Why Strong Fragrances Are NOT Good for Dogs

Artificial fragrances are not good for dogs, and neither are they good for you. We aren’t talking about natural essential oils, which are a part of many of our pawsome products, we are talking about artificial fragrance chemicals that can harm the user (and the dog) in more ways than one.

What makes them dangerous?

Artificial fragrances are made with crude oil extracts, and that’s a pretty toxic substance. It also makes them cheaper than natural oils, which is why manufacturers use them at all. Every artificially produced fragrance contains a zillion chemicals – that can’t be good for your dog’s grooming. In fact, they’re a slow poison, So, while you want your doggy to smell good, artificial fragrance can be a cosmetic that is actually doing more long-term harm than good.

How do Manufacturers Get Away with it?

This goes not just for dog shampoos but probably all products on the market that may have harmful ingredients. While the law demands that a manufacturer identify all the product ingredients on the label, manufacturers have found a way around it – they put it down in fine print with difficult-to-understand instructions and warnings. Dog shampoos are no exception.

That doesn’t mean there’s no way you can find out if there are harmful ingredients in a pet product. Just look for the 100% natural ingredients on the label or website description, and that should keep your furry friend free from skin irritations and other nasty stuff.

Why do Dogs HATE Certain smells?

Whether certain fragrances are poisonous or not – we all know that dogs have a sense of smell way better than other animals – and definitely better than humans. That’s exactly why police and army use dogs for various jobs; drug detection and smell-tracing to find victims of earthquake calamities, etc.

So, it is not hard to understand that your dog’s nose is much more sensitive than our own. Even ‘safe’ and pleasant fragrances such as sandalwood that are natural extracts – while they are soothing to you, they might be quite the irritation to your pooch!

The ‘Good’ Fragrances

You still want your dog odour-free, and happy, right? So, what are the fragrances that can keep him smelling pawsome without damaging his health? Here are some of the smells dogs love (some may surprise you). We’ve added not just the soap and shampoo ingredients, but fragrances that can keep your pet happy and calm:

1. Vanilla – We don’t really know why, but many dogs seem to become calmer with the smell of vanilla. Rescue dogs have been known to become much quieter when exposed to vanilla fragrances.
2. Coconut – This one’s a win-win for both you and your dog. Coconut fragrance has been known to have the same calming effect on dogs, as does vanilla. And what’s more, it’s good for you too. So next time you’re oiling your hair, don’t wonder why your dog’s got that grin on his face! He’s loving the fragrances coming out of your hands and hair, and probably wondering why you don’t do this more often!
3. Lavender – It is advisable to coat your pup’s toys with lavender fragrance when you’re training him not to chew on your furniture. Puppies find lavender fragrance irresistible, and we don’t blame them!

Some fragrances that our four-legged friends seem to enjoy that a human may find disgusting. These include rabbits and dead things, so we aren’t going to disgust you with that information.

Lastly, Dogs can identify and love one fragrance more than anything else – YOU! So go ahead with those cuddles to keep your dog calm and happy.