Much has been said and written about "proper" dog grooming. Unfortunately, many sources are either not knowledgeable on the subject, or make wrong assumptions. Below are some common myths we'd like to de-mystify.

Bathing a dog is harmful to his skin.

This is one of the biggest myths. At Isle of Dogs we feel nothing is further from the truth. It is understandable how this myth became received wisdom in some circles. Early coat care products were harsh soaps that were not appropriate for the pH levels of the a dog’s coat: resulting in irritated, itchy skin and distressed coats. Also, bathing a dog can be difficult the proper equipment is not available or the dog has not been in the habit of bathing. Both scenarios prevent a quality rinsing job. If soap or even good quality shampoo is not properly rinsed out of the coat, it can cause skin irritation which will cause the dog to itch and create flaky skin.

Using products specifically designed for dogs, such as the Isle of Dogs range, together with proper rinsing, will prevent discomfort and indeed enhance the health and appearance of your dog’s skin and coat. Specifically designed coat care products can repair, fix, correct, restructure, reform, change, reconstruct, restore, rebuild, or alter damaged coat.

Your dog's coat hair is dead. You cannot permanently change anything about your dog's existing coat.

You can, however, encourage healthy hair through healthy skin and re-growth – just as people do. It will not work overnight, nor will our conditioning sprays, however using these products over time will encourage new healthy skin and growth. The use of shampoos, conditioners and styling products will work to improve the look of the old, damaged coat, while the skin prepares itself to produce a healthier new coat after shedding.

Silicone is bad for hair.

This just simply isn't true. Silicone is used in all kinds of human hair care products. The FDA does not allow products with any proven harmful effects. That said, our products containing silicone use only the finest ingredients also used in the human hair care industry.

Alcohol should not be in hair care products.

This is another myth with a firm foothold in the grooming arena. Certainly, soaking a dog's coat in alcohol is not recommended. However, alcohol is the only ingredient that can dispense some oils and holding ingredients. Typically this form of propellant quickly evaporates and the useful ingredient is what ends up in the coat.

Your dog's hair can adapt to shampoos, therefore you need to alternate shampoos.

This is a myth built around a grain of truth. It is not that the coat adapts to a shampoo, but rather some shampoos with conditioning agents build up over time. If you try to wash conditioning agents out with another conditioning agent you will indeed get build up. Occasionally, using a clarifying shampoo (such as Royal Jelly,Coarse Coat, or Greasy Coat) is recommended.

Products with a SPF rating will protect hair from sun damage.

There is no reliable or consistent way to keep the necessary protective ingredients attached to the hair shaft. (www.fda.gov) Rinsing, styling and brushing hair removes or degrades sunscreen ingredients so the protection is either nonexistent or short-lived.

Oily dogs should not use a conditioner.

This isn't necessarily true. A dog can have skin that is oily, but still have hair or coat that is dry.

Lots of lather means the hair is getting clean.

False. Actually lather is not related to the cleaning ingredients in shampoo. The ingredients in shampoo-type products that create lather are added for emotional appeal rather than any scientific reason. The lathering ingredients are directly affected by the amount of dirt, debris and oil in the coat. Things like oil deactivate the lathering process.

Baby or tearless shampoos are more gentle than other types of shampoo.

Partially true. The cleansing agents in baby shampoos have less cleaning ability. If they don't wash out the debris in your dogs coat, the remaining residues can cause itching and dryness.

Brushing is good for the coat.

This is a partial myth. Brushing is necessary to keep your dog's coat clean between baths and detangled. However, brushing too hard can roughen the hair cuticle, often exposing its cortex and leaving the hair porous and frayed. If you can hear the brush, you are brushing too hard.

"If a dog will not come to you after having looked you in the face, you should go home and examine your conscience."

-Woodrow Wilson