According to Happytails, "inside every mutt there's a muttrosexual just dying to get out." To this end, the company has produced a wide array of doggie spa products. What is very impressive about Happytails Canine Spa Line Inc is their degree of community and social responsibility. They go out of their way to uphold the highest possible environmental, social and ethical standards from using recyclable materials, to donating some of their profits to Canine Companions for Independence to employing developmentally disabled adults to do their assembly work. Impressive and very worthwhile supporting! Animal Planet thought so too and recently featured their products on TV!
Their spa products are arranged into seven categories - problem areas commonly encountered by dogs such as tear stains, itchies, stink etc. In the stinky dogs and coat refreshment category is a wonderful product called Bubble n' Beads - a two in one shampoo and conditioner. It "contains exclusive micro-beads packed with conditioning vitamins. They penetrate the coat, burst against the skin, delivering their nutrients right where they’re needed; at the follicle. The result is a healthier, shinier more lustrous coat." It smells heavenly and when I washed Axel using the product after he rolled in goose poop - he was transformed from a stinky, dirty boy into a clean, fresh-smelling guy. A large bottle retails at $17 - it also comes in a gallon container for $110.
I will be reviewing more products in the Happytails range, so stay tuned for more...
With both Easter and Passover happening this week, it's the perfect excuse to dress up your dog with some special doggie nail polish for the holiday! We love OPI's Pawlish -- funky and fun colors for your dog's nails.
Give your pet a "pet-icure" with OPI's quick dry, one coat nail Pawlish. Choose from an array of colors: Fire Hydrant Red, Yuppy Puppy Silver, Doghouse Blues, Mutts New? Purple, Bow Wow! Mint Green, or Poodle Pink.
Ancient Indian texts refer to Neem as "the curer of all ailments." The Neem tree is an evergreen, found in the tropical dry deciduous and thorny forests in countries such as Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Japan, and parts of Africa and Australia. Every part of the tree has a medicinal use. Neem oil is excellent for it's healing properties and is used in creams, shampoos, lotions and soaps. It also has insect repellent properties, and applied at the correct dilution it is used as a non-toxic flea, fly and tick repellent.
I became aware of Neem via a dog blog. The dog in question has bad skin allergies - dry skin, itchies, scabs etc. After using a combination of Neem products, his skin improved drastically. As my dog Axel gets seasonal skin allergies, I was curious to see how it would work with Axel. The company, Neem Resource, sent me a wonderful selection of their products including Therapeutic Neem Oil Pet Shampoo, Neem Oil & Karanja Oil Soap, Extra Strong Neem Oil, Karanja Oil & Sesame Salve and Neem Oil to try and to review.
So far we have only used the shampoo - see Axel in his Neem bath at left (look at the color of the water!). It is described as "great for hot spots, flea bites, dermatitis and all skin irritations." After working the lovely smelling shampoo into Axel's coat, we let it stand for 5 minutes as directed and then hosed him off. The shampoo left his skin smooth and nourished, and his coat gleams. We will definitely continue to use it, especially as the seasonal allergy season moves in. In future posts, I will review the other Neem products.
Neem shampoo can be purchased here: $12.95/12 fl.oz. NEW Economy Size - $36.95/64 fl. oz.
Make nail trimming a little safer with the Careful Nail Clipper
Cutting your dogs nails can be a chore. Most dogs hate getting their nails trim and fight you for each nail, plus you have to be so careful not to cut them too short, hit the quick and make them bleed. It is a terrible feeling to accidentally make your pooch bleed during a routine nail trim (it happens to most of us at some point), and now with the Careful Nail Clippers from Drs. Foster and Smith you will be able to avoid the quick better than before.
With surgical stainless steel blades, a rubber handle for easy gripping and an attached light to shine through your pet's nail and illuminate the quick, cutting nails has never been easier. When I received the Careful Nail Clippers and took them out of the box, my pooch Baxter immediately ran away and hid under the bed (he is not a fan of getting his nails cut). It came with the batteries in the package and I did find it a bit difficult to get the batteries in to the light correctly at first. Once I had the light working and retrieved Baxter from under the bed, I found that the light made it much easier for me to spot where the quick was in his nails which made it faster for me to safely cut his nails.
