How to Make a Dog's Hair Less Greasy

Dog breeds with hair instead of fur have a greasy coats due to their natural hair oil. The pungent oil odor and slick feel can make petting your dog a dirty endeavor. A proven cleansing technique, used by wildlife rescue volunteers to treat animals affected by oil spills, is to wash your dog with dish washing liquid (IBR). It's harmless to the animal and will leave it with a clean, grease-free coat.

Things You'll Need

  • Dish washing liquid
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Instructions

    • 1

      Fill a sink or basin with warm water, large enough to place your dog in.

    • 2

      Mix three to five large dollops of dish soap into the water as the sink or basin fills. It's okay to add the soap liberally, as more soap will help the water be more effective in rinsing the oil away.

    • 3

      Place your pup in the water and pour water over its body until completely wet. Do not rub your dog. Instead, continue to douse it with the soapy water, allowing the surfactant chemicals in the soap to do their job of helping water and oil mix, lifting the oil off the hair. When dissolved in water, surfactant chemicals give a product the ability to rinse away dirt, grease or oil from solid surfaces (like human skin or dog hair), according to Science In The Box.

    • 4

      Rinse your dog with non-soapy water to remove all the soap and enjoy your dog's oil-free coat.