Dog fur can become a mess of tangles, especially for long- or curly-haired breeds or those canine companions who play outside. Many commercial detanglers are an expensive cocktail of chemicals, so a homemade recipe of natural ingredients is an easy and inexpensive substitute, with the added benefit of deterring fleas.
Step 1
Add 2 cups water to the pan and place it on the stove. Bring it to a boil.
Step 2
Remove the pan from the heat and mix in either 1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary, or 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary. Cover the pan with a lid and allow the liquid to cool.
Step 3
Strain the liquid into a clean dish and discard the rosemary leaves.
Step 4
Pour 1 cup of the rosemary rinse into the spray bottle. Add 3 drops of glycerin -- which you can purchase at a drugstore -- and 1 teaspoon of aloe vera gel. Put the lid back on the spray bottle and shake the bottle a few times to mix the ingredients.
Step 5
Spray the homemade detangler on your dog's fur after bathing. Shake the bottle several times during application to keep the ingredients mixed.
Step 6
Massage the detangler onto your dog's fur and leave it in; comb out his fur with a dog comb while it is wet, but do not rinse out the detangler.
Warnings
Throw away any leftover detangling spray; it will not keep for the next use, as it has no preservatives.
Tips
Aloe vera gel is completely non-toxic to pets if licked off; however, ingesting the aloe vera plant can be toxic to dogs. Toxins are removed during the processing of the gel or extract.
A simpler method of making homemade detangler is simply to make a 50-50 mix of dog conditioner and water in a spray bottle; spray it on your dog's fur, comb out his tangles and leave the mixture on without rinsing.
Items You Will Need
- Pan with lid
- 2 cups water
- Rosemary, fresh or dried
- Strainer
- Glycerin
- Aloe vera gel
Resources
Tips
- Aloe vera gel is completely non-toxic to pets if licked off; however, ingesting the aloe vera plant can be toxic to dogs. Toxins are removed during the processing of the gel or extract.
- A simpler method of making homemade detangler is simply to make a 50-50 mix of dog conditioner and water in a spray bottle; spray it on your dog's fur, comb out his tangles and leave the mixture on without rinsing.
Warnings
- Throw away any leftover detangling spray; it will not keep for the next use, as it has no preservatives.
Writer Bio
Lori Lapierre holds a Bachelor of Arts and Science in public relations/communications. For 17 years, she worked for a Fortune 500 company before purchasing a business and starting a family. She is a regular freelancer for "Living Light News," an award-winning national publication. Her past writing experience includes school news reporting, church drama, in-house business articles and a self-published mystery, "Duty Free Murder."