The Best Shampoo for Cavoodles!

How to Choose a Shampoo for Cavoodles

Now that you’ve seen your options, we have a few tips to share with you to help you make a decision. Your preferences and your dog’s needs will always come into play but we wanted to share some of the details that we consider in choosing the best and some you may want to keep in mind as well. 

Ingredients

The ingredients are an important part of the research. While we don’t necessarily say you MUST look for certain ingredients, we do try to avoid harmful chemicals or things like parabens, sulfates, and fragrances that can cause discomfort to your pet. Also, those additives have no benefits, they’re just fillers and won’t help out your pup in the end. 

It’s a great idea to look for natural ingredients or at least gentle ingredients. Things like oatmeal or aloe tend to be soothing but there are also other ingredients that can be good. 

You should also pay attention to the ingredients just so you can be aware if perhaps your dog has any sensitivities. 

For example, we shared an option with lemongrass oil but there are dogs who are allergic to lemongrass. Always be sure to take a look at the ingredients list so you know if there is something that might cause an issue. 

If you know your dog has an allergy or sensitivity and you’re just not sure what is causing it, you can try different things to narrow down the problem. You can also work with your vet to maybe determine the root cause. 

Scent

We prefer fragrance-free shampoos just because they are less likely to have additives that might cause allergies or sensitivities. On the same note, there are harmless ways to add scents to dog shampoos. 

You can add fresh scents with natural ingredients and some things just put off refreshing odors. Adding something like lavender or lemongrass or some other natural oil could make the scent of the shampoo nice without adding harmful chemicals to it. 

You will also find that many options simply have no fragrance. This is great too but you do want to be mindful of these that they are still made to remove odors because you don’t want your dog to still smell like a stinky dog right after their bath time, right? 

How to Use Shampoo on a Cavoodle

When you’re ready to give your Cavoodle pup a bath there are a few tips to help you have a more successful bath time. First of all, a little bit of shampoo really will go a long way. 

Before you try to give the dog a bath, you need to determine how they will act about the tub and the water. Many dogs hate bath time so you may need to work up to the bath. Before you start bathing your pup, just be sure you have everything you could possibly need within reach as you may be wrestling a dog that doesn’t want a bath! 

Get your dog wet first, using warm water. Be mindful that the water is warm, rather than hot or cold. This is the best temperature for a dog. Having it too hot may be uncomfortable and no dog likes a cold bath either. 

Lather up your pup, following the instruction on your dog shampoo for amounts and the lathering process. You may have to do some scrubbing, just like when you wash your own hair. You want to be sure you work the shampoo clear to the skin. 

Once you’ve got him or her shampooed, you can rinse them off. Again, be mindful of the water. You will want to try to prevent soap from getting in their eyes while you rinse. Some soaps are tear-free but it’s still best not to get it in their eyes. 

Always be sure to rinse your dog thoroughly. It’s better to rinse them too long than not get all of the shampoo rinsed. You can follow up with conditioner if you need to and there are even leave-in conditioner options you might use. 

When you’re all done, either blow dry or do your best to towel dry your Cavoodle before letting them escape from the tub area. 

How Often Should You Bathe a Cavoodle? 

It really depends. You don’t want to bathe them too often as they are prone to sensitive skin issues. Excessive bathing dries out their skin and leaves them irritated and itchy. It’s not just the shampoo even, it’s the water too. 

We recommend bathing approximately every 3-6 weeks. However, when specific skin issues are present or they’ve gotten really dirty, a more frequent bathing can occur as well. Just be mindful that you are not bathing your dog too often as this generally will lead to skin issues and make them uncomfortable. 

If your dog picks up an odor between bath times, there are some things you can do to try to extend to the next bath time. Wipes, washcloths, and even cleansing sprays can go a long way here. Just remember to choose your products wisely so you don’t get something that will cause more irritation. 

How Can I Tackle Pet Odor? 

Obviously, bathing is the best way to tackle odors but if it’s only been a week since the last bath and you’re not ready to bathe them again just yet, there are some other approaches you can try. 

One thing you should know is that Cavoodles may just not always smell wonderful, particularly if they have any type of skin sensitivity. However, if you’re trying to keep them fresh in between baths, you still have options. 

They make dry shampoos, spray cleaners, and even cleansing wipes for animals. You can try any of these. You also might be able to try a spray-in conditioner to help with odors. Other simple maintenance things like cleaning ears and teeth might also help reduce odors in between baths.