July's Wildlife Creation inspired by painted dog pups frolicking in the sun

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On seeing the adults near the den, the puppies run to meet them. This month, our creative Trustee, Louise, has been inspired by our work with African painted dogs. A dog lover and owner of two bouncy boxers, Tiger and Rex (pictured below), she has a vested interested in the plight of their wild relatives and giving hers a bath occasionally. Boxers can be prone to allergies so having a shampoo for her dogs that is gentle on their skin is ideal.

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The African painted dog is in real danger of extinction. An iconic hunter, there are only 3,000 left, making it one of the rarest species in Africa. Thanks to ongoing conflict with man, infectious disease and the destruction of habitat, the painted dog has already disappeared from much of its original territory. Today small numbers can still be found in Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Botswana and South Africa, but the clock is ticking.  

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Painted Dog Shampoo (For Dogs!)

If you have a dog who needs a bath, making a shampoo for him/her that is delicate on their skin could not be simpler!

You will need:

• Mild, transparent, 
• Organic ECO washing up liquid. (It MUST be free from dyes & fragrance)
• 1 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2oz Glycerin
• Essential Oils for Dogs. (see: http://www.natural-dog-healthremedies.com/essential-oils-for-dogs.html)
• Jar or container with a lid

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Method

1. Add 1 cup of Eco organic washing up liquid to a jar or container.
2. And add 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar (apple cider vinegar is less harsh then white vinegar and helps to clean and hopefully acts as a natural flea repellent.) 
3. Add 2 cups of water to the mixture. 
4. Now add 2oz of glycerin to your mixture. 
5. OPTIONAL – add 1-2 drops essential oils for extra moisturising. Please check from the link above that the oil is suitable for dogs, some are not!)  For a pdf of this recipe, please download it here and see the Mauritius project page here.