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The very best Labradoodles for the very best people.
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Homemade Dog Care Products


Dry Dog Shampoo

1 box (1 pound) baking soda

Test for sensitivity by rubbing a little baking soda into your dog's coat between the ears (where it can't be licked off).  Wait 5 minutes and check for reddening or other sign of irritation.  If none, proceed.  Rub baking soda into the dog's coat, working it all the way to the skin.  Avoid eyes, nose, mouth and ears.  Allow soda to remain in coat for a full minute to absorb oil and odor.  Brush with a pet brush until all baking soda and debris are removed.

Makes one or more shampoos, depending on size of dog.  You can add essential oils for scent and/or to ward off fleas.  See Flea Powder. 

Flea Powder

1 box (1 pound) baking soda
10 drops peppermint, lavender, rosemary, cedar, eucalyptus, or rose geranium essential oil.

Stir baking soda and essential oils in a mixing bowl.  Work mixture into your pet's fur, beginning at the neck and work toward the tail.  Keep powder away from nose, mouth, eyes and ears.  Leave the powder on the dog for 10 minutes, then comb or brush it out.

 

Safe to apply as often as needed.  Mix and match oils according to your preference. 

 

 

Flea-Begone Bandana

Safe, renewable and smells good too.

1 cotton bandanna
1 small vial rose geranium essential oil
1 small vial lavender essential oil

Sprinkle several drops of each oil on the bandanna.  Roll the bandanna and tie it loosely around your dog's neck.  Launder the bandanna and reapply oils when scent fades.

If your dog won't wear a bandanna, dab the oil between it's shoulder blades where it can't be licked off.  Avoid eyes, nose or mouth.


 

Flea Dip

2 tbsp vodka or dry vermouth
1-3/4 pints water

In a 2-quart saucepan, stir alcohol into water and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat, cover pan, and allow solution to steep for two hours.  Rub cooled solution into pet's fur, rinse and comb out.

Makes one treatment.  Double for large pets.  To get rid of flea eggs, wash animal's bedding and vacuum thoroughly. 

Other Flea Remedies


Garlic - mix in dog food to ward off fleas.

After rinsing, rub apple cider vinegar through the fur to repel fleas and add a tsp of cider vinegar to the dog's drinking water.

 

Ear Mite Oil

Ear mites can lead to serious infections and hearing loss.   If the problem persists, consult your vet. 

1 vitamin E capsule, 400 IU
1/4 cup mineral oil
small dropper bottle

Pierce vitamin E capsule with a needle and squeeze the contents into a small dropper bottle.  Add oil and shake.  Store at room temperature.

 

Warm the bottle in your hands.  Put two or three drops of warm oil into the dog's ear canal and massage gently for a count of ten.  Allow the dog to shake its head, then carefully swab oil and dirt from the ear.  Repeat with other ear.

Tick Removal

Petroleum jelly
Hydrogen Peroxide
cotton swab

Coat the tick and surrounding skin with petroleum jelly applied with a cotton swab.  After the tick smothers, gently pull it, with the head intact, from the dog's skin.  Swab the area with hydrogen peroxide to disinfect it.  If you remove a tiny deer tick (a potential transmitter of Lyme disease), bag it and take it to your vet for testing.  Apply every other day for a full week.