I found the Careful Nail Clipper a very handy tool (except on a couple of Baxter's all black nails) and I highly recommend it to anyone who cuts their pups nails themselves. It can be found at Dr. Fosters and Smith's site for only $22.99!
When you buy/rescue a dog there are several factors that you are accepting - picking up poop, taking them to the vet, going on walks and having your pooch shed all over your clothing/house/car. I never thought shedding would bother me much, but after years of never leaving the house without dog fur attached to my clothing, needing a lint brush handy at all times and vacuuming twice a week to keep clumps of fur off of the carpet, I must admit, it was becoming an issue. Now I know that there is an easy solution to this problem, with The Bamboo Furbuster De-Shedding System.
The Furbuster is one of the only de-shedding tools with interchangeable stainless steel blades so that you can get the most bang for your buck and use the same tool for your large dog, your small dog and your cat! You can also change blade sizes to fit the area of your pooch that you are working on and with the comfortable angled-handle, you'll be finished brushing before your hand gets tired. Designed to removed excess fur and undercoats, it is amazing to watch the fur just fall off your pup as you run it through their coat and with regular use you will notice a significant decline in shedding. I can't ask for more than that!
I have been using the Furbuster on my pooch Baxter and while he normally hates being brushed, he actually sits calmly while I run it through his fur like he is getting a massage. Watch the Furbuster video to see this tool and action and find it now at Doctors Fosters & Smith starting at just $25.
One of the joys of being a dog parent are the twice-daily walks, especially in the fall with the cooler temperatures and the changing leaves.Walking is a time for bonding, exploring and in some cases just getting down right dirty, which can happen when, walking on Forbidden Drive located in the Wissahickon Valley Park.
While chasing frogs and fish in the river is great fun, the mud and grime that accumulates—not so much. Thankfully, Mrs. Meyers, my favorite household cleaner, also has a line of organic, natural pet products. Gentle Pet Wipes have saved many a day after a vigorous walk in the park. Theses wipes are fantastic for quickly wiping down your dog and they smell great—Clary Sage and Chamomile! These wipes also are gentle enough to wipe around the eyes, ears and nose. And at only $5.99, it pays to keep an extra container in the car! Get the wipes here.
My dog and I have been outside a lot this summer. We spend our weekends at the shore where we do a lot of walking. During the week, we try to either get together with our other dog friends, or we jump in the car for some time at the dog park. Whatever we are doing, we get hot... especially my dog.
So, after a day of being out in the sun I tend to come home and jump into a cool shower. Bernie, my Dachshund, is not a fan of the wet stuff. He does, however, love being rubbed down with a towelette from Herban Essentials.
The Herban Essentials Pet Towelettes are great for many reasons. First off, they are not just great for your dog. You too, can use the pet towelettes on your hands for after playtime, or a quick wash after picking up after your best friend. Secondly, the towelettes can be used on your dog to relieve itchiness caused by hot spots on your dog's skin.
The Herban Essentials Pet Towelettes are made from lavender oil. This oil not only makes the towels smell great, but also makes them naturally antibacterial and antiseptic. In addition, just like anything else made with lavender oil, the aroma is also very soothing and calming. It would be beneficial to throw a towelette into your dog's crate if they are going on a trip or to the vet's office to ease their worries.
Herban Essentials makes other towelettes too. There are many to choose from and they all would make a great gift for someone.
A well-groomed dog is a handsome dog.And having a shorter fur coat during these hot, humid days of summer will help your pooch keep his cool.
Last summer, Jax enjoyed the services of a professional groomer.While he looked awesome, this “extra” set us back so much that we added a line item (Jax's Grooming) to our monthly budget. In May, I mentioned in passing to my husband that we should consider grooming Jax this summer to save money.
The Andis Clipper set is awesome.The instructions are easy to understand and the clipper is surprisingly simple to use.The set costs $69.51 on Amazon.I have already saved money (and gas!) by bathing and grooming Jax myself this summer.
