I’m a penny pincher and am always looking for ways to cut corners economically. When I give my dogs baths, I like to have back-saving help, such as my Booster Bath. That tub I waited until I found a sale and free shipping several years ago before I bought it at its cheapest from Costco. Then I bought a big grill cover at Big Lots, they sell overstocks, and use it to keep the Booster Bath covered from direct sun and tropical rains.
Shampooing is a lot easier when I have a pump dispenser. I’ve found a few economical dog shampoos that came with their own dispensers, but the bottles didn’t last long after their first run-through of shampoo. And having a sturdy pump that gives a palm full of shampoo with one pump is economical on the wrist and arm muscles.
I shopped on-line, more like window shopped, and found that to get a pump, and not necessarily the type I want, it’s at least ten bucks and that was for the pump alone. Not the bottle. And they usually went into a gallon jug, which is a bit much for my needs.
So when I was walking through Big Lots some time ago, and ran across some Martha Stewart fabric softner, it was the bottle I instantly fell in love with. What an awesome bottle for dog shampoo. And conditioner! I bought two bottles. They were $3.50 each, bottle and contents. EXCELLENT bottle and contents!
So I removed the contents, rinsed the bottle out really well, and I transferred the dog shampoo into the bottle. I use several kinds of shampoo. Sometimes dog shampoo, sometimes not. I like Suave. It works fine on my hair and my dogs. Mind you, dog shampoo manufacturers will argue something about ph balance and the likes, but I haven’t seen my dogs fur or scalp become ugly or uncomfortable after I used the shampoo, but it is clean, which is the purpose of a bath. And Suave rinses out fairly well compared to some other shampoos I’ve used specifically made for dogs.
Believe it or not, I have some friends who use Palmolive dishwashing liquid to wash their dogs fur. Friends from rescue and the dog show circuit! Two of them who don’t even know each other told me this. Now I haven’t gone there yet, but in a pinch, I’d try it. After all, Madge the manicurist used to soak her clients’ fingers in it.
Keep your eyes opened when you visit overstock department stores for the Martha Stewart bottle. The product is sold on other on-line stores, too, but it’s a lot more per bottle than the $3.50 I paid! And who knows how long the product will remain on the market?
By Helen Verte
Certified Pet Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed, Certified Trick Dog Instructor
Broward County Pet Sitting Fort Lauderdale
