# Human vs. Pet Shampoo - The pH Myth!



## Aarianne (Jul 22, 2005)

I meant to post this (and some other info) recently in another thread and got sidetracked and forgot to! So for those that have taken an interest in the human vs. pet shampoo debate, here's a neat study done by Barbara Bird, someone in the grooming business since 1971: 

http://www.northerntails.com/images/egroomer_v1_issue_1.pdf (it starts on page 12)

I thought some SM'ers would find this interesting--reassuring if you've been using a human shampoo with good results on your malt and perhaps eye-opening for some.

In her report, she includes the pH, as she tested it, for 45 human shampoos and 60 pet shampoos. You may find your malt's shampoo on her list and be surprised!

It's pretty clear according to her test results that pet shampoos are generally not specially formulated for the pH of the average dog's skin (if that would even matter). 

There's even more to consider with maltese imo, as their coats are so similar to straight human hair and so often are washed weekly (again, like human hair). Keep that in mind when you read the author's reasons for still using a pet shampoo in the conclusion. Do they apply to your maltese?

Of course, if you have a malt with skin sensitivities, I would be picky about choosing your products, but I would pick it based off its ingredients to make sure it is gentle, fragrance-free, and doesn't contain any common irritants or known allergens to your dog--not on whether or not it's a pet vs. human marketed shampoo.


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## munchkn8835 (May 23, 2010)

Whew, that's a bit confusing to me!! So I use Spa products on Ollie....are these okay? He always scratches after his baths or grooming and she uses the same thing on him. Thinking I may try something else.


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## Aarianne (Jul 22, 2005)

I think someone posted on SM that Spa Lavish has tons of fragrance, so I'd definitely try something else with low/no fragrance and gentle ingredients. :thumbsup:


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## RudyRoo (Jun 24, 2011)

That has great information in it! Thanks for posting. I just posted a poll earlier about shampoo/conditioners for cotton coats and have already gotten some good feedback re: human products. So if anybody has any input on what products you like the best, please go put in your votes there! 

Poll: Best Shampoo/Conditioner for Cottony Coats


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## S&LP'S Mommy (Feb 20, 2011)

I would like to read this but the link is not working on my computer. Can you please tell me how I can find this article?




Aarianne said:


> I meant to post this (and some other info) recently in another thread and got sidetracked and forgot to! So for those that have taken an interest in the human vs. pet shampoo debate, here's a neat study done by Barbara Bird, someone in the grooming business since 1971:
> 
> http://www.northerntails.com/images/egroomer_v1_issue_1.pdf (it starts on page 12)
> 
> ...


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## silverhaven (Sep 6, 2009)

That was an interesting link. Thanks for posting


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## Aarianne (Jul 22, 2005)

S&LP'S Mommy said:


> I would like to read this but the link is not working on my computer. Can you please tell me how I can find this article?


You need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed to be able to view the PDF. If you don't have it, it's free and handy and can be downloaded here: Adobe - Adobe Reader download - All versions

If you already have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed, you can try to go here: Northern Tails Sharpening

Then scroll down a little to the "Published Articles by Jeff Andrews" section and look for "eGroomer Magazine - Vol 1, Issue 1". Click on it and it should open up in your browser or at least give you the option to download it.

If that doesn't work for some reason, it looks like another way to view it would be to subscribe to the newsletter (for free) here: Journal for Pet Groomers and Grooming Career Seekers

I'm not subscribed though, so not sure what that involves.

Hope that helps!


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## S&LP'S Mommy (Feb 20, 2011)

That worked thanks! 


Aarianne said:


> You need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed to be able to view the PDF. If you don't have it, it's free and handy and can be downloaded here: Adobe - Adobe Reader download - All versions
> 
> If you already have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed, you can try to go here: Northern Tails Sharpening
> 
> ...


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## poptart (Mar 10, 2008)

I didn't find the article...but it looks like a reasonably priced place to get my grooming shears sharpened..Thanks!!

Hugs, Blanche &


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## iheartbisou (Feb 13, 2007)

Thanks for posting this...really interesting.


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## PrincesDad (Oct 24, 2011)

*true*

While I accept that many dog shampoos are no more alkaline than human shampoos, I can state that shampoo choice is important.

I have tried several shampoos and conditioners on my Prince. I started with human Suave, coconut shampoo. This actually seemed to work OK, but with his long hair, he got nits very easily, and he seemed to get smelly. 

He also tends to get an infected right ear, so I have used vinegar in his ear, which seems to clear it up. He also has had tear staining since I got him. It seemed to improve a little after teething - I'll get back to that later.

I then switched to a human oatmeal baby shampoo with Suave Coconut conditioner. This actually worked decently, but he still easily got the matted hair.

I have to admit that I didn't comb him as much as I needed to - certainly not every day - and his beautiful soft coat ended up getting matted, so he got a puppy cut. The groomer did something for his tear stains, which were much better for about 2 weeks.

Fearing that my human shampoos were not the right pH and were contributing to the matting, I have tried more things. I bought some cosmetic ingredients such as colloidal oatmeal and Behentrimonium - an antibacterial, detangling conditioning agent. I added this to the coconut conditioner, which then disappeared, but seemed to be working. A friend offered his old dog shampoos. They were all 8 in 1 Premium brand. The antibacterial deodorizing shampoo seemed to work decently. The citrus shampoo had him scratching like crazy for 3 days, which definitely contributes to a matting problem, so I won't use it again.

So now I am looking for a more premium dog shampoo and conditioner combination that will work well for a maltese. I bought Mane and Tail, detangler, which definitely helped get out mats. I also got Mane and Tail conditioner, but it doesn't seem to have much more than coconut oil and lanolin with a cetyl alchohol base, so I might try the Behentrimonium in it too.

Anyway, I am looking for input on what people have found works well with Maltese. I want the long, soft coat, but less attractiveness to dirt and every little thing like grass blades, etc which start the matting. What works!


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## PrincesDad (Oct 24, 2011)

*Thank you*

I meant to thank the thread starter for the link. I found the pH information of the various brands of shampoos to be helpful.


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## Aarianne (Jul 22, 2005)

That's great! I'm glad that people are still finding and appreciating it.


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