Why Soap for Dogs?

Soap is an ancient process which dates back almost 5000 years. It is made from a chemical reaction between natural oils and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) also known as caustic soda. NaOH is obtained by electrolyzing Sodium Chloride which is salt! It is not possible to make soap without NaOH but here is the clever bit, when natural oils are mixed with NaOH and water a process called saponification occurs and those 3 basic ingredients are converted in to soap! Yes, that really is all soap is! Bizarrely oils can be turned into a product which then breaks down and washes oils off! 

What about my dog soap? Well, I use 100% coconut oil. Coconut Oil is the most amazing natural oil, It is anti bacterial, anti fungal and an excellent moisturiser. Every bar of dog soap has a small amount of excess coconut oil floating around in it which has not been converted in to soap making it perfect for every dog skin type, even those with sensitive or irritated skin.

 Why soap and not liquid shampoo I hear you ask? Well liquid shampoo does certainly have a place, in particular for big hairy dogs and those such as poodles who generally get blow dried straight before being clipped or scissored. Soap may not leave the coat quite as soft and silky as needed. But for the other 90 % of dogs soap is PERFECT. When rubbed directly on to a very wet coat The Dog and I soap gives a fantastic lather, is extremely easy to use and rinses out very quickly. Much faster than shampoo.

A bar of soap will last a good number of washes, make sure it is kept dry in between. It will be more cost effective and also and here is the best bit as far as I am concerned - no plastic bottles. A subject very close to my own heart.

I am often asked if my soap can be used on human hair, the answer is not really, at least not as successfully as on dogs. Our hair has cuticles which lift if we use alkaline products (and soap is alkaline). This makes our hair rough and not soft as the majority of us would like. You can counteract this by using a dilute solution of lemon juice or vinegar but I have to confess I have not tried it. My hair is frizzy and not the easiest to manage at the best of times so unfortunately it is not for me.

I do add a couple of other ingredients to our soap, something to add a little grip ie oatmeal or poppy seeds - a slippery dog is enough to handle never mind a slippery bar of soap. 

I do offer scented soap. Don't however expect your soap to smell as strong as those you may buy for humans, it won't. The scent is delicate so as not to offend your dogs nose and also to ensure levels of essential oils used are safe.

All our soap is handmade by me. I can make larger quantities to order and even sell it as an entire uncut 'loaf' 

You can check out the range of dog soap here

PLEASE DO NOT USE ESSENTIAL OILS ON CATS, PREGNANT BITCHES OR PUPPIES UNDER 14 WEEKS.