How To Make Your Own Dog Paw and Nose Balms at Home
If you notice that your dog’s nose and paws have been a little rougher lately, you’re not alone! As the weather gets warmer, your pup’s sensitive skin may start to dry out. And while there are plenty of manufacturers that make healing balms, you want to be sure you know exactly what’s going on your dog’s skin. Some sellers use less than the best materials. So if you want to be 100 percent sure of what you’re putting on your pup, here’s how to make your own dog paw and nose balms at home
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What You’ll Need
Luckily, making your dog their own balms is very inexpensive in comparison to how much you’ll be able to make and how long it will last. You’ll need:
- Unbleached Beeswax
- Shea Butter
- Olive Oil
- Coconut Oil
- Vitamin E
- Candle Tins
You don’t have to buy pure, extra virgin olive oil, but you certainly can. However, you need to make sure that your beeswax is unbleached. If it doesn’t say on the packaging, you can identify unbleached beeswax by its deep golden yellow color. This recipe yields a lot, so you can either buy one large candle tin or five small ones that hold about four oz each. In addition, make sure that your candle tins are clean before pouring in the mixture.
Related: Tips For Traveling With Pets
The Basics
First, you want to take 1/2 cup of olive oil and 1/4 cup of coconut oil and melt them together, mixing well to make sure they’re combined. Next, drop about 2 tablespoons of Vitamin E oil into the mixture.
Then, melt 1/2 cup of beeswax and 1/3 cup of shea butter on low heat over a double boiler to make sure they don’t burn. Once your beeswax and shea butter mixture has melted, slowly add the coconut and olive oil mixture and combine well.
How To Store
Quickly pour the mixture into the tins before it has time to set. The smaller the tin, the more quickly it will harden. It should take about two to four hours to completely harden. However, you may have to wait up to eight hours, depending on how large your tin is.
Now, it’s important to note that salves and balms are very different. So if you need to really work it between your fingers to get a good amount, that’s perfectly normal and a good indication you’ve done a good job making it. You don’t have to store this in the fridge, as it does well at room temperatures, but you can leave it in the refrigerator if you want the extras to last for years to come. Just know that the fridge will make the balm harder, and you’ll need to really work it between your fingers.
Just remember, your pup doesn’t need lavender or other scented oils on their skin, especially on the nose. These fragrances, though great for humans and marketed for dogs, can affect a dog’s olfactory system for the worse. Now that you know how to make your own dog paw and nose balms at home, you can be sure that you’re giving your pup the most organic relief available.
