This time of year, it’s really easy for a dog’s skin to become too dry and start itching. If you have a dog with sensitive skin who suffers from dermatitis then you already know how expensive specialty shampoos can be. Specialty shampoos made with moisturizing and healing ingredients are very helpful when it comes to calming down your dog’s dry and itchy skin, but they are also very expensive, so making your own shampoo could be a big help with your budget. This gentle and natural homemade dog shampoo won’t strip all the natural oils from your dog’s coat and will leave his skin moisturized and smelling great. Making your own dog shampoo is very simple and it only requires a few ingredients. DIY Anti Itch Dog Shampoo What you’ll need: One bottle with a tight fitting lid (preferably a flip lid with a funnel) and the following: INGREDIENTS 1 ½ cups of water 1/2 cup of natural liquid vegan Castile soap. Castile is an excellent cleaning agent and can be purchased in great natural fragrances for dogs such as Lavender, Peppermint and Lemon. The Tea Tree soap should NOT be used on dogs or cats. ¼ cup of Vinegar - Apple cider vinegar added to your dog shampoo will give the shampoo antibacterial properties and deodorize your dog. It will also leave your dog’s coat shiny. 1 tablespoon of vegetable glycerin 1 tablespoon fractionated coconut oil (pure unadulterated coconut oil) or olive oil. These oils will keep your dog’s skin moisturized while the soap is cleaning his skin and coat. It prevents your dog’s natural oils from stripping from his coat during shampooing. 2 tablespoon pure aloe vera DIRECTIONS Pour ½ cup of liquid Castile soap into the bottle, add 1/4 cup of vinegar, 1 tablespoon of vegetable glycerin, olive or coconut oil and aloe vera and shake well until completely mixed Fragrance options: Essential oils with their healing properties can leave your dog smelling wonderful and feeling refreshed. Choose carefully and add approximately 4-5 drops to the mix. Tea Tree, pennyroyal, and wintergreen oils are highly toxic to dogs. Safe essential oils you can choose from: Orange Lemon Lime Ginger Lavender – added bonus, lavender prevents fleas and is relaxing Olive oil Rose oils Peppermint Chamomile Directions for Use: Wet your pet with warm, not hot water. Lather the shampoo gently through his fur being sure to get down to his skin. Be careful to avoid his eyes. Rinse thoroughly to remove all shampoo. Groom normally.