My Life's Dogs product line

First product: Calming Bar

Elsan Ekopaja's first dog shampoo was developed to meet the needs of our beloved angel dog, Hessu. Hessu was an American Cocker Spaniel, and his coat was long and fast-growing. This breed's coat is maintained and detangled by washing it every few weeks and brushing it straight and tangle-free while blow-drying. The quality of the coat presents its own challenges for the skin underneath. For Hessu, skin problems manifested as severe itching and flaking.

For the first six years of Hessu's life, I tried dozens of different shampoo products, and with each one, his skin reacted differently. Some shampoos vastly worsened the itching, while others caused a bloody rash immediately after washing. It was terrible to see my beloved dog suffer so much from something as essential as washing. His long coat would tangle, especially on his paws and armpits in winter, and detangling without washing felt impossible. Eventually, I resorted to shaving Hessu's coat completely short with clippers every spring, and it would grow back for winter. Flaking and itching persisted on his skin despite the short coat.

I never found a single suitable and effective shampoo for Hessu in six years. The itching was sometimes so severe that I would wake up at night to Hessu scratching.

Almost immediately during Elsan Ekopaja's first months, I decided that I needed to develop a suitable shampoo for my own dog. I succeeded beyond my own expectations. The Calming Bar shampoo bar worked wonderfully; Hessu's skin calmed down, and he started a whole new life.

 

I also noticed another really big thing. I had never washed a dog with a shampoo bar (probably because they weren't on the market), and I was amazed at how easy it was to wash.

Bar or bottle?

Washing with bottled shampoo usually went like this: I diluted the shampoo in a container, wet the dog, tried to hold the dog while attempting to spread the diluted shampoo all over its body. Most often, it only landed on the dog's back, from where it would drip down to its paws. But I couldn't get shampoo into the armpits at all, and often the most tangled and itchy areas were left without soap. Washing was stressful for both the dog and me, and neither of us was enthusiastic about it. Hessu perfected the art of avoiding showers. Even if I had only thought about taking Hessu for a wash, as soon as I got up from the sofa, all I saw of Hessu was the tip of his tail as he slipped under the table to hide.

How to wash a dog with a bar?

So how did washing become easy from the very first bar? I wet Hessu with the shower, gently rubbed the Calming Bar all over him, then massaged his skin with the abundant lather, which helped him relax properly and enjoy it. At the same time, the active ingredients in the bar could slowly absorb into his skin, and Hessu received a holistic spa experience from a single bar. It was really easy to reach between his paw pads, armpits, and under his belly with the bar. It was also much easier to wash the sensitive face area and ears with the bar. There was no fear of shampoo getting into his eyes or ear canals.

(watch me wash Hessu with a shampoo bar on Elsan Ekopaja's YouTube channel)

The result was always a relaxed and calm Hessu. The itching always stopped immediately after washing, and the dandruff was gone. It was wonderful to cuddle such a calm and contented dog.

Calming Bar has been a part of many happy dog owners' homes for over two years now. However, we felt that this wasn't all!

What else needed to be developed?

We started collaborating with dog people to identify the needs that ordinary dog owners brought up.

Requests included, for example:

- a conditioning shampoo bar for coats

- conditioner

- an effective paw wax

- paw soap

- unscented products

Let's talk about fragrances for a moment?

We did a little market research and found that while there were many scented products on the market, unscented ones were harder to find.

We developed the product line for a few years and refined it to perfection with the help of testing dogs and groomers. The feedback became perfect; the only remaining need for improvement was still fragrance/unscented options. We had added a mild scent to Calming Bar that contained no allergens.

To the human nose, cleanliness often has a scent. We notice it daily in our factory store. People interested in soap bars invariably pick one up and sniff it. We often associate scents with cleanliness. Unscented products usually have their own, but small, user group. Some dog owners dislike the smell of dogs and may therefore want their shampoo to smell clean. All of this is entirely understandable. We also believe that owners of breeds with coats that need washing will be more enthusiastic about washing their dogs themselves if the previous washing experience left a pleasant scent in their memory. I myself also liked the mild scent after washing Hessu, but I started thinking about it more from the dog's perspective when I suddenly realized something on an autumn forest walk:

In addition to Hessu, we have a dog named Siru. Siru is a mix of Labrador Retriever, Boxer, and German Shepherd. Siru is a retriever at heart. When we go for a walk in the deep forest, we throw a toy, a stick, or a frisbee for Siru. Siru can run for at least an hour straight looking for the toy.

Tick spray was an awakening

In summer, it's tick season outdoors. We have tried to avoid using pesticides to repel ticks. We've used a spray that we mist on the dogs' coats every time we go out. This spray is strongly scented because it's entirely citronella-based and has worked quite well against ticks. But Siru's retriever instincts get confused by the smells of the tick repellent. Siru has a really hard time finding her toy in the forest during tick season. Her sense of smell seems to disappear completely, and she relies solely on sight and hearing. Last autumn, I realized that a dog's most important and beloved sense can be easily disrupted by scents.

