Ok, I confess, there is no really bad or ugly points about dog soap but there are a couple of pointers that are helpful to know and I liked the title!
I created my coconut oil dog soap for a number of reasons.
I wanted it to be as simple and natural as possible having discovered that many shampoos share their ingredients with floor cleaners.
I wanted something to bath the dog with that was not in a plastic bottle.
I discovered that coconut oil makes THE BEST soap for dogs. Why? It gives the biggest bubbles, the deepest clean and is full of wonderful coconut oil.
Coconut oil has some fabulous properties. It is anti -inflammatory, antimicrobial, moisturising and more. What's not to love.
Now on to the questions I get asked most.
Can I use it on cats? Most essential oils are toxic to cats so you can use the unperfumed variety with oatmeal as above but not any of the others.
Can I use it on horses?
Yes yes yes! All varieties are fabulous for horses and are awesome for scrubbing manes and tails, bringing socks up bright and white and generally scrubbing those mud stains off. My Soap on a Ropes are even labelled up for horses and are perfect to hang up in the yard for easy access.
Can I use it on myself? You can if you want to, I do! However it does not have the necessary safety assessments for me to sell it for human use - that does not mean it is not safe - I can give away as much as I would like - and I do to friends, family and neighbours! Realistically though there are different soap recipes out there that I much prefer for human soaps that are far more luxurious on our skin.
How long does it last? As a guide 1 small 50g bar will bath 10 westie sized dogs.
How do I use it? I send out a handy leaflet with every purchase but a very wet coat is key, rub directly on to the coat and use the bar itself to scrub. It will lather up quickly. Rinse well - and you are done!
How do I keep it between baths?
Allow it to dry out between baths, keep spare bars in a cool, dry place. Other than that soap is low maintenance!
What is the shelf life?
Unlike us, your soap will get better and better with age, the longer you keep it the harder it will get and the longer it lasts. Because I use natural essential oils the outer scent will fade over time but as the bar is used the oils within are released. I have used soap that is well over 12 months old and it foams as beautifully as when it was first made, coconut oil has a lengthy shelf life meaning your soap will not go rancid within this period of time. I normally suggest stockists aim for a turnover of no more than 3 months to ensure they keep fresh soap on the shelves.
Which soap is best for my dogs coat type?
All the soaps have the same base recipe so the answer is any or all. whichever scent is your personal preference will be fabulous. For very sensitive skins I would suggest the unperfumed with oatmeal. It is not as boring as it sounds, leaves a lovely 'soap' smell and nothing more.
Can I use it on different dogs? Yes you can - give it a good rinse between dogs for hygiene. You can also put it in a UV steriliser if you are a dog groomer and have one. If you have any concerns then cut your soap up - one bit for bums. One bit for faces - you get the picture.
Can I use it on cockerpoos? Generally no - unless they are kept short. Cockerpoos and other poo crosses have quite specific coat care needs, they really do need a little more tlc and a conditioning product which sadly is not possible in soap bar. Hence why I sell a beautiful conditioning shampoo.
Is it good for sensitive skin? Yes brilliant, I have had so much feed back regarding success stories with sensitive, itchy and problem skins.
Is is suitable for dog groomers to use? Yes I have lots of groomers who use it. Not exclusively but as an extra tool in their kit as it were. It is fabulous for problem skins, fox poo, beards, bums, short hairs, smooth hairs, terriers (brings westies up beautifully) and more. I offer a Groomers Loaf as a really cost effective option for this purpose. A whole loaf is 13 100g slices although in reality it is more like 1600g than 1300g. Using the guide as above it would bath 260 westie sized dogs. Kept in a cool dry place it will keep for months.
I hope that has helped a little. If you have any further questions just drop them in the comments and I will answer them for you as soon as I can. If you would like to see the entire range of soap then you can find them here