# baby shampoo?



## jorge

i don't know how i got the idea, but would it be safe to use baby shampoo when bathing my dog? like the no tears, johnson's baby kind? or would that be too harmful? 
i can't go out to the pet store until next week, and i'm afraid my dog's like really really dirty now D:


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## GroovyGroomer777

Some people might say no, but I really see no harm in this at all, especially if you are going to the store next week. A mild baby shampoo will not hurt your dog. Better to bathe him once or twice with the wrong shampoo than to let him get crusty and gross, IMO.
Be carefull to avoid eyes and ears.

Oh yes, and the dog will only need to be bathed with shampoo twice a month at most.


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## jorge

Oh, okay. that's good. i was planning on once a month, anyway, but i think i'll make it once every two weeks.


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## Renoman

Typically using human shampoo on a dog is not a good idea. It can cause dry flaky skin that can lead to itching and other issues like a dull dry coat.

Having said that... if you cannot wait to bathe your dog, using a baby shampoo one time probably won't do any harm.


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## poodleholic

Surprising, perhaps, but baby shampoo is very drying, and should be avoided. 

You can get drops to protect eyes during a bath, just in case. My PooDells get a bath every other week, and we've never gotten soap in eyes (7 yrs. worth of baths!).


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## Hallie

We've always used the baby shampoo with no problems! It may be just my dog though...since poodleholic said it was drying I guess we'll go back to the medicated oatmeal dog shampoo. But for just one bath it'll be fine. It isn't toxic or anything..


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## agility collie mom

Baby shampoo is very drying. Remember it can be used to remove cradle cap on a baby's scalp. It also is not the correct ph for a dog's skin.


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## samaria

Baby shampoo doesent harm dogs because think about it if a baby is gonna be using it a dog can use it!! I know it can sometimes cause dandruff on older dogs because there hair is much much more coarse and dry so its important to use a conditinor on them..but i would totally recomend baby shampoo on a puppy!!! i like the seargents skip flea oatmeal.
*But* I would use something that is designed for dogs. Animals have different dermatological needs than humans, so he should use a shampoo that is made for him.


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## flipgirl

samaria said:


> Baby shampoo doesent harm dogs because think about it if a baby is gonna be using it a dog can use it!! I know it can sometimes cause dandruff on older dogs because there hair is much much more coarse and dry so its important to use a conditinor on them..but i would totally recomend baby shampoo on a puppy!!! i like the seargents skip flea oatmeal.
> *But* I would use something that is designed for dogs. Animals have different dermatological needs than humans, so he should use a shampoo that is made for him.


I dont' think seargents skip flea oatmeal is baby shampoo. It may not harm them but it will dry their skin out because the ph is different. So why would you "totally recomend baby shampoo on a puppy" but then say, "Animals have different dermatological needs than humans?"


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## Kyllobernese

You can buy a Puppy shampoo that is "no tears" and works great so why use Baby Shampoo?


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## RinseAce

Shampoo's are almost a personal preference. The most important thing to do is making sure that whatever shampoo is used that it is rinsed out completly. Pet showers really help with that. A pet shower is basically a flexible hose with a sprayer that hooks up either in your bathtub or a faucet. For small dogs the faucet version is nice as a laundry tub makes a great bathing station. Safe because of the depth, contains the water, no bending over to wash. For larger dogs the shower is the only place. Make sure you get a hair snare as well to keep the hair from clogging your drains. Pet showers are available at most bigger petstores and will only set you back about $29.00


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## Pai

What dries out the skin is the soap residue. There is no significant 'ph difference' between dog shampoo and human shampoo. Best illustration of that is this comparison of dog shampoo and dish soap. Really, compare ingredient labels and you see. It's mostly marketing, really -- in reality the best 'dog shampoos' are much more harsh than human ones (requiring dilution to avoid burning the hair right off the dog).

Back on topic, I used baby shampoo on Icesis for awhile, but it really seemed to strip all the natural oils (she has very fine hair, and it tended to get very cottony and flyaway). Icesis' breeder uses Aussie on her dogs, but lately I've been using White Rain and it's worked pretty well so far. Both my gals get baths once a week.


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## Shandwill

agility collie mom said:


> Baby shampoo is very drying. Remember it can be used to remove cradle cap on a baby's scalp. It also is not the correct ph for a dog's skin.


I agree! I had a beautician tell me that baby shampoo is even too drying for adults to use, so I am certain it would wreak havoc on a dog's skin/coat.


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## jiml

agility collie mom said:


> Baby shampoo is very drying. Remember it can be used to remove cradle cap on a baby's scalp. It also is not the correct ph for a dog's skin.


I have heard this in the past but I do question it. First of all cradle cap is treated w moisturizers not drying agents. And the PH balance - what is the correct PH balance for a dog as opposed to a human? has anyone checked common baby or dog shampoos to see if they conform?

for the record I have used baby shampoo w no noticeable difference from common dog shampoos but I dont bathe her too often


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## Bart

I don't believe baby shampoo will without exception do damage or drying provided it is thoroughly rinsed. Look, it's basically water Sodium Laureth Sulfate (or an SLS variant) and Cocamidopropyl Betaine which are mild surfactants, the same typically used in human and dog shampoos. The difference is the shampoo is pre-diluted, and less citric acid is used to keep the pH closer to 7. Adult shampoo is more acidic, ranging from 6.5 to 5.5. The acid makes the scales on a hair follicle lay flat making the hair feel smooth and look shiny, but it will irritate the eyes if it touches the membranes. True soap and dish detergents like Dawn, on the other hand, have an alkaline pH, as high as 9. This will definitely result in drying the hair, and making it brittle, and may leave a residue that is difficult to rinse. These alkaline detergents would be the most effective at stripping the hair. I wouldn't use them. Baby shampoo, on the other hand is still acidic, just a little less. You could squeeze a little lemon juice in it and viola!


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## MonicaBH

So, even though this thread was started in 2008, I will say that I have always used baby shampoo to wash my dogs and I've never seen any ill effects. My dogs, however, rarely get baths... it can range from every 2-6 months, really. But in all of the years that I've been using baby shampoo, I've never seen a problem.


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