One admission.While I am able to give Jax a decent cut, I am by no means able to do it as well as the professional groomers.But I’m ok with this, because the grooming session is also a nice bonding time for Jax and me.
The Andis set comes in a hard case that is great for storage and travel and it includes four snap-on comb attachments in sizes 1/8", 1/4", 3/8", 1/2" to vary the length of the cut and clipper oil.
The Dog Grooming for Dummies has wonderful tips such as essential grooming supplies, foods/supplements that enhance your dog’s coat (a cooked egg daily!) and an entire chapter on training your dog for grooming. The book and clipper set has given me a new hobby and saved us money!
Very often we hear how hemp is being used for all sorts of things. There are t-shirts made out of it, necklaces and yes, now even dog products. Hemp is nature's little secret. The hempseed oil, is extremely beneficial to your dog because it carries all the essential fatty acids. This is the stuff that is good for your dog.
NuHemp (www.nuhemp.com) makes great grooming products that will make your dog feel and look its best. They carry everything from shampoos and conditioners to therapy products to products that will help your dog's coat look great. The combination of science based nutrients, plant extracts and the essential oils make the grooming line one of the best that I have seen.
The NuHemp company, based in Canada, strives itself on making products that are healthy and beneficial to the well being of your dog. Their products are made from the best ingredients around. Not only does NuHemp make grooming products, but if you're looking to try some new treats or food, NuHemp has some great stuff there too.
So, if you are ready to try something new and exciting with your dog, give the products at NuHemp a try. Enter "Swankypup" in the note field at checkout and recieve a 10% discount on any order over $25. Just so you know, the price adjustment will not be reflected on the screen, but will do so at time of payment.
Dog grooming taken to a whole new level... (new discount coupon code added!)
You may know after reading this blog for the past (almost) year that I have a puggle named Maggie. She has smooth-coated fur which is close to the body and short and stiff. Her skin is soft, and often sensitive to harsh products, so I am careful with what I use on her when grooming her.
I have tried lots of shampoos and conditioners on her. Some I liked, some not so much. Some lathered, some not. Some for a puppy, some for your average dog. But never have a tried a shampoo, conditioner, and finishing spray specially designed for my dogs specific type of fur.
Enter Isle of Dogs. A very cool company with a very cool concept: a grooming system specifically designed by the kind of dog you have (and their type of coat).The system provides each dog with a combination of the following products that work from the outside in as topical solutions (like shampoos, conditioners, and grooming sprays), and from the inside out as supplements. The products are available in a numbering system, to help dog owners best identify the corresponding product for their dog(s):
* Series 00 Puppy Shampoos * Series 10 Evening Primrose Oil (EPO) Shampoos * Series 20 Royal Jelly Shampoos * Series 30 Purpose-Driven Shampoos * Series 50 Conditioners * Series 60 Conditioning Sprays * Series 90 Supplements
In order to learn your dog's system, click here to create an online profile of your dog.
I tried the number 10 shampoo, which smells amazing and lathers nicely. The number 51 heavy management conditioner also smells clean and great and made my dog's fur nice and soft. And I also loved how the evening primrose oil conditioning mist made my dog's fur shiny. It smelled great and it easily misted on my dog.
Check out these great products and see which one is right for your dog. It's fun! Also, keep in mind that they make great gift sets, which make a perfect, thoughtful gift for a new dog owner (or for the holidays)
Use code swank7 to receive 10% of $50 purchase -- valid all summer long!
I love all things about our dog, Jax. His smile, the way he shakes with glee when he sees us and his eagerness to befriend our cats. The one small issue we have, through no fault of his own, is that our house is being taken over by balls of fur. It is everywhere-stairs, kitchen bathroom, closet.
About a month ago, while browsing in a local pet store, I became intrigued by the FURminator deShedding tool. I was mesmerized by the video that detailed the massive amount of fur that came off of one dog! I wondered—could this really work?Or was I witnessing the magic of TV?I broke down and purchased this purported miracle brush for $49.95.
