared up and she's beautiful again


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## jade-15 (Feb 7, 2014)

Lin said:


> Theobromine is whats toxic in chocolate to dogs. They are unable to break it down, and it causes a caffeine like overdose toxicity. There is no theobromine in cocoa butter.



Thank you Lin, good to know


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Feb 7, 2014)

I avoided coming to this thread as I would be too tempted to ask what % of natural dog you'd put in the soap!  But I would never dream of asking that now.................

I like the sound of the soap from Paillo.  My brother-in-law's dog has a lot of bald patches from a skin issue that the vet hasn't been able to solve.  I might well have to send them a bar of Pine Tar!


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## jade-15 (Feb 7, 2014)

"My" dog (well, he lives with my parents...) has dry itchy skin, looks like eczema.  I was hesitant to make him something as I didn't want to exacerbate his condition and after some googling learnt about all the different causes it could be (eg allergies...).
I will still keep a soothing soap for him on the to-do list.  Hopefully his move to a drier climate well help too.

Cmzaha and paillo, would you mind sharing the sort of numbers you get for on soap calc? Should I aim for a low cleansing, high conditioning?  And do you do a nice high superfat like 15% or does that not work for dogs like it does for humans?


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## shunt2011 (Feb 7, 2014)

I too make a dog soap.  However, I have used the base from WSP and it's quite nice.  It cleans nicely and rinses off well.   Leaves the skin not dried out and the fur is soft.


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## Lin (Feb 7, 2014)

Dogs skin issues are usually food related, and after that environmental.  It can be anything from an allergy to grass to something being used in the house.  My boyfriends sister uses something on the carpets that made my girl Tessa turn half bald, it was terrible.


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## cmzaha (Feb 7, 2014)

My dog I had for years was allergic to grass. Everytime she got out and played in the grass she had to go to the vet for a shot


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## jnl (Jan 25, 2015)

i will be making a hot process dog shampoo bar and adding citric acid after the HP to lower the ph.  HP and re-batching are the only way to really lower the ph of soap.

maybe i will pull out one small bar before i add the citric acid to compare (with ph strips and hand washing for myself - not on my dog).





jade-15 said:


> I have done some research into this, but not made one.
> 
> Dogs skin has a different pH to humans which is why you should never use human shampoo on them. However, from what I understand dog shampoo has a pH similar to cold process soap, which means it should be suitable (in theory). I would stick to things like olive oil, lard, palm, and Shea butter. As dogs aren't meant to eat chocolate, I personally would avoid cocoa butter (I'm not sure what part of chocolate they react to. Safest IMO to avoid, especially as there will be residual cocoa butter in superfat).
> A lot of dry, red, itchy skin on dogs can be due to allergies/sensitivities which is why I would use a small number of oils in the recipe. Maybe a Castile would be best.  In the information I read some EOs are ok - but I would definitely encourage you do research this for yourself before using.
> ...


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## cmzaha (Jan 25, 2015)

jnl said:


> i will be making a hot process dog shampoo bar and adding citric acid after the HP to lower the ph. HP and re-batching are the only way to really lower the ph of soap.
> 
> maybe i will pull out one small bar before i add the citric acid to compare (with ph strips and hand washing for myself - not on my dog).


 
Not sure where you heard this but you cannot lower the ph of soap, and ph strips are not reliable. You can try adding the citric and risk ending up with sludge instead of soap.  Make a syndet bar if you want to lower ph. Syndet bars are made with surfactants are there are gentle ones available


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