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As you’ve no doubt heard by now, July is National Blueberry Month, that special time of year when blueberries finally get the respect they’re due.
To celebrate this important month, we’re thinking about the myriad ways to use blueberries. For example, they are safe for canine consumption and make a tasty treat for dogs. You can bake them, freeze them, or even make them into dehydrated fruit treats. But we wanted to get more creative with our blueberry usage, so we turned to our old friend the internet.
Humans have been fond of blueberry facials for a while now. But did you know that you can also make a blueberry facial for your dog?
Why would you give a dog a facial?
This is the eternal question. Why give a blueberry facial to your dog?
Proponents of the blueberry facial for humans claim that the antioxidants in blueberries can help brighten your skin. (There’s no scientific evidence to support this claim, but putting mashed blueberries on your skin seems harmless, so I say go for it.)
Fans of the blueberry facial for dogs make a similar claim. Hot Diggity Dog Wash in Dennis Port, Massachusetts, offers blueberry facials to their canine clients, and employees claim it’s an effective way to cleanse a dog’s face. Owner Nicole Merriman says the blueberry mixture is especially good for getting rid of tear stains on dogs’ faces. Tear stains are common for many dogs, especially ones with white hair, so if they’ve been a problem for your dog in the past, a blueberry facial might be a viable option.
Is there any measurable benefit to using blueberries instead of regular dog shampoo to clean your dog’s face? There is no scientific data to say so. Blueberry facials are mostly just a fun way to pamper your dog. The dogs in the video above seem pleased with the process, and who are we to take that away from them?
For whatever reason, blueberry dog facials seem to have increased in popularity over the last several years. A Google search for “blueberry dog facial” returns an impressive volume of results. Maybe this is simply the natural progression of our obsession with our dogs. So, bottom line: A blueberry facial is a safe and inexpensive way to bond with your dog, so if it sounds like something you’d both like, go for it!
How to give your dog a blueberry facial
Giving your dog a blueberry facial is a relatively easy process. Here are the four steps involved:
- Buy or make a blueberry facial mask. Hilariously, there are tons of blueberry facial products for dogs available for purchase. You can buy one of them, or make your own by mashing up 1/4 cup fresh blueberries with 1/8 cup coconut oil. (You can also add other ingredients if you like, but make sure they’re safe for your dog to consume since they’re likely to get licked.) The facial solution should have a liquid texture and should not be rough or granular, like some facial scrubs for humans are.
- Get your dog in the bathtub, and lather up. Most canine blueberry facial recipients receive this treatment as part of their bath. Wet your dog’s face (and any other parts of them that you want to wash) and apply the blueberry treatment gently on their face, being careful not to get any in their eyes. Important note: If your dog doesn’t like having stuff on their face, or begins to act fearful at any point during this treatment, stop and gently rinse the blueberry mixture off. Facials are only fun if your dog doesn’t mind the process.
- Gently massage your dog’s face, distributing the blueberry mixture evenly. Just like facials for humans, this should be a nice, relaxing process.
- Rinse and pat dry. Carefully rinse the mixture off your dog’s face, and gently pat their face dry with a clean, soft towel.
If your dog tolerates baths, they’ll most likely enjoy their facial treatment, as the massage should feel relaxing. Some dogs may not like it, though, and that’s okay. Again, only give your dog a blueberry facial (or any kind of facial) if they are relaxed and seem to enjoy the process.
Happy National Blueberry Month to us all!