Dogs are highly energetic creatures. They derive comfort from running around in the wild, playing in the mud, and even chasing smaller animals.

All these things can easily get their coat dirty and as a dog owner, will you leave your dog coat dirty without washing or grooming it? Of course, NO.

You feel like a caring owner when you bathe your dirty dog. However, do you know you are making the planet’s health crumble?

Yes, you are because you are bathing your dog in a very wrong way. You make use of dog shampoos that contain harmful chemicals that can contaminate the soil, water, and even the ecosystem at large.

You bathe your dog often and make use of more than enough water. This means our beloved natural resource is not safe anymore and it will diminish after some time.

You also make use of electrical energy in heating the water used to bathe your dog. This is not fair because energy is meant to be conserved and you can easily do the heating by making use of solar energy.

If you are guilty of all these things. Then I am delighted to tell you that you are damaging our ecosystem and that should stop today!

In this article, I have revealed some eco-friendly ways to bathe your dog. You will also get to learn about what you should look out for while choosing an eco-friendly dog shampoo.

Without ado, let’s dive in!

Eco-Friendly Ways to Bathe Your Dogs

As a responsible pet owner, your pet’s health is important to you likewise the health of your environment.

This is the main reason why you should make bathing or grooming your dog go green today.

Here are some of the Eco-Friendly ways to Bathe your Dogs:

1. Choose an Eco-Friendly Shampoo

This is one of the best steps you should take if you are willing to make bathing your dog eco-friendlier.

Avoid conventional shampoos that contain harmful chemicals. These harmful chemicals will contaminate your soil and water when they get washed into it by chance and this will pose threat to the lives of aquatic animals.

Ensure the shampoo you are buying doesn’t contain ingredients such as dyes, preservatives, irritating sulfates, synthetic fragrances, and phosphates.

Due to high demand, eco-friendly shampoos are very popular now and you can easily find them in online stores, or even your local pet supply stores.

If you need an eco-friendly shampoo that has the tick repellant feature, ensure they are made with some of these natural ingredients: citrus, lavender, eucalyptus, cedarwood, peppermint, or citronella.

These essential oils are safe and non-toxic to your dog and environment and they are also much more effective compared to conventional tick-repelling shampoos.

Some eco-friendly brands you can consider getting your shampoo from include 4-Legger, Vermont Soap Organics, and Earthbath.

2. Reduce The Amount of Water You Use During Baths

bathing dog using low-flow showerhead

Water is a precious resource, and it’s important to conserve it whenever possible.

Excessive usage of water will lead to low availability of water and this should be avoided at all costs because I don’t think there is any living organism that will survive without water.

During pet baths, it’s easy to waste water by leaving the tap running or using too much water.

To reduce water waste during pet baths, instead of using water running directly from the tap you can try filling up a bucket of water instead.

This can help you control the amount of water you use during the bath.

You can also consider using a low-flow showerhead, this will emit water at a low rate and will help to reduce water usage.

You may even consider reducing the number of times you bathe your dogs. Bathing them once in every two months is not a bad idea.

This is the ideal minimum requirement for bathing dogs. Remember, bathing your dog often will disrupt the function of the oily glands on his skin and this will make his coat not be lustrous as it is supposed to be.

3. Reduce Energy Consumption During Baths

Just like water, energy is another important resource we should conserve.

When we bathe our pets, we often use energy to heat the water and power any electrical tools we use during the bath.

However, this is not the right practice and we must deviate from it and move to a more sustainable method.

To minimize the usage of light energy gotten from electricity, try to bathe your dog during daylight hours. This means natural light will help give illumination instead of electric light.

Heating the water used for bathing your dog might also be done using solar-powered water heaters.

Any tool used in bathing your dog that may require electrical energy might also be powered up by solar energy.

By doing these things listed above, your environmental impact will be reduced and you will also save money on your energy bills.

4. Adopt Eco-Friendly Drying Methods

It has been the normal practice to sun dry wet materials, this can also be done to dogs. However, is it nice keeping your dog outside in the hot sun just to get him tried up?

Yes, air drying is the most eco-friendly way to dry your dog. However, ensure the sun outside at that moment is not unbearable.

You can also make use of a reusable towel instead of paper towels. Making use of paper towels can contribute to deforestation.

Avoid the use of electric dryers, this will contribute to energy usage and this is what we are avoiding to conserve our ecosystem.

What Should You Look for In an Eco-Friendly Shampoo Before Purchasing

Now that you have decided to bathe your dog in an eco-friendly way, you have to purchase an eco-friendly shampoo.

There are many fake products out there and you should be wary of them.

Here are some of the things you should look out for when purchasing an Eco-friendly Shampoo:

1. Natural Ingredients

You should look for shampoos that contain natural ingredients.

The harsh chemicals used in making conventional shampoos have made them to be discredited by pet owners.

All these chemicals can harm your dog and even the ecosystem at large.

However, natural ingredients like coconut oil, oatmeal, aloe vera, and essential oils can provide effective cleaning and moisturizing benefits without harming the environment.

2. Biodegradability

Choose a biodegradable shampoo, meaning it will break down naturally in the environment without causing harm.

Biodegradable shampoos are less likely to contribute to water pollution and are a more sustainable choice.

3. Cruelty-free

Look for shampoos that are not tested on animals. Animal testing can be harmful to both the animals and the environment, and choosing a cruelty-free shampoo is a more ethical and sustainable choice.

4. Packaging

Take the way the shampoo is packaged into consideration. We aim to ensure that there is no waste.

Therefore, go for a shampoo that comes in recyclable or biodegradable packaging, this will help to minimize waste and the amount of plastic that enters into landfills.

Avoid shampoos that come in plastic bottles, which are difficult to recycle and can contribute to pollution.

5. Certification

Look for shampoos that have eco-friendly certifications, such as the USDA Certified Organic or the EcoCert certification.

These certifications mean that the shampoo has been tested by reputable organizations and has met certain environmental standards.

Certification is the best way to identify a reliable and eco-friendly dog shampoo

Conclusion

Bathing our pets is an important part of pet care, but it’s also important to do it in an eco-friendly way.

As a pet owner who is concerned about his dog’s health and also the well-being of his environment.

Endeavor to start using an eco-friendly pet shampoo today, you should also consider reducing water and energy usage during baths and using eco-friendly drying methods.

Doing all these will help you keep your dogs clean and healthy while also protecting the environment.

The next time you bathe your pet, try out these eco-friendly tips and know that you’re doing your part to protect the planet.

Before you go, you can also read: 7 Sustainable Dog Grooming Tips for Healthier Pets