4-Legger's Promise

Our Promise: Products You Feel Good About Using on Your Best Friend

Many manufacturers would say that toxins in dog shampoo don't matter or the small amount of a toxin in an ingredient are "so low that they pose no threat". Meanwhile, the cases of cancer, hormone disruption and other diseases in our dogs continues to rise.

Believe what you want. Having lost a dog to cancer, we think ANY amount of these synthetic chemicals being exposed to our dogs when there are viable, safe, and effective alternatives is too much.

We can't change the fact that the dog grooming industry is not regulated and manufacturers can say a product is all natural, pure, safe and non-toxic, or organic. What we can do is change the grooming industry by making it safer, one healthy bath at a time.

Why is Certified Organic Products Important to 4-Legger?

Certified organic dog grooming products go through a much higher level of scrutiny. We developed the world's first aloe based USDA Organic Dog Shampoo because we wanted pet parents to see the USDA seal and know without question our products were truly all natural, safe and non-toxic. 

Our ingredients are carefully selected for sustainability, and ethical harvesting/growing practices. Our ingredients are reviewed throughout their lifecycle - from where and how they are grown, harvested, processed, transported, packaged, and shipped. All of our products are made in the USA in small batches to ensure quality. 

Certified organic dog grooming products also verify that there are no GMO ingredients, no pesticides, herbicides, artificial colors, or artificial fragrance. Only truly natural ingredients go in the bottle and of course on your dog!

Learn more about ingredients, in our blog and subscribe to our newsletter to get the blog delivered to your inbox!

Facts About Canine Cancer

We Lost A Dog To Cancer From Environmental Toxins

Having lost a dog to cancer from environmental toxins and learning that we could have taken simple steps to prevent him from dying so young, we knew we had to make a difference.

With 95% of canine cancers attributed to environmental toxins it is clear pet parents must reduce their fur family's exposure to toxins. Removing toxic ingredients from your dog's bath is a simple change you can take to reduce their exposure to toxic ingredients that result in endocrine disruption, organ system toxicity, and cancer.

Everything from the food your pet eats, sun exposure, flea and tick treatments, over-vaccination and of course the products that you use on their bodies can contribute to their toxin exposure.

A Few Facts about your Dog's Skin and Coat

• The Largest Organ In Their Body Must Be Protected - Your dog's skin is more sensitive and there is less epidermis to protect your dog's organs from environmental toxins (including toxic ingredients). Your dog's skin (the largest organ in your dog's body) is not as thick as yours. A dog's epidermis is 3-5 cells thick. A human's epidermis is at least 10-15 cells thick.

• What the Skin & Hair Does - The main functions of the hair and coat are to protect the skin and to help regulate temperature.

• Natural Oils Protect The Skin - Sebaceous (oil) glands within the skin lubricate the hair, keeping the coat shiny and water resistant. It is important to not block these glands with ingredients in your dog's shampoo.

• Human Shampoo Is Not Safe For Dogs - The pH of your dog's skin is 7.4 - 7.5 (more basic) while yours is 4.8 - 5.5 (more acidic). A shampoo that feels great on your skin may not feel very good on your dog's skin.

• Naturally Healthy Skin and Coat - The growth of your dog's coat and its health is controlled by several factors including nutrition, grooming products, hormones, and time of year.

• Bottom Line - The ingredients in the products that you use on your dog are as important as the hair and skin serve as the first barrier to keep your dog safe. If you allow environmental toxins to disrupt that barrier, you risk exposing your dog to everything from ingredients that cause itchy skin, hormone disruption cancer and more. Using a safe and non-toxic grooming product for your dog is an easy step you can take to lower their exposure to environmental toxins.

Ingredients in Dog Shampoo

The first thing we did when we knew we were going to make dog shampoo was to take a hard took at all of the greenwashed products on the market. From there, we developed a list of ingredients that we would never use in any of our products.

Here is the list of ingredient we made in 2014 that we vowed would never be in any of our products:

Artificial Colors

• What To Look For On The Label: D&C, FD&C, Yellow 5, etc.
• Why We Don't Want it In Our Products: Artificial colors have been associated with many forms of cancer.