I am happy to report that that this is one purchase in which I have no buyer’s remorse.The FURminator has been one of the best investments for our beloved canine, Jax.The FURminator removes the dead undercoat that typically causes shedding.It’s simple to use and makes brushing a fun, easy experience for all.Since using the FURminator, we have definitely noticed less fur around the house AND Jax’s coat appears shinier.The tool is a bit on the pricey side ($49.95 for a medium tool), but it is well worth the extra dollars. The FURminator comes in different widths based on the size of your dog.As an added benefit, it can be used on cats, too!
Get the FURminator at Petsmart and save 15% off orders $40 more with coupon code SUMMER15 through July 28, 2008.
Rub a dub dub, organic, safe soap for your dog (and a product giveaway!!!)
I recently discovered Olive, an organic store for modern dogs. They feature all sorts of great organic, healthy, and environmentally conscious dog items, like toys, collars, clothing, sleep items, and more.
I got to try out some of Olive's spa products, and I was so impressed with the everything I tried. My favorite product was the Olive Organic Dog Shampoo. From the minute I saw the packaging (so cool and modern looking) and smelled it, to reading the ingredients (all natural! organic!) to trying out with my dog, I was very impressed.
When I look for a dog shampoo, I look for something all-natural, something gentle, great-smelling with a good lather. (My dog is dirty -- I need to feel like that soap is getting her clean!) This product is perfect. In fact, I think I found my new go-to shampoo (meaning I will re-order this when I run out... though a little bit goes a long way!) If you want to make a purchase from the Olive site, take advantage of a special Swanky Pup coupon -- 15% off! Use code OLIVESWANK. Product Giveaway! Want to try out some Olive spa products on your dog, too? Sign up for our e-newsletter and you will automatically be entered to win Olive's Fur Spritzer and Olive's Soap Lump. Enter by June 26th, 2008 and one winner will be selected and announced on the 27th.
My dog is a warm weather dog. He loves being outside when the sun is shining. Any chance he gets to run around at the dog park or in the neighbors backyard, he takes. When the day is over, and he is physically exhausted from his workout, he comes back inside and crawls into his pillow for a nap. However, not before he is put into the tub for a good bath using products from Lani Dig Your Dog.
Lanidigyourdog.com is a company that makes bath and spa products for your furry friend. The smell of the product reminds you of the places you and your dog dig, the beach, the park and the woods. Yes, you and your pup can still be in those happy places, while you are scrubbing your pooch down and he is getting nice and clean.
All the Lanidigyourdog.com products come in a shampoo, conditioner and body spray -- for those times that your dog may need a quick spritz before hitting the town. All of the products are made from the purest of ingredients and are 100% natural. The shampoo lathers up really well, so you don't need to use very much of it at one time.
So, if you want to treat your pup to a luxurious bath experience while reminiscing of the great times you and your dog have had outdoors , try the products from Lanidigyourdog.com. There is free shipping available on all orders shipped within the United States.
We've all had bad hair days. I know when my hair is outta control, my baseball hat is the first thing I grab to cover up the mess on top of my head.
Dogs can sometimes have the same problem, especially long haired pups. Here's the solution. Check out Wigglesdogwigs.com. Yes, they can help your pooch's mangled mess out by providing a wig.
Wigglesdogwigs.com has so many different wigs to choose from. If you and your pup love listening to the Beatles, your dog can look like one of the Fab Four. Maybe you and your pooch wanna pretend that you are vacationing on the beaches of Jamaica. Your dog can sport dreadlocks. What is so great about the wigs from Wigglesdogwigs.com, is that some of the wigs can be made into other styles. Just use your imagination.
All the wigs are washable in lukewarm water and should be dried naturally. When the wigs are dried they are able to be brushed through or styled using your fingertips.
So, if your dog wakes up in the morning with "pillow perm", or you are looking for a neat costume idea for your pooch, stick on a wig from Wigglesdogwigs.com.
In my house we have switched over to everything organic and green that we possibly can. With Earth Day coming up, now is a great time for you to take a look at all of the great earth-friendly dog products out there, like these Blue Dog Bakery Premium All Natural Low Fat Dog Biscuits (currently on sale!).
