Can I use shampoo to wash my dog?
This is a question that we often get from sitters and owners who work with Rover. Help the community out by answering them in our forum!
2 Answers
The most common reason not to use human shampoo on a dog is that dogs have different pH levels than humans
You can, but definitely shouldn't.
Dogs have skin that is much different that ours--not just in obvious ways, like the lack of sweat glands, but more notably in the pH levels. Dogs have a higher skin pH than we do. Human shampoo, which has a higher acidity, messes with the balance of a pup's skin. It has a likelihood of drying the skin out a bit, which means stripping natural oils away, which means stripping a pooch's natural defense barrier against disease and infection away.
Do the respectful thing and spend a few dollars more to get a shampoo specifically designed for your best friend. You will sleep better--and so will he. :)