Best Dog Coat Conditioner

There are many different types of dog coat conditioners. You can buy coat conditioning products in a store or online. Or you can make them yourself, with a few simple ingredients, some of which you might already have on hand.

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But the best dog coat conditioner is one that doesn’t contain potentially dangerous dangerous or harsh chemicals, such as sodium lauryl sulfate. This inexpensive lathering agent is commonly found in the cheaper brands. An alternative vet would probably tell you to avoid this ingredient, as it can irritate the skin. SLS is also found in many cosmetics designed for humans. There’s growing concern that it can react with other chemicals to form cancer-causing nitrosamines.

So the best conditioner is one that works well for you and your dog, and doesn’t contain artificial chemicals.

Rosemary Wash for Dogs

Rosemary is a natural hair and coat conditioner. A number of the natural coat care products contain either rosemary or rosemary extracts.

A rinse with herbal rosemary will leave your dog’s coat looking lustrous, and it has the added benefit of helping to keep fleas away. Many aromatic botanicals contain natural insecticides that pose no risk to humans or pets.

One pint of water
One cup of fresh rosemary
Bring to a boil for a few minutes, and then cover until cool.
Save the water, but discard the leaves. You can use this as a conditioning rinse after shampooing your dog.

Coconut Oil Conditioner for Dogs

3 Tbs. coconut oil (available here)
1/3 cup of oatmeal
1 Tbs. honey
2 drops of lavender oil. (available here)

This conditioner should be used right after a shampoo. After a few minutes you can rinse it off. Lavender is very soothing to inflamed skin or hot spots. Last spring, during allergy season, we used a mixture of coconut oil mixed with a little essential oil to heal our dog’s hot spot.

DIY Dog Conditioner

There are some easy recipes for homemade dog coat conditioners. There are recipes for rinse off conditioners, as well as the kind you leave on. These can save you a lot of money over manufactured conditioners, if you don’t mind mixing a few ingredients yourself. Here is another DIY dog coat conditioner recipe, which uses Moroccan argan oil. This precious oil has long been used by women in North Africa to keep their skin soft and moist.

2 tablespoons of coconut oil
1 tablespoon of argan oil (available here)
1 tablespoon of pure organic honey
4 drops of lavender essential oil (available here)

Mix these ingredients together and massage into your dog’s fur. Leave on for a few minutes, before you rinse it off.

Shampoo Conditioner for Dog

Or, if you’re looking for convenience, there are some excellent all natural dog shampoo/conditioners on the market. One is 4-Legger All Natural Dog Shampoo, which doesn’t appear to contain some of the chemicals found in other supposedly “healthy” dog shampoos. It is sulfate free, and it contains essential oils for flea and tick control. (Insects hate the smell of essential oils.) Essential oils are all we use for pest control on our 14-year-old dog.

4 Legger Shampoo for Dogs

For Additional Reading

Argan Oil for Dogs