Often, people wonder if a more gentle formula, like baby conditioner or conditioner made with botanical ingredients and oils, may be more suitable for their canine than less gentle formulas, but generally, its best to keep the human products on human heads. Despite being potentially less drying or damaging to the hair, nearly all commercial hair products contain ingredients like preservatives, surfactants, and fragrance, any of which can potentially irritate a dogs skin.
So, the pH will be knocked off balance, but whats the real harm in that? The acid mantle is in place to protect the outermost layer of the skin from harmful bacteria, and it works to keep the skin and the body well hydrated. When that mantle isnt restored, your dog can potentially become ill if harmful pollutants enter their body.
The short answer to this question is, no, it is not, at least not for use on dogs. This is because conditioners, along with other skin, body, and hair care products, are formulated to be pH balanced, meaning they wont disrupt the thin layer of protective skin called the acid mantle, says the American Kennel Club. Humans have skin that is slightly acidic with a pH of around 5.5, while dogs are a bit more alkaline, clocking in somewhere between 6.2 and 7.4. Because the skins acid mantle is washed away each time we bathe, our products are formulated to restore that balance, but a humans conditioner will not restore the balance on a dogs skin as the pH isnt the same.
If you wish to condition your dogs hair but dont want to buy products specially formulated for that purpose, there are a few things you can do from home to get a soft, healthy coat. A DIY conditioner can be made by mixing coconut oil, finely ground oatmeal, water, and a small amount of honey, then applying it to your dogs coat and allowing it to sit for a couple of minutes before rinsing away thoroughly. Alternatively, aloe vera gel is known for its hydrating and restorative properties and is generally safe for use on dogs as a conditioner or a conditioning spray. To make a spray, mix a tablespoon of aloe vera gel, water, and a few drops of glycerin in a bottle, shake well, and spray onto your clean dog and brush it into her hair.
If youre a dog owner who likes to moisturize your canines fur with conditioner, or if you have a dog who needs a little extra soothing after a bath, you may have wondered if your conditioner will work on him. While human conditioner can, technically, be applied to a dog, should it be? Or is dog conditioner really worth the money?
What does using a dog conditioner do?
A healthy diet, hydration, grooming regularly and supplements are important to skin and coat health. But the secret to a shiny fur coat and moisturised skin is from using a good conditioner on your dog.
Sun damage, licking, chewing, dirt, tangles, bad weather, sand, and the many external allergens wreak daily havoc on a dogs skin and fur. A well conditioned coat produces natural oils, which are distributed along hair shafts, giving your dog that natural glow and allowing debris and dead hair to slip off. The well-balanced skin and coat becomes more resistant to parasites, infections and external allergens. Whereas, a dry coat and skin has debris and dead hair clinging, appearing dull and causing irritation and itch.
Our intensive, dog conditioning mask restores vitality, lusture and softness to the coat whilst soothing dry and flaky skin. The skin produces the fur, so if the dogs skin is dry or damaged, the coat will be in poor condition.
There’s no doubt that products for dogs might not be the best for humans and vice versa, but if you’re in a pinch here are some products you and your dog can and cannot borrow from one another:
Dog Products: Unless you want to find Fido’s fur in your own luscious locks, probably skip trying this one. But if it’s a clean comb, go for it. I won’t tell.
Human Products: You should not purposefully wash your dog with your own shampoo. While baby shampoos are an okay occasional choice for dogs with sensitive skin, human shampoos can be very drying to your dog’s skin and coat because they have a much more basic ph level than we do.
Dog Products: I have definitely caught myself picking up the wrong bottle in the shower and nearly giving myself a silky, coat makeover, and really with all of the amazing ingredients in dog shampoos nowadays, I admit it’s tempting to try it on purpose. While it’s not recommended to do so on a regular basis, washing human hair with dog shampoo, isn’t going to hurt anyone and if you’ve picked a high-quality dog shampoo, filled with essential oils, you might even notice some unexpected bounce and shine.
Human Products: If you don’t have doggy hair bands on hand, you can easily use your own. It might not hold as well, but it will do if you really need your dog’s hair out of her face. You can also use bows and clips from your child’s hair collection as long as you know your dog won’t try to eat them (which goes for dog-specific hair ties as well.)
Can I Use Human Conditioner on My Dog? | DopgVela
Watching dog shows on television, while entertaining, can mislead dog owners. You see these beautiful animals being paraded around with long, glossy, flowing coats and think my dog can have this too. Although these coats are very attractive, many people lose sight of the fact that maintaining this standard requires a very specific breed of dog and also a daily washing and brushing regime that most people are not willing to commit to.
You generally shouldn’t use human conditioners on your dogs as it can easily lead to skin irritation and other more serious problems. There are far better products available for dogs.
Also, when you’re looking at the animals in dog shows many of them have had the benefit of professional groomers in the background just to prepare them for this one event. Owners and professional groomers may well use conditioners to keep dogs free of tangles, well-hydrated, and glossy.
