Just like we need a regular bath to clean our hair, dogs have similar needs. When it comes to washing them, we need to buy special shampoos.
Human shampoos do not work on them because they are too harsh for the dog’s skin and disrupt the oil and pH balance. It leads to dry and flaky skin.
Dog shampoos are gentler and generally made of organic material. A dog shampoo needs to be chosen according to the dog’s skin type.
Just like humans, dogs also need a conditioner to improve their hair quality and make it shiny and lustrous in nature. The most common ingredients in these shampoos are oatmeal, aloe vera, and tea tree oil.
Shampoos are generally classified into two types- spray or standard. Spray shampoos need to be left on the coat and standard shampoos act like human shampoos. Medicated shampoos are also available that treat a variety of diseases and their symptoms.
What is a Tearless Dog Shampoo?
Tearless shampoos are a special type of shampoo. They are made in such a way that when they come in contact with the dog’s eyes they do not cause a burning sensation.
They have a number of special chemicals in them. Some of them may be carcinogenic, so be aware of them. This is very similar to tearless shampoos used for humans.
These shampoos are generally prescribed to puppies since they are more sensitive to the burning sensation. Please note that if the tearless dog shampoo gets into a human eye, it will burn.
Note that any pet formulation that has a certain kind of effect on a certain pet does not guarantee the same effect on different pets or on you. So do not interchange products between pets and yourself.
Benefits of Tearless Dog Shampoo
Tearless shampoos have been designed for the benefit of puppies and sensitive dogs. Let us look at the key advantages that a tearless shampoo provides.
- It does not irritate the eye
- It does not make dogs tear up during their bath
- It is ideal for puppies since their eyes are very sensitive
- Dogs who are otherwise sensitive also find this shampoo very soothing
- Makes bathing a pleasurable experience for dogs, instead of the fear of getting stung by shampoo
Limitations of Tearless Dog Shampoos
Tearless shampoos tackle a big problem in dog shampoos- irritating the eye. But they too have a few drawbacks.
- Some of the compounds used for making the shampoo tearless may cause cancer
- Tearless shampoos may use chemicals that some breeds of dogs are allergic to.
Popular Tearless dog shampoos
We surveyed the market to find out the most popular products in the line of tearless dog shampoos. Let us look at these products in more detail.
1. Vet’s Best Hypoallergenic Shampoo with Aloe Vera
This is another tearless shampoo that is gentle on your dog. The soap-free formula is specially designed to suit dogs that are sensitive. In fact, this shampoo is perfect for puppies since they are highly sensitive.
The key ingredient of this shampoo is aloe vera which soothes the skin. When you use this shampoo regularly you will have a pet that has soft, shiny and healthy fur.
2. Crazy Dog Baby Dog Shampoo
This shampoo is specially made for baby dogs. It is gentle and soothing. It has a long-lasting scent that will keep your puppy fresh and clean smelling for a long time.
The shampoo effectively adds shine, lustre, and softness to your dog’s skin and fur. It is a standard shampoo so it needs to be applied, lathered, and rinsed off for best results.
The shampoo is tearless since it is designed for puppies.
3. Hartz Groomer’s Best Puppy Shampoo
Produced by Hartz, this is a special formula that is tearless. The shampoo guarantees to be extra gentle on your dog and especially its eyes.
It gives your dog a gentle jasmine flavour that will fight the malodours that may be arising from your dog. The shampoo effectively conditions and cleans the fur and makes it shiny and lustrous.
It is compatible with all dogs so you need not worry if it is perfect for your pet or not.
4. Bio-Groom Waterless Cats and Dog Bath Shampoo
This is waterless bath shampoo so it needs to spray onto the dog’s fur to make it clean. The shampoo balances pH which maintains lustre and shine of the fur.
It can be used both on dogs and cats so pet owners who have both cats and dogs are not inconvenienced. This, of course, is a tearless shampoo so it does not sting the dog’s eye.
This makes shampooing a comfortable experience for dogs. You do not need to rinse at all so you can complete the bathing process without using water at all. It decreases the number of steps required to groom your dog.
5. Pet Head Puppy Fun Tearless Shampoo
This is one of the most common products in the market for tearless shampoos. It is made from emollients that add moisture to your dog coat and skin.
This helps to maintain the oil and pH balance on your dog’s skin. The shampoo also cleans the coat gently, since harsh shampoos do not work well on puppies.
Pet owners should understand that puppies are very sensitive to chemicals, much more than elder dogs so their products need to be specially formulated with gentler ingredients.
The shampoo is wholly free of parabens, propylene glycol, petroleum derivatives, and DEA. It has a peppy and fresh smell of apple and kiwi which elevates the smell of your dog.
This shampoo is tearless too so that your puppy does not get allergies or a burning sensation during bathing.
