Itchy Dog? Try This Homemade Oatmeal Shampoo for Dogs Recipe!
Okay, so my dog, Buster, has been super itchy lately. I didn't want to keep using those store-bought shampoos with all the weird chemicals, you know? So, I thought, "Why not try making my own?" I'd heard oatmeal is good for soothing skin, so I went down the rabbit hole of DIY dog shampoo recipes.
I found a bunch, but this one seemed the easiest. And guess what? It actually worked pretty well!
Gathering the Goods
First, I grabbed the stuff I needed. Super simple, mostly things I already had:
- Oatmeal: I used regular rolled oats, the kind you eat for breakfast. About one cup.
- Baking Soda: Just a little bit, like half a cup. This helps with the cleaning.
- Warm Water: About four cups.
- Optional: Some people use castile soap, this shampoo works good enough, so I didn't use it.
Whipping It Up
Next, I had to actually make the shampoo. This was the fun part (and surprisingly easy):
- Grind the Oatmeal: I dumped the oats into my blender and whizzed them around until they turned into a fine powder. My blender's not the best, so it took a couple of minutes.
- Mix It All Together: I poured the ground oatmeal into a big bowl, added the baking soda, and then slowly poured in the warm water. I stirred it all up with a spoon until it was kind of like a thin, soupy mixture. Make sure water's not too hot or else it will cook the oatmeal.
Bath Time!
Now for the real test – bathing Buster. He's not a huge fan of baths, but he tolerates them. I put on my rubber gloves, I don't want my hand smell dog's fur.
- Wet the Fur: make sure to get all dog's fur wet.
- Apply the Shampoo: I just poured the oatmeal mixture all over him, starting at his neck and working my way down. I made sure to massage it into his fur, especially in the itchy spots.
- Let It Sit: I let the shampoo sit on him for about five minutes. This is where the oatmeal does its magic, soothing his skin.
- Rinse, Rinse, Rinse: This part is important! I rinsed him really well with warm water, making sure to get all the oatmeal out. It took a while, but I didn't want any residue left behind.
The Results?
After drying him off with a towel (he hates the hairdryer), Buster seemed way less itchy! His fur was also surprisingly soft. He smelled, well, like oatmeal, which is way better than that "wet dog" smell. Now he looks happy and slept well.
Honestly, I'm pretty impressed with how well this homemade oatmeal shampoo worked. It's cheap, easy to make, and actually seems to help Buster's itchy skin. I'll definitely be making this again!
