Is there any reason I cannot use a gentle 'human' shampoo on my dog? What about conditioner?

Question

I use a shampoo for dogs with sensitive skin but the shampoo smell is horrible. I live abroad a lot of the time and she is always running around outside and getting filthy. She hates being showered but the 'doggy' smell can get really strong. She is on hormone injections to stop her coming on heat (she was a street dog and routinely 'sterilised' but the ovaries remain - if that makes sense. Could these injections cause the 'doggy' smell? I have never had a dog before so don't know what is 'normal'.

Answer 1

No having the dog "fixed isn't causing odor. I use human shampoos on my dog all the time. Head and shoulders is a good one, kills fleas also.

Answer 2

All dogs have a "doggy" smell! Learn to live with it, or rehome your dog! As for shampoos, no way you should use human shampoo (still less conditioner) as these contain chemicals harmless to humans, but which could be harmful to your dog. Watch her after shampooing. After a thorough shake, and partially drying herself, I'll bet the next thing she does is to lick herself? Thus shampoo residue can be transferred to the animal's intestinal tract. ALWAYS use a proprietary brand of dog shampoo as recommended by your vet. (Incidentally, some dog shampoos are anti-flea also, which helps!)

Answer 3

You need to be careful about useing human shampoo on your dog, because humans have a different skin type from dogs. You can ask you vet for suggestions about a type of shampoo that smells good that's for dogs. Or, if you want to experament, you should get extra gental shampoo for kids to use on your dog. Because children have really sensitive skin it may not hurt you dog. But it would look on the back for any warning lables. Good luck and I hope you have a Merry Christmas.

Answer 4

I worked at a vet clinic for 4 years and our groomer used mostly either suave and/or dawn dish detergent. The dawn will really dry the coat out, but for a very muddy dirty coat it is the only thing that will cut throug all the dirt. It is perfectly safe, and much cheaper to use human shampoos. I prefer to use either suave or VO5 because they are the cheapest at the store. But if I have to wash my horses or dogs face I will use Baby shampoo so it won't hurt their eyes. Another great product is called Orvus paste. It comes in a gallon container and only costs like $20. This one tub will last you a minimum of five years, I promise you! It is the best stuff I've found yet for cleaning and conditioning animals. It is safe enough to use on antique linens, but strong enough to get that Alabama red clay stain out of a great horse's coat.

Answer 5

many people can and do use a human shampoo on there dog, if you do try to stick with johnson and johnson brand. a dogs ph levels in skin and hair are diffrent than humans, and a harsh shampoo can cause your dog to itch and have dandruff. baby shampoo seems to be closest to a dogs ph balance. this is what i was told by my vet on the occasion that i absolutely had to use a human shampoo. they make a spray on product for dogs that takes away doggy odor. i used it religiously on the saint bernard that i fostered that came from an outside kennel from a backyard breeder and it helped tremendously. look for it in the local pet store.

Answer 6

when I used to show dogs, I would bathe once a week using a baby shampoo which doesn't sting the eyes. You don't need conditioner unless she is a long coated breed in which case, conditioner will help you to groom the coat without tugging small tangles. These hormone injections are very dangerous indeed as they can cause cancer.I don't see why she is being given them unless it is a money generating thing by the vet.

Answer 7

I have always used puppy shampoo (because it's gentler and smells like baby powder) and then my personal conditioner on my dog. He gets into some nasty things outside and it really does help. My chihua had horrible skin and we had to be really careful with him, but this seems to be effective. Try Pantene Pro-V conditioner with some puppy shampoo. OR try Mane N'Tail that is actually formulated for horses. It smells really good and is safe for your dog. Some people with really coarse hair use the conditioner because it;s so effective. I had to use it on my Yorkie because her hair used to get so matted. Good luck.

P.S. A hormone imbalance CAN cause your dog to smell, but that is usually a thyroid problem and would require a blood test to check for. You should talk to your vet about it. It is most likely a result of her running outside and getting stinky. Most dogs who go outside for more than a few minutes a day have a certain aroma to them. Best of luck to you.

Answer 8

My vet told me once I could use Johnson's Baby shampoo on the dog to keep from washing way the Advantage application so fast. When I mentioned it to my hairdresser, she said that baby shampoo is much harsher than regular shampoo and she did not recommend doing that. She said that shampoo is what they recommend to people who want to tone down a color quickly (on a human head). She said also it has very harsh detergents in it and that she learned it at beauty school. She went on to further say that human pH is different than canine and each type of shampoo is pH balanced accordingly...

Answer 9

I use 'normal' shampoo on my dogs and their skin & hair has always been fine.

the key is too COMPLETELY rinse it out, its just the same as if you didnt wash all the shampoo out of your hair. Even if you think you've got it all out....keep rinsing for a while!

and treatments for fleas etc in dog shampoos arent really that strong or effective, your better off getting the vet to give them jabs for things like that!

Dont use conditioner though as its really not necessary!

Answer 10

dogs smell like dogs. you cant get rid of that smell. but check the ears, if they are dirty they can be putting off a lot more smell than you would expect.

does your dog actually have sensitive skin? cause if not, you can try a puppy shampoo. the one we use smells like grapes. and i dont think a (human) baby shampoo would be too bad, i mean, its for babies right? conditioner isnt necessary. their coats are supposed to be the way they are, and if your dog has more of a wirey texture to it, its best to keep it that way. you should look into getting her overies removed as well, i bet in the long run it would be cheaper than hormon injections and its probably better for her health (but i doubt it has anything to do with the smell)

Answer 11

It's a dog, therefore it has a dog smell!

Human shampoo is toxic to dogs.

Puppy and Kitten shampoo is suitable and some smell nicer to the human nose!

Good luck