Natural Dog Shampoo Reviews

USDA Certified Organic Dog Shampoo with Peppermint and Tea Tree Oil by 4-Legger

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored review. However, I will always offer my readers an unbiased and honest account of my experiences. Your trust is very appreciated, and never taken for granted. ~Tonya, Dexter and Nutter

As you may recall, Dexter and I are reviewing 4-Legger’s new USDA Certified Organic Dog Shampoo with Organic Aloe line. Just a quick recap for those new to my natural pet care blog. I’m an adamant label reader when choosing pet products for both Dexter the Dog and Nutter the Cat. Every ingredient inside their pet products counts. Not just what’s excluded from a product, but what’s INCLUDED in the product.

4-Legger has been my go-to natural dog shampoo since 2016. I don’t recall how I first met the gals behind 4-Legger, but I was hooked as soon as I read a few of their organic dog shampoo ingredient panels. The ingredients inside their lines are synthetic-free, clean, simple, and beneficial. When they reached out to me to test and review their new certified organic dog shampoo with aloe juice, I was all in.

In 4-Legger’s organic dog shampoo with aloe juice, they have eliminated the water portion of the natural dog shampoo and replaced it with organic aloe juice. By making this switch, the shampoo offers more moisturizing and hydration benefits. Aloe vera is a natural healer helping relieve dry, flaky, and itchy skin.

They didn’t stop there. To aid in skin and itch relief, shea butter, sunflower oil, coconut oil, and olive oil are included in the ingredients. This combination makes your dog’s coat silky smooth. For this review, I used 4-Legger’s Cooling (Peppermint and Tea Tree Oil) formula.

USDA Certified Organic Dog Shampoo with Peppermint and Tea Tree Oil Ingredients: Organic aloe juice, organic saponified oils (coconut, shea butter, olive, sunflower, & jojoba), organic vegetable glycerin, organic peppermint essential oil, organic tea tree oil, organic eucalyptus essential oil, organic rosemary extract

One of the reasons I chose the peppermint-and-tea-tree oil blend next is because both peppermint and tea tree oil can be used to help deter fleas and ticks! I don’t use topical or oral tick prevention that includes harmful ingredients like pesticides. Instead, I use a variety of natural treatments and remedies to keep Dexter tick-and-flea free. By including a natural flea and tick shampoo, I’m adding a safe layer to Dexter’s regimen.

I also added this formula to Dexter’s Natural DIY dog wipes. Yet one more layer to him being pest-free. You can read how to make your own dog foot wipe in this article.

4-Legger’s concentrated tea-tree-and-peppermint dog shampoo offers many other benefits besides being a good choice to deter fleas and ticks. These essential oils are antifungal, making this a great choice for those dogs who are yeasty or have “Cheeto-smelling feet.” It’s a great alternative to medicated dog shampoo which typically contains harsh and toxic chemicals.

I wanted to address the organic tea tree oil in this dog shampoo. A poor quality tea tree oil or if used in high amounts can be toxic to pets. I will be the first to admit, I find determining the quality and safety of essential oils for pets very confusing. I’m a person who always errs on the side of caution, so I reached out to Angela, the science guru at 4-Legger to inquire about the tea tree oil used in their products. I’ve bent Angela’s ear more than once about essential oils. She’s my go-to gal! I’m going to quote her so you can get the full story on their quality oils.

“There are vast differences in quality of tea tree oils. The quality of the tea tree is, in general, based on the actual concentrations of Terpinen-4-ol (which has the anti-microbial properties) and 1,8-Cineole (a natural organic compound better known as eucalyptol, the main ingredient in eucalyptus oil). Better quality tea tree oils contain higher concentration levels of Terpinen-4-ol and lower levels of 1,8-Cineole. The high-quality standard is between 30-40% for Terpinen-4-ol and less than 7% for 1,8-Cineole and then diluted properly in the shampoo (more about that below).

Because our peppermint-and-tea-tree shampoo is USDA organic, ALL of the ingredients are USDA certified organic – from seed, growth, harvest, shipping, manufacturing, etc. are all done in compliance with the USDA regulations. This means there is zero opportunity for contamination of the ingredients and third-party validation when you see ‘Organic Peppermint essential oil’ on the label, you have 100% trust what is on the bottle is in the bottle! Beyond our commitment to pet parents, it is our commitment to the environment by using Non-GMO plants, no pesticides, and no herbicides. it is totally worth paying more for ingredients that are responsibly sourced, better quality, and better for the environment.

Diluted properly, tea tree oil is VERY beneficial. The studies that classified tea tree oil as toxic were using full strength tea tree oil. Just like with essential oils, if you use full strength topically, it can cause reactions. Recommended dilution of tea tree oil is 0.1 – 1% for topical application. Our tree oil is both diluted properly and the highest quality.

I’d not recommend this blend for cats. It would be very unlikely they would have a reaction, but typically cats don’t like the smell of tea tree oil or peppermint.”

After hearing Angela explain 4-Legger’s quality control, I felt confident with their use of tea tree oil.

The peppermint essential oil also helps fight bacterial infections, is anti-inflammatory and cooling. Peppermint also helps fight canine seborrhea (dandruff and greasiness of the skin and hair). Eucalyptus provides natural relief from bacteria, fungus, and inflammation, making this threesome a great combination for the itchy, flaky, yeasty, and stinky dog!

If you are looking for the best-smelling dog shampoo, this is right up there. As always, people’s scenting preferences are different, but if sweet peppermint is your thing, you’ll love the smell! And don’t worry, it’s not too strong, no burning of your eyes while bathing your dog.

Dexter is always a trouper for his dog bath. Can’t say he likes it, but he’s always such a tolerant and good boy. After scrubbing Dexter from head to tail, I thoroughly rinsed all the shampoo from his body and allowed him to fully air dry. Just a little reminder for those new to chemical-free dog shampoos. It’s important to rinse thoroughly, more than you might think.

Once I brushed him, I was amazed at how white his whites were and red his reds. I’ve always been happy with the way 4-Legger performs, but it still amazes me how white Dexter is after his baths without a chemical-whiting shampoo.

If you are looking for a natural and organic dog shampoo without any hidden ingredients, I can highly recommend checking out 4-Legger’s dog shampoo lines. They truly care about dogs and make small batches to ensure the highest quality. Order today with promo code RaiseNaturally20 for 20% off your first order. 

Head on over and don’t forget your 20% discount on your first order.

Does your dog enjoy his scrub-a-dub? Tell me in the comments.

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