Some Green Pet tips, courtesy of Petco:
1. Buy a natural pet food made from pure protein sources raised without growth hormones or antibiotics, and that doesn’t contain any animal byproducts, rendered meat or chicken meals.
2. Use all natural cleaning products free of toxic chemicals.
3. Choose eco-friendly pet grooming products made without phosphates, sulfates and other chemicals.
4. Pick eco-friendly pet toys made from organic or recycled materials.
5. Purchase alternative forms of kitty litter made from recycled material such as newsprint and use biodegradeable poopbags for your daily walks.
Petco has a great section of their website devoted to Earth Day, earth-friendly products, a quiz to see how green your pet is, and a "Pet for the Planet" sweepstakes.
Tell Petco how you and your pet work together to take care of the environment. Enter your green pet tip for a chance to win the Grand Prize of a year’s supply of Pet Promise dog or cat food and $250 worth of pet products! (9 runner up prizes also available.)
I recently got the urge to redecorate the bathroom my daughter uses. Since she loves dogs, I thought about looking for dog themed bathroom accessories (shower curtain, rug, soap dispenser, toothbrush holder, etc).
On the website kayceeskorner.com, I found fantastic towels that I know would go great in the bathroom. What's better, they come in a variety of colors to match whatever colors I am going to accent the room with. Each towel is 100% cotton and measures 30"x54" in length. They are machine washable and the stencil that adorns the edge of the towel, will not come off in the wash.
These towels from kayceeskorner.com are not only useful for people, but can also be for your dog to use. Now that the weather is getting nicer here in the northeast, my dog and I are taking more and more walks outside. More often than not, he comes back muddy and wet. The towel is great to have by the door, so I can give him a quick rub down before letting him roam the house.
Order your towel today from kayceeskorner.com and receive free shipping -- no coupon code necessary.
Does your dog have lots of hair that is constantly falling into her eyes and face? If so, then you need either very frequent trips to the groomer or hair bows to control the chaos. You will be hard pressed to find more stylish and functional hair bows than those made by Puppy Kisses.
Each hair bow is hand made in the USA featuring fun and beautiful prints and they are decorated with a stylish center rhinestone or coordinating accent. Unlike other hair bows, these are made with a metal barrette closure, so they will be easy to put on and take off without ripping any hair or hurting your pooch like a rubber band would. Also, they will stay in all types of fur including thin, thick, curly, smooth and wiry. My pooch Baxter has thin and wiry hair and the bow even held strong in his fur!
There are tons of prints and styles to choose from, so skip the groomer and buy these adorable hair bows from Puppy Kisses to help you manage your pup’s mane in style.
My dog is not a huge fan of taking a bath or anything, for that matter, that involves water. He stays as far away from the wet stuff as possible. You can imagine how thrilled he is when it is raining or snowing outside. Inevitably, my puppy gets wet and after a good shake (which usually takes place in the part of the house that I don't need to get wet), he still is quite damp and shivering because he is so cold. Well, I think I have found my solution to that problem. At Puplife.com, I have found a super absorbent towel called theSoggy Dog. The designers of this towel thought of everything from the different sizes the towel is available in, to adding pockets in the corners to be able to get to those hard to reach places on your dog. The Soggy Dog towel is made of super absorbent terry cloth material that is machine washable. It has a loop so that you can hang it up to dry or keep on a hook when it's not being used. The towel can be easily kept in the car or by the front door of your home, for after those walks in the rain or the snow. As I mentioned before, the towel is available in various sizes and in colors. The Soggy Dog towel comes in medium and large sizes, while the Soggy Paws towel is available in small and large. The colors are great too! So the next time your furry, wet friend needs to be dried off, reach for the Soggy Dog or Soggy Paws towels available at Puplife.com. For 10% off your order during the rest of January, enter HAPPYPUPPY at checkout.
My dog is very easy to groom and very low maintenance, except for 2 things: her ears and her eyes. She always needs her ears cleaned (and I found a great cleaner for that... another review for another day) and she always has tear stains (crusty, hard, you know what I mean!) around her eyes.
