Has anyone out there tried the 2-in-1 waterless shampoo? I am enrolling in a therapy dog program at a hospital with my GSD. The hospital requires that the dog be bathed within 24 hrs prior to a visit. I know from experience that too frequent bathing, no matter how gentle the shampoo, makes her skin too dry and itchy. Plus, she has environmental allergies (confirmed by 2 vets). I have concerns about the waterless shampoo leaving a residue that would also start the itching.

Hi, Patricia,

Can you link us to it?

Also, do you know about the benefit from frequent gentle bathing or plain-water rinsing (which removes allergens such as pollen, awns, dust and dust mites, and more)?

You know never to use people shampoo and creme rinses, right?



Is the dog on fish oil and E?

I don't think a waterless shampoo would do much except absorb oil (a drying effect) and add fragrance. It's not going to accomplish what the therapy program is after (which is to remove bacterial from the dog). It's also not going to help with environmental allergens, which accumulate in the dog's fur.

I would also vote for a plain-water rinse as a more effective step.

I bathe my dogs more than most folks (about every 3 weeks, sometimes more) and have never had any issues with drying the skin or haircoat. I think the trick is to be methodical (pathological) about rinsing. You don't want to leave any amount of shampoo residue in the coat. Rinse until you think they are rinsed, then rinse some more.

I also find that diluting the shampoo helps a lot. My method: a squirt or two of shampoo into a large container (I use an old plastic coffee can that I use as a bucket) filled with water. Then pour this heavily diluted shampoo-water over the dog. It lathers up just fine. Then rinse, rinse, rinse. I follow up with a moisturizing conditioner, diluted in the same way. Rinse, rinse, rinse.

Straight shampoo applied directly to the coat is more concentrated than it needs to be--and is harder to rinse off.

Both the shampoo and conditioner I use are products made for dogs.

This dilute bucket of shampoo water is also great for dipping each paw into to remove dirt, allergens, etc.

A couple of mine have environmental allergies too---and I find bathing to be a big help in keeping symptoms under control.

I'm with Tracy. I would opt for a regular bath, or just water. My dog has lots of environmental allergies and the derma vet has me bathe him AT LEAST every 2 weeks. She would like it better if it was every week, but he's a golden and it's a lot of work! So we just do the paw rinsing and wipe him down after walks and such in between baths.

I specifically asked her about the dry skin and more itching with so many baths, and she said she has not found that to be a issue with any of her patients, and we find Kasey is a lot more comfortable with frequent baths.

i don't want to sound smug or ignorant here , but will swimming count as " bathing "?

around my circle of dog people , we never " bathe " our dogs in the traditional sense of tub , soap , lather and rinse , but we do swim our dogs almost daily .

most of the swimming is done in lakes during the " not winter " months but in winter i'll make an effort to get to the ocean periodically . i think the salt water has a particularly cleansing effect .

i realize the hospital is looking for " clinical " clean , but if the dog shows up clean and healthy , do they need to know how he got that way ?

Thank you all for responding to my question. Bathing frequently dries her skin. Have kept baths 5-6 weeks apart and I brush her every day. Dry spots often lead to licking. I catch it quickly with Dermacton and Vitamin E oil. It always heals. She has not had any incidents for months, even though we walk on wooded paths every day. She eats lots of fish, mostly sardines and salmon, gets a daily dose of fish oil and E supplements. Takes hydroxyzine for her allergies. The waterless stuff is from Planet Dog. The shampoo I usually use is Earthbath oatmeal and aloe. Maybe I can dilute it, as Tracy suggested. Dermacton has a cleansing bar as well, that contains no soap. That might work. Would take her swimming, Ian, but hard to find a clean pond or lake around here.
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When I count my blessings, I count my dog twice.

honestly , i've never actually had to bathe a dog , but i was thinking swim , soap/lather , swim , in that order , repeat the swim 'til he's rinsed right out .

seems like a messy , wet process if you gotta do everything yourself lol .

Thunder and Trooper both got a bath this spring. Thunder had a previous bath in..........'06 I believe.
Having two outside dogs I do deep, 2-3 times a week brushing and combing except in the winter. It seems to keep their coats clean and shiny but I do understand the need with a therapy dog.
I just remembered. When I was herding with Thunder he often ended the day with a long soak in the stock tank. Talk a bout stink!

I like the shampoo by Coat Handler, they have a very mild one (not the clarifying one) that doesn't seem to dry out the skin and if followed with their conditioner, its great for itching and dry skin issues.