6. Angel’s Eyes Whitening Shampoo
This is another tearless shampoo that works wonders on dogs. It is primarily a fur whitening shampoo, ideal for light furred dogs. They brighten, lighten and enhance the fur colour of the dogs.
It adds shine and lustre to the coat. There are no harsh bleaching agents on the shampoo which may react with the hair in a wrong manner.
It also smells pleasant so that your dogs end up smelling fresh and clean after the bath. The shampoo also prevents matting and knotting of the fur so that you have no problems in untangling the hair later on. The shampoo easily lathers off and it’s easy to rinse it off too.
There is natural oatmeal in the shampoo in a colloidal form that soothes any portion of the skin that irritates the dog.
7. Magic Coat Puppy Tearless Shampoo
This is also a special shampoo that is designed for puppies. The shampoo gently cleanses the skin and fur of puppies and leaves them soft and fluffy.
The shampoo does not irritate the skins and eyes of the dogs. They are manufactured and marketed by Four Paws, one of the leading producers of pet care products in the market.
Precautions to be taken while buying tearless shampoos
Tearless shampoos are generally prescribed for puppies since they cannot bear the burning sensation from standard dog shampoos.
We always tell pet owners to consult their vet before they buy a shampoo or any other pet care product for their pets.
Let us take a look at a few precautions that you should maintain when you are looking for pet-care products.
- Do not use human products on your dog since their anatomy is completely different from us so their sensitivities are different.
- Consult your vet before choosing shampoos and conditioners for your dog
- Shampoos also contain a number of products that may harm humans, to ensure that you have your gloves on when you are bathing your dog.
- Spray formulations may have alcohol which causes allergies in dogs
- Some compounds in the shampoos may cause an allergic reaction, to ensure that you know what your dog is allergic to.
- Some shampoos contain carcinogenic products that you need to protect yourself and your dog from.
FAQs
Tearless shampoos are often customized separately for puppies and adult dogs. There are certain shampoos that instruct not to use for washing a dog less than 12 weeks old. Most of the tearless shampoos in the market come with a strong odor are too repulsive for your puppy. Moreover, not every breed of dog reacts well to these shampoos; hence, consult your vet before choosing a specific brand.
Despite making the claim of being completely tear-free, tearless shampoos may still cause burning sensations in puppies when exposed to their eyes. You must always be very careful while bathing them. Even though the burning sensation may be mild, repeated washings with shampoo in their eyes may damage their eyesight.
Certain ingredients in normal dog shampoos like colorants, fragrant oils and surfactants may cause irritation to your pet’s eyes. Moreover, when shampoos are a little too acidic for neutralizing your pooch’s pH level, they may also sting their eyes. All chemical shampoos contain the mentioned ingredients; hence, it depends more on the concentration in which these surfactants are present in the shampoos that cause the burning sensation.
The ingredients present in organic shampoos determine whether or not it is going to be tear free. The presence of fragrant oils may cause irritation if your dog has sensitive eyes. However, it is safe to say that they are far safer for your dog’s eyes than the chemically formulated shampoos.
In case you have accidentally got shampoo in your dog’s eyes, keep a saline solution ready, which should help with the burning sensation for a while. If you notice a runny eye or inability to open one eye, take your dog to the vet immediately. Other two more serious eye conditions are red eyes and cloudy eyes, which also demand immediate doctor checkup.
There are several cruelty-free tearless shampoos for dogs available in the market. Earthbath All-Natural shampoo is one of the most popular cruelty-free shampoo dogs that cause no eye irritation or burning sensations in dogs. These shampoos choose mild ingredients suitable for dogs with sensitive skin and for puppies.
Besides human shampoo being too acidic for your dog’s skin, the fragrances used in the shampoos are designed for our sense of smell. Certain dogs may be tempted to ingest them due to the overpowering smells. Due to the presence of heavy perfumes and acidic compounds, dogs with sensitive eyes shall experience terrible burning sensations should their eyes be exposed to such shampoos.
Summary
We always recommend that a dog owner should consult their vet before buying shampoo or any other pet grooming product.
Tearless shampoos are generally prescribed to puppies since they are very sensitive to chemicals in the shampoos used for older dogs.
They need a formula that is gentle on their skin and does not irritate their eyes.
Here is the list of our top picks of tearless dog shampoos again for you. Check out specs, reviews, pricing and offers on Amazon –
- Vet’s Best Hypoallergenic Shampoo with Aloe Vera
- Hartz Groomer’s Best Puppy Shampoo
- Crazy Dog Baby Dog Shampoo
- Pet Head Puppy Fun Tearless Shampoo
- Bio-Groom Waterless Cats and Dog Bath Shampoo
- Angel’s Eyes Whitening Shampoo
- Magic Coat Puppy Tearless Shampoo
Last update on 2024-10-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API