Why shouldn’t you use human care products for your pets?

Skin and coat care for dogs is considerably more specialised than you may think. The anatomical differences between individual dog breeds are significant – and the same diversity applies to skin and coats. For example, if we compare a Newfoundland with a Chihuahua, the differences soon become apparent. The Newfoundland: large with relatively thick skin, a long topcoat and a dense undercoat. The Chihuahua: small with rather thin and sensitive skin, as well as a fine topcoat and almost no undercoat.

The skin structure in dogs
Besides the lack of sweat glands, another significant difference lies in the skin pH value. Different mammals also have different pH values. The average pH value of the skin of a dog and a cat is 7.0-7.5 and 6.5 respectively (which is in the alkaline range), whereas the pH value of human skin is in the acidic range at 5.0. Therefore, it is extremely important to use a shampoo that is adapted to the specific needs of your pets’s skin and that has a balanced pH value of approx. 7.0-7.5 for dogs and 6.5-7.0 for cats. This is the only way to preserve the protective function of the skin’s hydrolipid film, which means irritations can be actively avoided, even after frequent bathing.

Why individual care products for dogs?
The structure of skin and hair of humans and dogs are very similar. However, dogs have special demands on their care. There are important differences even between the different breeds.

• Dog breeds have individual care needs due to:
– Distinct skin types
– Different hair types

• Dogs have different needs compared to humans’ due to:
– Different skin structure
– The alkaline pH value of the skin