Maybe you’re out of shampoo or trying to get through a more economical approach to pet grooming, or maybe you just don’t like the smell of dog shampoos.  So the question is can you actually use human shampoo to wash your dog instead?

Sounds like a simple question. And if you look it up on Google, you’d even get very straight forward answers.  The good thing is, you’re reading through an article like this because you want to be absolutely sure it is safe for dogs. So worry not, we’ll take you through some of the important things to consider first before deciding on canine grooming product.

The Difference of Dog’ Skin and Hair vs. Humans

Well, we know that our best buddies may be close to our hearts, but we are very different anatomically. Therefore before you decide on using own shampoo to wash your dog, let’s first understand what we’re working with so we know if our hair care product can provide what your pet needs when it comes to washing.

• They don’t work a sweat.

Unlike us people who can sweat out toxins, man's best friends can’t. All of that is eliminated through their poop and pee. Because of this, they tend to scratch their skin a lot (a lot more than we do) so this means you need to use a shampoo that can provide some relief to all that itching, and something that will definitely not aggravate it.

• The Ph of our buddies’ skin is 7.5

That means our skin is more acidic than theirs (as we have a Ph level of 5.5). So if you are planning to use your hair care product on your pet, consider if the Ph level of the product you plan to use is alkaline enough for the dog to use. You will want to avoid disrupting the Ph balance of your pet’s skin because it can cause itching, irritation and even infections as a complication of it.

• They have more sensitive skin compared to ours

While we may be fine having some chemicals and regular shampoo ingredients on our skin, the canine skin may react differently to them. This could then cause shedding, itching and other skin irritations. Therefore be considerate of the ingredients your chosen product has. Some products may also affect the quality of the canine coat.

Is Regular Shampoo Safe for Our Pets?

There may be products that could be safe. Like the baby shampoo, mild shampoo and some that have ingredients like oatmeal, Aloe Vera and the like. But know that shampoo for dogs is specially formulated for their skin unlike that people use, and while some ones are safe, they aren’t ideal. Ergo, as a final answer, you may use some “chosen” shampoos, but dog product is still best for washing your pet.