Do I Really Need To Use Conditioner on My Dog?

Most people dislike bathingtheir dog because, let’s admit it, it’s a pain in the rear end. By the end of the process you’re wetter thanyour dog, and the bathroom is left in shambles. So for most, the idea of prolonging the bathing experience one minute longer is noteven an option. However, that one or twoextra minutes to condition your dog can really improve the state of their coat.

The case for conditioners - Aswe all know, shampoos by design are used for removing unwanted grime from theskin and coat. But shampooing, without sealing the coat afterwords, leaves thehair shaft open where residue can enter and oils and hydration escape. Butconditioning after shampooing will close the hair cuticle and restorehydration, moisture and elasticity.

Conditioners also fill in thedamaged hair that drying, brushing, dematting and petting cause. Just normalwear and tear chips away at the hair cuticle which a conditioner will restoreto a smooth state and one that gives a more lustrous appearance and feel.

The most amazing conditionerI’ve used is Fur Butter (or Fur Worse) . It’s an oatmeal-based ultra richconditioning treatment for dry, damaged and long coats. It’s very think and richand leaves the dog super soft & silky.

So, in a nutshell it’sdefinitely better to condition your dog than not to condition. But some dogsbenefit more than others. To determineif your dog is a good candidate and if the extra two or three minutes conditioningyour dog is worth your time, answer the following questions:

1. How long is your dog’s coat?

2. Does he/she have an undercoat?

3. How often do you wash yourdog?

4. Does your dog have itchyskin?

5. The cuddle factor (CF) youwould like to achieve.

6. How adverse is your dog tobath time?

Long Coats

Ifyour dog has a long coat, then it may beprone to mattes and tangles (think Maltese, Yorkies, Afgans). Using aconditioner will not only make your dog’s coat healthier it will make your joba lot easier by helping to remove mattes and tangles and the after bath brushout will be a breeze.

Undercoat

Dog’s without undercoats willprobably receive the most benefit from a conditioner. Because their hair mostresembles human hair, it’s thin, easily tangles and gets dirty quickly. Dogswith undercoats usually have thicker coarser hair (like a lab) and therefore donot matte and the coat tends to repel dirt.

WashFrequency

If you wash your dog often(more than 1x per month) you should definitely condition your dog to close thathair shaft so the coat retains moisture. To read more about how often to washyour dog, click here

ItchySkin

If your dog has itchy skin ,you may want to bathe your dog more often to get rid of allergens. And ifyou’re washing you dog frequently, conditioner is a good idea. Be sure to useone that has oatmeal which works wonders for itchy skin and other botanicals tohelp combat itchy skin. Look for herbs like aloe, burdock, comfrey andboswellia to help with inflammation.

TheCuddle Factor

Of course this is the mostimportant thing to consider! I have amaltese and nothing is better than slathering her with Fur Butter (or FurWorse) Deep Conditioner. Her coat is left so amazingly soft. It immediately makesthe CF go from 10 to 1,000,000.

BathTime adversity

If your dog really really hatesthe water and can’t hang around in the tub for one minute longer, there arestill things you can do to condition your dog. For example, there are somegreat 2-in-1 Shampoos and Conditioners you can check out like Bubbles ‘n Beads.Not only does it smell amazing but it gets the job done fast. Or, get a leave-in conditioner that yousimply spray into the dog’s coat after a bath. This aids with the brush outprocess and adds moisture into the coat. Most of these can be used on a wet ordry coat.

So there is some science tothis after all, it’s not all just fluff (not pun intended) Although for most ofus it will come down to unquantifiable things like the all important FluffFactor and of course the already mentioned Cuddle Factor.