How to choose an environmentally safe dog shampoo

While our dog’s health is certainly a high priority, so is the planet’s health. That’s why you want to make sure your dog shampoos contain ingredients that won’t damage our water supplies, the soil, or your dog’s health!

Luckily for us, there are plenty of green alternatives for your dog due to higher demand from consumers and conscious pet owners like you. Hooray! Environmentally friendly dog shampoos can be found online and at a local health or pet-supply stores. 

And as with any product, it’s essential to make sure that everything is biodegradable, including the packaging as well! Although, sometimes, it’s hard to tick all the sustainable boxes, so just do the best you can! 

So how do you choose an environmentally safe dog shampoo?

Look For (& Avoid) Toxic Chemicals

If you’re looking for an environmentally safe dog shampoo that keeps your dog and the planet clean, then you need to look for products that are free of toxic chemicals that leach into our waterways and potentially harm your dog!

These types of ingredients include dyes, synthetic fragrances, irritating sulfates, preservatives, and phosphates, among many more. Whether dog or human, the skin absorbs most of what we put on it. So let’s make sure we’re not putting toxic chemicals on our pups or into the environment.

What To Look For In Your Dog’s Shampoo

You’re here because you want to choose pet products that are safer for your dog and the environment, right? Right. But you also want a shampoo that’s actually going to do its job, which is to clean your dog (while soothing their skin). 

You want to keep in mind that, like humans, your dog might have naturally oily, dry, or combination skin, so you want to shop around accordingly. Like environmental shampoos that you’d buy for yourself, eco-friendly dog shampoos usually have base ingredients that include coconut oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, almond oil, hemp oil, Castille soap, oatmeal, aloe vera, and more.

If an environmentally friendly dog shampoo mentions tick repellent, make sure they use natural oils like citrus, eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, cedarwood, or citronella. 

Here are a few green dog shampoo options so you know what’s on the market and what you can look for based on you and your dog’s eco needs. 

Dog Shampoo Bar

Similar to the human movement of ditching those plastic shampoo and conditioner bottles, we can now do this for our pups, too! Usually made with simple ingredients, a dog shampoo bar is better for the planet, better for your pup, and travel-friendly making them great for flights, camping trips, and any other adventure that might leave your dog smelling a little less fresh. 

J.R. Liggett’s Dog Shampoo Bar For Sensitive Skin 

Etsy is also an excellent place to find homemade dog shampoo bars with safe ingredients!

Dog Shampoo Bottle

It’s hard to get away from plastic shampoo bottles, even if they aren’t exactly the most planet-friendly. But there are plenty of dog shampoo brands out there with high non-toxic standards that make their products with organic, safe ingredients for planet and pup. 

There are even brands that offer multiple sizes, meaning you can reduce your single-use plastic usage by buying larger containers of dog shampoo. Earth Bath is a great example with tons of options for your dog washing needs. Other great products include Apple Head City Pet and 4-Legger dog shampoo. 

DIY Dog Shampoo

If you want to know exactly what’s in your dog’s shampoo and reuse containers around the house to make it extra low-waste, try a DIY shampoo! Dog shampoo is surprisingly easy to make at home. 

All you need is Castille soap (Dr. Bronner’s is our go-to), water, and baking soda! The combination of Castille soap and baking soda gives it a strong deodorizing power, so your dog will smell clean after every wash.  

This recipe from Martha Stewart uses 4 cups of water, 3 tablespoons of baking soda, and ½ cup of Castille soap and should last for 2-4 washes. Shake to combine ingredients. Feel free to get creative and add in oatmeal, almond, or coconut oils for skin soothing elements for your pup. 

If you want your pup to a pleasant scented smell,  just use a scented Castille soap of your choice. They usually contain about 2% of essential oils, making them safe for dogs.  As with any shampoo, avoid contact with your dog’s eyes and ears!

When you switch to eco-friendly dog shampoo, you’ll feel so much better knowing that your dog is not only clean and has a healthy coat, but your home is free of toxic chemicals, and you’re not adding unnecessary pollution to the waterways! It’s a win-win if you ask us!