Just as us humans benefit from a nice bath with quality soap, so do our doggie friends. There are many products on the market to bathe our dogs with, but many of them, like many of the conventional products for humans, can cause more harm than good.

Some of the common concerns for a dog�s coat and skin are greasy hair and skin, odor, insects, dry skin, sores and hot spots. There are many natural ways to deal with these issues, including a healthy diet that does not contain artificial preservatives and colors and using gentle, herbal grooming products.

Essential Oils and herbs added to soaps can be beneficial to dogs in many ways.

Pennyroyal, Eucalyptus, Citronella, Cedarwood, Pyrethrum, and Spearmint are just several examples of the many herbs and oils that not only make a dirty dog smell pretty but are also insect repellants. Tea Tree and Lavender can be added if there are skin problems such as skin irritation and hot spots. Aloe vera can be added for dry irritated skin.

The process of natural soap making produces a by-product in the finished soap called glycerin. This product, which is removed from much of the commercial soap on the market, helps add luster and shine to a dog�s coat and keeps it softer longer.

The base oils chosen for the soaps will make a difference in the cleansing and conditioning role the soap plays. For example, coconut oil makes a fluffy lather, but it can be drying to the skin and hair, so the amount in a recipe may be better limited or not used at all if a dog has dry skin issues. Olive oil on the other hand doesn�t lather quite as fluffy, but is more conditioning, and generally preferred in larger amounts in a recipe.

(Oz measurements are by weight)

Coconut Oil 10 oz

Hempseed Oil 10 oz

Palm Oil 20 oz

Olive Oil 35 oz

Lye 10 oz (7.5% excess fat)

28 fl oz water

While wearing eye protection such as safety goggles and skin protection such as neoprene gloves, combine your lye and water, stirring well. *

*For safety purposes ALWAYS add lye to water, not water to lye.

*DO NOT inhale vapors! To be safe it is best to mix the lye and water outdoors and away from updraft.

Set lye water aside in a safe place and let cool to a temperature of about 100� F - 125� F .

In another container mix all fats and slowly heat to melt them. Let cool to a temperature of about 100� F - 125� F.

Slowly add the warm lye water to the warm oil combination while gently stirring. Be very cautious to not splash any while doing this. Keep stirring until this mixture traces.

Tracing soap looks like a cake batter, not a pudding. It will support and suspend stir marks on the surface for several seconds.

Sometimes tracing can be very fast or very slow to occur. Using hand blenders can speed up the process and certain oils trace faster. For example, olive pomace oil traces much faster than virgin olive oil. If tracing is taking a long time let the soap sit for several minutes, then stir for several minutes, and do this in intervals of about 10 or 15 minutes.

When the soap does trace pour into prepared molds. The raw soap now must set for several days. Unmold soap and place bars on a rack where air can circulate around them. Let cure for several weeks. This not only firms and hardens the entire bar but also finishes the saponification process.

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