Dog Shampoo

I know, strange, strange, strange that I am posting on dog shampoo.  However - Fido and Fido (kidding, their names are Kiwi and Nali) both in the house = SSSSSMMMMEEEELLLLYYY house.  And if you know me - y'all know I don't do a smelly house.

So I have been on a quest.  Dog shampoo in the store is rather expensive and if you ask me - just doesn't do the trick.  I started looking up how to make some homemade dog shampoo so I can save a buck or two.  I do believe I have actually found something that works.  I apologize - I can't give credit to the original person because I can't remember where I found it - plus I've changed it up a bit to find what works for me.

The true test came in giving Nali a bath.  She is a 70 plus pound golden retriever and by far the most stinky dog we have ever had.  She can get a bath and within an hour smell terrible.  I don't know what her issue is.  I've pulled her off (or am trying to) people food so all she's eating is her dog food just so she doesn't get anything extra in her system.  Anywho - it's working on her.

So here's the recipe.

Equal parts white vinegar and clear antibacterial hand soap (that was the original recipe)
lemon juice (I used - oh - maybe 1/8 of a cup??)
dawn dish soap (added this because I read this helps repel fleas)

Now - I will warn you.  If you hate the smell of vinegar - they will smell like vinegar for a day or so.  When I read the original recipe, they said that didn't happen - but - it does.  I'm not a vinegar kind of person so I noticed it.  In fact, that would be why I added the lemon juice.  I'll probably increase the lemon juice this next time to see if I can get a little less vinegar smell and a little more lemony smell.  Oh - and I found a big 'ole bottle of the clear antibacterial soap in Kroger by the hand soap area.

It does work - I gave Nali a bath like 4 days ago and she still is smelling normal.  Not like a perfume bottle or anything - but not doggy stink either.

The moral of the story is - this is something that costs far less mula than the crapola in the store - and the dogs smell normalish.  My house doesn't smell like dog and I won't have to take up stock in Yankee Candle (although I sure wouldn't mind doing THAT either - I am in LOVE with Yankee Candle.  As a side note, I had some burning the other day and someone commented my house smelled good enough to eat.  MUSIC to my ears baby!!).

Try it - it works!

Oh wait...not finished yet.  Funny dog story to share.

Our dogs love to chew/eat/maul/destroy stuffed animals.  They have been working on taking the stuffing out of a largish monkey this past week.  (oh so appreciated to find fuzz all over the house when you come home from work)  Today, Nali - the retriever - is carrying around just the face of the monkey.  Jon grabs it from her mouth and says "OH SICK! Our dogs are CANNIBALS!  They ate the face off the monkey!"  That kid cracks me up.  Okay - it doesn't sound as funny on "paper" as it did in person.  I was laughing MY face off but now - it just doesn't have the same ring to it.  Ah well - maybe you'll enjoy it anyway!!