Shampoos & Conditioners

[kennajo]

What do you all like to use?

[Josie/Zeus]

John Paul - Paul Mitchell

[Samba]

Miraclecoat shampoo

# 1 All Systems Botanical Conditioner

[elisabeth_00117]

Earthbath, Mango Tango

Mango Tango Shampoo

[Freestep]

I use several different shampoos & conditioners according to coat type.

For most GSDs, I like Laube Bloomin' Orange. It smells good, cuts through dirt and excessive oils, rinses cleanly, and leaves the coat with a nice shine. It also kills fleas. It's very economical as it dilutes 50:1.

For GSDs with dry or sensitive skin, I like Coat Handler 15:1 Clarifying Shampoo or 5:1 Maintenance shampoo. It's mild, hypoallergenic, tearless, and will not strip the coat. This is my main shampoo that I use on most dogs, especially poodles, as it tends to leave the coat fluffy.

I have a couple other specialty shampoos that I use for skin conditions, Espree Tar & Sulfa for oily, scaley, itchy skin, Tropical Oatmeal for dry, flaky, itchy skin.

Baking soda is an excellent shampoo booster, I use it on almost every bath. Since I have a bathing machine that mixes shampoo and water together and then pumps the mixture through a hose, I can simply add a scoop of baking soda into the solution. Fluffs the coat, attacks odors, and raises the pH to better match the dog's natural pH, so it tends to be soothing.

For conditioners, my favorite one for dry skin is Coat Handler Leave-in Conditioner. You dilute it 15:1, pour it over the dog, and leave it in to dry. It doesn't increase drying time or leave an oily residue like some conditioners can. For matted spots, I work it in full strength, let it sit a minute and rinse lightly.

I also make a solution with Lanolin, Jojoba oil, and lavender/cedar essential oils for a "hot oil" type treatment. Mixed with water and alcohol, this is also great as a finishing spray after the bath during brushout--helps detangle, slick up the hair a bit, and adds body and shine. A little goes a long way. It's fantastic for poodles as it really helps the hair straighten and stand up nicely for scissoring.

[Freestep]

Earthbath is a really nice product also, as is Allergroom.

[Danielle609]

my sister has a chocolate lab and swears by the furminator shampoo and conditioner

FURminator deShedding Ultra Premium Shampoo

[Greydusk]

I'm using Earthbath-Green tea leaf. I like the scent, but would like to try some different Earthbath shampoo's after this bottles gone.

[SummerwoodSoaps]

I have been using my own shampoo bars on Stella (GSD) and Sumo (border collie). They are made with detergents and are not soap like I sell (which has too high a ph for dogs). I make sure to not use any silicones on the dogs and follow it with a conditioner bar that I leave on the fur. The bar form is so much easier for me to use than liquid. I use lavender and peppermint essential oil blend. I only bath them if they are dirty though, or the time Stella rolled and rolled in a dead chicken.

[Freestep]

Originally Posted by SummerwoodSoaps

The bar form is so much easier for me to use than liquid.

Back when I was a kid and before I was a groomer, I also found that dog shampoo in the bar form was much easier to use. Not sure if they still make it but I think I used Hartz Flea Soap. It was probably a terrible product, but when you don't have bathing equipment or even a tub, it is easier and probably less wasteful to use a bar than liquid. I'd be interested to know how you make your dog soap bars!