I recently learned about a product formulated to help with this exact problem! happytails Canine Spa line just introduced Eye Pack, an all-natural, dual-action product that works both internally and externally to clear away tear stains and help prevent them. Step 1 are eye pads which you use to wipe your dogs eye area. Step 2 is an immunity-booster powder that you add to your dogs food to help reduce bacteria in their body. Learn more about the 2 steps and read about the ingredients if you are curious!
All of the Happytails Spa products are adorably packaged and smell great. My dog was willing to let me try the pads on her and after a few tries her eye gunk seems to have cleared up a good amount. (I haven't tried it for too long yet to really tell in the review but it definitely seems to help!)
Also, happytails sells and markets all different kinds of spa products for the dog about town. They use the finest (“better than human quality”) ingredients available to pamper, soothe and beautify today’s harried hound. I also got to try the Dry Dog, a spray-on bath replacement with kiwi and aloe (perfect for my stinky dog, it smells great!) and Comfy Dog Oatmeal Conditioner for dry and itchy skin.
Make any purchase at happytails spa and take 20% off -- enter code theswankypup in the promotional field at checkout.
My favorite product line is Kiehls. I just love every single product that this company makes. Everything works well, smells great, and is awesome for my sensitive skin.
So when I found out that Kiehls makes products for our canine friends, I knew this had to be good stuff. There are three products that they offer:
All of the products are made for dogs with sensitive skin and make your dog look and smell great. The products are well priced, too, at $12 for a decent sized bottle.
Buy Kiehls products online (and receive free ground shipping on orders of $75 or more -- enter code KIEHL at checkout.) or in your better department stores. If you purchase online, make sure you buy through ebates, and you will receive 6% back!
Smelly dog? No longer! (Contest -- see details below!)
My dog always seems to smell. No matter how much I bathe her, she still seems to always find the smelly mulch outside (and other smelly things if you know what I mean) and rubs it all over herself (I know, gross!). With two small kids at home, I hardly have the time to bathe her as much as I need to. So I just make do with a smelly dog. Until now...
Sexy Beast fragrance and products have turned my bad-smelling dog into a good-smelling dog, long after her bath! The fragrance is paraben-free, hypo-allergenic and features a unisex blend of bergamot and vanilla-infused musk combined with natural patchouli, mandarin and nutmeg oils. The bottle is extremely sleek and stylish (hey, it is sold at Harrods, it HAS to be nice!) and has an integrated seamless pump and a beautiful sensual soft touch finish.
Sexy Beast also carries a number of products for your dog's coat (shampoo, conditioner, finishing products, etc) and they feature some beautiful gift setsperfect for the holidays. Check out the Limited Edition Holiday Jet Set from Short Order Dogs and get 10% off by emailing them with your information and the subject line "The Swanky Pup"!
*** Now is your chance to win some Sexy Beast products, including a full-sized bottle of their signature fragrance,and two coat care finishing products (fresh and gloss). These products are worth a total of $100. For your chance to win, simply head over to our boards and tell us your smelliest dog story. The one who has the best story wins all three Sexy Beast products! Please submit your entry by December 19th. The winner will be announced on December 21st. (Please note: you must register to post. Registration is free and only takes a minute!)
When it is raining or after a big storm my dog drags in a ton of mud. Those four little paws create a big mess on my beige carpet. The last thing I want to do is shampoo my carpet after each storm. My secret weapon: Petkin PetWipes.
They gently clean his face, ears, body, eyes and the ever important paws while eliminating that rainy day smell. They come in 30 count as well as 100 count and you can get them in a variety of options. The PetWipes are my favorite but they also come in Extra-Gentle, EyeWipes, EarWipes and they have a liquid oral care option as well.
You can find them at PetSmart or PetCo and they are priced very reasonably. I like the PetWipes for their versatility and you can even use them on your feline friends.
If you have a short-haired dog like I do, you may have trouble finding the proper brush for their coat. Or if you have a long-haired dog, it may be hard for you to get to the shedding undercoat. The Zoom Groom brush, by Kong, is a great brush for all dogs. I tried the Zoom Groom rubber brush on my puggle Maggie and got amazing results.
