As dog owners, we're always looking for safe and effective products for our pets. From toys to treats, it can be difficult to find top quality products made with safe ingredients. This week I reviewed a few grooming products from Isle of dogs that fall into the safe and effective category.
You may think that it's easy to find safe dog grooming products just by looking at the front of the label. You're probably looking for products labeled with phrases like “All-Natural,” “Organic” and maybe even “Safe for Pets.” Unfortunately, the pet industry is highly unregulated and phrases like these can be used on products even if it's not 100% true.
Instead of looking at the front of the label, flip to the back. Look at the ingredient list, because that's the only way to tell for sure if the product you select is safe or not. If the ingredients aren't listed, put it back on the shelf.
Finding products that are free of sulfates, parabens and artificial colors and preservatives is key. Look at the shampoo. If it's yellow, green, blue, pink or any other unnatural color than it's not going to be healthy for your pet. You should also give it a smell test. If you smell flowery perfumes or chemical odors, don't buy it.
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Isle of Dogs Grooming Products for Dogs Review
Silky Oatmeal Shampoo and Conditioner
Both of these products are sulfate and paraben-free. Typically, these chemicals are used to create a rich lather in the grooming products, but as you can see in my video, the shampoo still lathers just fine.
A rich lather does make it easier to work through your dog's coat, and you don't have to sacrifice that in order to find safe grooming products.
As soon as you brgin working this shampoo or conditioner into your dog's coat, you'll notice the subtle fragrance. These products are made with oatmeal, lavendar and jasmine. When combined, these ingredients give a soft odor that will leave your dog smellling fresh without all the harsh chemicals and artifical fragrances.
The company also says that these products contain natural odor neutralizers. I don't think they left Saddie, our chocolate lab, smelling better any longer than other shampoos I've tried, but they definitely left her smelling great for a few days. The fragrance died off after that, but she still smelled clean.
Isle of Dogs products are also made in the U.S.A., which is always something that I look for in the products that I buy for my dogs. One of the best things about these products is that they are suitable to use with any breed or coat type. This is great for multi-dog households like ours.
I've tried both the shampoo and conditioner from Isle of Dogs on all three of our dogs (a Boxer, a Labrador, and a Beagle mix). Although none of our dogs need the conditioner for detangling issues, the combination of the two left them all with a shiny and smooth coat.
I was also really impressed with the way it left our double-coated lab feeling. Her thick fur smelled great and felt clean and soft all the way through to her undercoat. It's difficult to get some grooming products to penetrate down to her skin, even with a lot of scrubbing.
The company's website stated that the Silky Oatmeal Conditioner would help shed loose hair. I didn't notice any more hair than normal come off of our lab during bathing, and I was still able to brush a good deal out of her after her bath. This is typical with most grooming products we tried, but I was hoping that this conditioner might compare with others that are specifically designed to help de-shed dogs.
You can purchase a 16-ounce bottle of Silky Oatmeal Shampoo on Amazon for $9.99 and the 16-ounce conditioner for $7.99. These products are comparable with other sulfate and paraben free shampoos, but they are much cheaper. However, if your dog has special needs (like deshedding, detangling or a specific hard-to-groom coat type) you may want to find grooming products that are specifically formulated to meet those needs, as these are just general products for all breeds and coat types.
RELATED: How To Make Dog Shampoo At Home – Guide and Tips
Red Berries & Champagne Odor Neutralizer Spray
The fragrance left behind by shampoos and conditioners is gone after a few days. So, how do you keep your dog smelling fresh between baths? Odor-neutralizing spray is the perfect way to get rid of that doggy smell on your pet and around your home.
I didn't know what to expect from the red berries and champagne fragrance, but it's actually very pleasant. It's soft and a little sweet. Just like the shampoo and conditioner above, this spray is also safe for you and your dog.
Isle of Dogs does not use any toxic chemicals, parabens or petrochemicals in the making of this spray. Instead, they use natural-based fragrances that are 100% safe to be applied directly to skin.
The only thing I don't like about this product is that the spray nozzle is a little flimsy. The one on my bottle broke when I had only used about half of the product. I did check Amazon reviews and no one else mentioned this, so maybe it was just my bottle.
It removes odors from their dog beds and works great on the upholstery of our car, especially when we have to bring them home from swimming and the vehicle smells like wet dog.
At first, I was skeptical as to how much I would actually use this product. I groom our dogs regularly, but we don't typical use any “extras” like dog cologne or odor neutralizing spray. However, I do love using this on our dog's beds and in the car after I take them for a ride.
I noticed how flimsy it was as soon as I used it the first time and was a bit skeptical about it breaking. I just dumped the remaining spray into another empty bottle I had on hand. It wasn't a big deal, just a bit of an inconvenience.
You can buy an 8-ounce bottle of this odor neutralizing spray for just $7.99 on Amazon. That's pretty comparable with other similar sprays that are of the same quality. Affordable on any budget, this spray is a great way to keep your home, car and dog smelling fresh without all the chemicals and overpowering perfumes that come with lesser quality products.
READ: Pro Groomer's Favorite Dog Grooming Products for Home Grooming
Wondering how to bathe a dog?
If you're new to at-home grooming, don't worry. It isn't as scray as you might be thinking. Below, you can watch the video tutorial that I made demonstrating the proper way to bathe your dog. It discusses the simple steps for bathing and how to find the best grooming products to meet your pet's needs.
FULL GUIDE: How To Bathe A Dog 101 – A Step-By-Step Video Guide
Summary of the Isle of Dogs Grooming Products for Dogs Review
PROS:
- Sulfate and paraben-free
- Made in the USA
- Made with natural-based fragrances
- Formulated to be safe and effective on all breeds and every coat type
- Affordable on any budget
CONS:
- Shampoo and conditioner are not specifically formulated, so if your dog has specific needs (such as a unique coat type, detangling needs or problems shedding) these products may not be the best choice
- The nozzle on the odor-neutralizing spray bottle is flimsy. Mine broke after using only half the product
Now it’s your turn to review Isle of Dogs Grooming Products
Have you tried these grooming products with your dog? Did they work well with his skin and coat type? What did you think of the fragrance – was it too strong? We're interested in hearing about your hands on experience with these products. Share your opinion in the comments below or post your own photo and video reviews on our Facebook page.
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