I've tried chagrin valley soap and craft before, and blogged about it. I think their products are quality but am generally not in love for several reason: oftentimes what i'd like to buy is out of stock/curing, i'm just not jumping on the shampoo bar bandwagon, and their soaps don't pack as much punch as i'd like. (Natural soap warehouse really scents their soaps well though- if you're looking for a good one).
While I may not be a diehard soap addict and customer of CV, I do swear by their dog products.
A background: I have a dog with sensitive skin. Fleas...have been an issue in the past. Like people with sensitivies, my dog gets a full on rash from a flea bite and will scratch it. Frontline plus has never kept fleas OR ticks off of my dog, so we don't use it. I DO use Sentinel which is an oral heartworm preventive that includes an ingredient that keeps fleas from reproducing after biting (so if your dog gets one flea and brings it in the house, it doesn't become thousands- been there, done that, highly recommend powdered bleach if you're ever so unfortunate). I touch/pet/rub my dog a lot and her fur is light in color so she gets checked a lot and in the summer i make sure to check between her toes too. I don't believe in flea shampoo- my dog has experienced side effects from topical flea preventive products on numerous occasions, i have experienced side effects from applying them to her and holding her, and frankly- they reek of chemical and are harsh on her skin. I have accidentally kissed my dog and come away with my lips burning- if it can do that, i don't trust it on my dog.
Shampooch and Paw Salve: Chagrin Valley makes a limited range of products for dogs as well as listing helpful grooming tips in their dog section. They make a flea repellant shampoo bar (with cedar oil) and a skin healing shampoo bar. I buy and use both. I first bought them 1-2 years ago when my dog was suffering from some severe flea bouts beyond our control (not in our home- after 1 or 2 flea infestations in college, i mastered the art of nipping those in the bud- when she gets fleas, so do i) my poor lil furbaby was scratched, rashed, and missing quite a bit of fur. I wanted something natural and healing for her skin and chagrin valley was it. At the time she also really hated baths, but responded really well to the shampoo bars which aren't as sudsy or irritating, smell better than most dog shampoos, are gentler on their skin, and require lathering which means extra rub down for the dog. In combination with another brand's salve, her skin healed right up.Now, in the summertime, i use the repellant one and while it can wear off, it doesn't harsh her skin and she doesn't get flea infestations. I use their paw salve on her feet and am so glad that it's lickable and i don't have to worry. I buy the sample sizes of shampoo bars when i need them because i've lost a few of the bigger bars due to moisture degradation. In theory, it costs more in the long run, but i prefer it. I don't feel any residues on her fur (but if you do, they recommend an apple cider vinegar rinse like with human hair) and she smells nice and clean.
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