Fur-got Why Natural Is Best?

As with us humans, pets only get one skin, which is why we need to help them take care and protect it as best they can. While some products may help your dog to smell and look clean, they can also be causing irritation to their skin causing a range of skin conditions including dermatitis, allergies and itching. No thanks!

For this reason, we only use natural ingredients that we know are safe for the coat, skin and tummy if ingested. Because if you could lick 80% of your body, you would like to have totally lickable ingredients too, right?

Ingredients on the bark side

Ingredient lists are one of those things that seem super simple and straight forward, but end up being way too confusing and overwhelming! Have you ever begun reading the ingredients list while you're instore but just given up? We can totally relate, and for clever marketers, you've likely still put that product in your shopping basket. If you can learn more about different ingredients, you're way better equipped to make better purchasing decisions for your pet (and yourself!).

We avoid the following ingredients: and for good reason.
Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS); a common detergent used in almost all wash products. While it’s ideal to make a product foamy, this ingredient has an extensive history of causing irritation and dryness.

Added dyes and colourants are linked to serious health problems. No thanks!

Added fragrances and perfumes are derived from synthetic chemicals and artificial fragrances are linked to allergies, it's best to avoid ingredients that can trigger allergies, right?

Parabens; an inexpensive and popular preservative. We don't usually recommend this, but just google parabens to see why we steer clear of them. Especially when natural preservatives are just as effective.

Silicone; Silicone works by creating a synthetic coating leaving fur with that lovely silky feeling. Although slippery, the fur is definitely not moisturised. Silicone can coat the skin and fur over time and lead to product build up and irritation.

A round of ap-paws for these paw-some alternatives

Now, you must be chasing your tail wondering what ingredients are actually good for your pets. It’s one thing for product packaging to have a long list of ingredients they don’t use, but they must be able to back it up with healthy alternatives. We give the following ingredients the Dr Zoo tick of approval.

Coconut and glucose-based cleansers: Instead of just using one synthetic detergent, the Dr Zoo dog shampoo uses a combination of six natural coconut and glucose based cleansers, making it ultra gentle. If you are a fan of the MooGoo Milk Wash, some of these cleansers may be familiar to you – after all, your pet deserves only the best!

Aloe Vera is so widely used for it’s many health benefits, you may even be sick of hearing about it. We certainly aren’t, the Dr Zoo pack can’t get enough of it! In terms of skin health, Aloe Vera is a great ingredient for its healing and soothing properties.

Colloidal Rice Bran for itchy pets. Pets get itchy and need relief, Colloidal Oatmeal is popular for itch relief, although allergies to oatmeal can be quite common. To keep our range inclusive for those with even the most sensitive skin, we like to use Colloidal Rice Bran for its calming effects on sensitive skin.

Jojoba Oil is one of our favourite oils (well, technically liquid wax.) Its ability to condition the fur is second to none. Forget silicone-based ingredients, Jojoba Oil keeps fur soft, smooth and easily sinks into the skin. You’ll find Jojoba Oil in a number of Dr Zoo products for itchy dog relief!

Piroctone Olamine is an organic compound with non-irritating, anti-yeast properties. We use Piroctone Olamine in almost all Dr Zoo products to keep them free from bacteria and mould.

We’re sure you can now appreciate the importance of knowing and understanding the ingredients in pet care products, although they’re not going to make it easy for you! It may come to a surprise to you that brands are not required to list ingredients on pet product packaging. Why don’t brands list their ingredients? Because you’d likely be horrified! Did you know, dog toothpastes and mouthwashes are commonly full of sugar? Which completely misses the point.

We are firm believers in full transparency and proudly list all ingredients used in all Dr Zoo products. This means you can take control and research the ingredients yourself to understand more about them. Next time you go to the pet store, take a look at the back of the bottle and see what ingredients you recognize. Alternatively, shop from the Dr Zoo website for products you trust and their skin will love!