The Zoom Groom is a natural rubber brush that helps promote healthy skin and coat. Flexible rubber fingers gently collect loose hair like a magnet on wet or dry coats. My dog loves this brush...its fingers massage her while I am brushing. She happily sits there for as long as I need her to, to get all of her shedding fur off. It helps to stimulate healthy skin and fur, too. And it is easy to use for me, too. There is a spot for your hand to rest, and you can go in a back-and-forth motion and easily capture all of the fur.
Currently on sale for 50% off at Amazon (for $5.29), be sure to pick up one of these great brushes for your dog!
If your dog is anything like my dog Harold, after 10 minutes playing outside he smells like he spent the afternoon rolling around in a dumpster. Either I put him in a protective bubble when he plays outside or bathe him weekly. (Although a dog in a bubble would be hilarious, weekly baths prevailed.)
Of course with so many baths I worry about dry skin. I tried a dog specific shampoo but after multiple baths his skin was dry and itchy. When Harold is itchy he rolls around in the grass to scratch his back making him smell even worse. To avoid drying out his skin I found that Johnson and Johnson's Baby Shampoo works best. It is gentle on his eyes and it gets him clean as well. Even though baby shampoo moisturizes his skin better then dog shampoo, during the winter his skin can get extra dry. After baths I brush in a spray on dog hair conditioner by EFA Hylyt. I originally purchased it from the Vet but you can also find it online.
The combination of Baby Shampoo and leave in conditioner keeps his hair soft as well and moisturizes his skin. No need for fancy dog shampoo that leaves the dog smelling like flowers. Even if your dog isn't as smelly as Harold, try Johnson's Baby Shampoo, it's cheaper then dog shampoo and smells great.
I bought this Ultimate Touch 2-in-1 Brush with Shedding Blade for my Sheltie Buster after getting sick of hair flying off of him every time I pet him. Those that have long-haired breeds or dogs with undercoats can sympathize with the amount of hair that comes off of my dog everyday and usually winds up stuck to my clothing, furniture and carpet. Since brushing Buster with this brush though the situation is finally getting under control.
It features a wire brush on one side and a shedding blade on the other with a comfortable rubber handle to grip. I felt the rubber handle was an especially important, since I wanted to have a good grip when working with a “blade” near my pup. I had no idea how to use a shedding blade before getting this brush but it was actually very easy to use after googling instructions and was delighted to see how much dead hair it removed. There is also a manufacturer’s guarantee on the brush, which always gives me peace of mind when buying a product. I highly recommend this brush especially to those who have serious shedders, but if your dog has short hair or does not shed much this brush may be a bit too heavy-duty for you.
My dog stinks. Really. She smells awful! I don't know what she does outside but when she comes back in my whole house starts to smell. And visitors comment on how stinky she is too! So every 2 weeks or so I stick her in the shower with me and I give her a nice long bath.
I have been bathing her with the same shampoo since she was a puppy because I absolutely love it. It's called Puppy Love Shampoo by Veterinary Formula. Not only is it gentle for my dogs eyes and skin, but it smells great and is easy to dispense when things get a bit messy in the shower. It is also well-priced at around $7-8 per bottle.
I had a lot of problems with my dog having sensitive skin when she was a puppy. This shampoo (and matching conditioner, made with oatmeal) have never irritated her skin or caused her any problems.
When I use the shampoo and conditioner her coat is so soft and she smells wonderful. When people come over and I hear a lack of smelly comments, I always ask them to smell Maggie. Initially afraid, they bend down and find a pleasant, clean smelling dog (at least for a few days!)
Currently it is on sale at Petco for $8.09. They are also having a great promotion right now where you get free shipping and a free 20-page album from Shutterfly when you spend $60 or more. So stock up on some items for your pets, pick up some shampoo, and enjoy this great deal!
Does your dog have lots of hair that is constantly falling into her eyes and face? If so, then you need either very frequent trips to the groomer or hair bows to control the chaos. You will be hard pressed to find more stylish and functional 