Ethanolamines including Cocamide DEA, MEA, or TEA

• What To Look For On The Label: Cocamide DEA, Cocamide MEA, DEA, TEA
• Why We Don't Want it In Our Products: A foam producer that started as a coconut and has been chemically altered into a moderate cancer causer, hormone and thyroid disruptor and an organ toxin due to contamination issues in manufacturing.

Cocamidopropyl betaine

• What To Look For On The Label: Cocamidopropyl betaine or Cocomide betaine
• Why We Don't Want it In Our Products: A synthetic surfactant associated with irritation & allergic contact dermatitis. Reactions could be due to the ingredient itself or impurities. Nitrosamines (a common contaminant) are known to cause cancer.

Dimethicone

• What To Look For On The Label: Dimethicone, Dimethyl silicone (and other names)
• Why We Don't Want it In Our Products: Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive).

Tetrasodium EDTA

• What To Look For On The Label: Tetrasodium EDTA or EDTA
• Why We Don't Want it In Our Products: Used as a preservative - organ system toxicity (non-reproductive). Increases the ability of other chemicals penetrating skin. 

Formaldehyde

• What To Look For On The Label: DMDM Hydantoin, Doazolidinyl urea, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Quaternium-15
• Why We Don't Want it In Our Products: Formaldehyde is a known cancer causing agent. While slow releasing versions do release formaldehyde more slowly - they are still releasing formaldehyde! 

Artificial Fragrance

• What To Look For On The Label: Fragrance
• Why We Don't Want it In Our Products: Your dog's sense of smell is 50 times more sensitive than yours. Artificial fragrances can lead to compromised immune function, allergic reactions,  neurotoxicity, and cancer.

Isopropyl alcohol

• What To Look For On The Label: SD-40, isopropyl alcohol, rubbing alcohol, isopropanol, 2-propanol, and propyl
• Why We Don't Want it In Our Products: - Destroys the skins moisture balance & causes irritation. Makes susceptible to bacterial & viral infections. Nerve toxin, lung & heart irritant, and liver toxin.

Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone

• What To Look For On The Label: MCI, Isothiazolone, 5-chloro-2-methyl, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone
• Why We Don't Want it In Our Products: A preservative and an anti-fungal. It has been associated with organ poisoning and is a known carcinogen. Causes skin irritants that have been associated with significant allergic reactions. There is strong evidence that methylisothiazolinone is also a neurotoxin.

Methylparaben & Parabens

• What To Look For On The Label: Words ending in "-abens"
• Why We Don't Want it In Our Products: Preservatives that are known endocrine disrupters. Elevated estrogens can cause cancers of the uterus, bladder, and breast.

Mineral Oil

• What To Look For On The Label: Mineral oil
• Why We Don't Want it In Our Products: A byproduct of distilled gasoline - made from crude oil - it coats the skin and inhibits its ability to release natural oils or eliminate toxins.

Phthalates

• What To Look For On The Label: Phthalate
• Why We Don't Want it In Our Products: Help bond fragrance to the soap (surfactant) base. Known male and female hormone disrupters, linked to birth defects, asthma, neuro-developmental problems in newborns, fertility issues, & obesity. Banned from children's toys.

Polyethylene glycol

• What To Look For On The Label: PEG, polyethylene glycol
• Why We Don't Want it In Our Products: A known cancer causer. Here are a few of this chemical’s side effects; malabsorption of nutrients in the intestine, stomach disorders, iron deficiency, loss of memory, and immune dysfunction.

Polysorbates

• What To Look For On The Label: Polysorbate-20, Polysorbate-80
• Why We Don't Want it In Our Products: Bind oil with water and dissolve fragrances into a solution. Commonly contaminated with the cancer causing 1,4-dioxane.

Propylene Glycol

• What To Look For On The Label: Propylene glycol
• Why We Don't Want it In Our Products: Used as a humectant (moisture retention). Strong skin irritant and liver/kidney toxin. Break down healthy hair proteins, irritates sensitive skin and eyes.

The "Sulfates"

• What To Look For On The Label: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Ammonium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Coco Sulfate, TEA, Lauryl Sulfate, MEA
• Why We Don't Want it In Our Products: Known to cause skin irritations (redness and itching) which can result in infections. May be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane - a known cancer causer & immunosuppressant.