Sense of smell is the most important

A dog's sense of smell is estimated to be up to 100,000 times more sensitive than a human's, and the number of sensory cells in its olfactory epithelium is 20 to 40 times that of a human. (Source: Duodecim Journal)

The importance of the sense of smell is emphasized in dogs for whom the nose is a working tool. These include all hunting dogs, search and rescue dogs, drug dogs, police dogs, hypo-dogs, cancer detection dogs, and guide dogs.

The scent that remains on a dog after washing might seem wonderfully fresh and mild to us humans, but to a dog's nose, it can be unbearable. That's why we decided to develop an entirely new, ecological and gentle product line that respects dogs' most important instinct.

The series was named "Dogs of My Life".

I have had four dogs in my life: Hertta, Hessu, Siru, and Pepe.

However, our product line has five products. Fortunately, the fifth dog of my life was found close by; Jenni's sister's lovely dog, Maisa, gave her name to one of the products.

Let's tell you a little more about these dogs of my life:

HERTTA

Hertta was my dog in the 1990s. Hertta was an American Cocker Spaniel by breed and an unruly, sweet, and curious dog by nature. In the 1990s, I learned a lot about dog care and grooming, but then there was a long break in dog ownership. I moved to England for nursing work, and due to the quarantine rules at the time, I gave up Hertta. Human children came into my life, and having a dog didn't feel timely.

Hertta in 1997

Washing paws

Hertta served as inspiration for the paw and snout soap. The small soap on a string easily gets between muddy paw pads. In wet weather, an incredible amount of fine sand and moisture easily accumulates on the paws. Especially for dogs with long coats, it is therefore very important to trim the paw hair short and wash the paws every day with water and soap. If a dog is observed licking and nibbling its paws frequently, it is already a problem that should be treated by a veterinarian. So, always keep paw soap ready in the mudroom or bathroom, wash the paws after walks, and make sure the spaces between the pads dry well.

Washing a dog's face

With Hertta paw soap, it's also really easy to wash a dog's sensitive head and face area. The small bar allows you to be careful around sensitive eyes and ear canals. With the bar, you can also easily wash the dog's "beard," where food and street dirt can get stuck, potentially causing inflammation in the mouth area. Hertta soap is really gentle and nourishing; it doesn't dry out the paws during washing. The small soap on a string can be looped around your wrist during washing and can be hung on a towel hook, for example, where it can dry between uses.

HESSU

Life once again had room for a dog as the children grew up. Hessu came into our lives when the youngest, Anna, was 7 years old in 2014. Hessu was also an American Cocker Spaniel, and his skin inspired the first dog shampoo, Calming Bar. Hessu was the darling of the whole family, a wonderful sweetheart and an energizer. Hessu also loved Elsa and guarded her with his warmth and closeness whenever possible. Hessu became Elsa's angel dog in autumn -23. For Hessu's demanding skin and coat, the Calming Bar shampoo bar was developed. The Calming Bar will gradually be phased out of our selection.

But don't worry, almost the exact same bar can now be found in the bar named after Hessu. The only change from Calming Bar is the scent, which we omitted. The bar still contains fantastic, skin-nourishing ingredients and provides a soothing washing result for the skin.

SIRU

In autumn -19, an energetic bundle named Siru moved in with us. Siru is a mixed-breed black dog with a water-repellent coat like a water retriever, which doesn't require much washing. When we are on walks in the snow in winter, Siru bathes in snowdrifts. When we get into the car, Siru shakes herself once and is completely dry.

Oil wash for dry skin

I only wash Siru's coat as needed, usually twice a year. When Siru experiences severe itching during shedding season, it often helps to wash her with Calming Bar (now Hessu shampoo). When the itching is severe, I first rub shampoo into her coat and then add some cooking oil to the shampoo lather with my hands. I use domestic Camelina oil, but olive oil would surely serve the same purpose. This kind of oil wash seems to suit Siru's skin well.

Challenges of paws

Siru's challenge also lies in her paws, which are under intense use in both summer and winter. Her paw pads harden and crack if not cared for daily. Gritting sand, frost, road salt, and her fierce speed further challenge her pads. Specifically for Siru's needs, and with her enthusiastic assistance, a perfect paw wax was developed, named after Siru. This paw wax contains just the right amount of beeswax, lanolin, and deeply nourishing domestic camelina oil. Siru paw wax is the result of long development work and has been tested not only with Siru but also with groomers and dog owners.

PEPE

In autumn -23, after Hessu's passing, a tiny Pepe moved in with us. Pepe is a miniature poodle. Pepe has filled the arms and hearts of every family member. Pepe comes to work with me every day at the Soap Factory Store and spreads joy wherever he goes. You can come and meet Pepe in Heinola; he will welcome you with open arms.

 

A poodle's coat is truly unique. Pepe is my first poodle, and I soon realized that his coat presented entirely new challenges for me. A poodle's coat needs to be washed every couple of weeks. Its coat does not repel water at all, meaning it is completely oil-free and has no undercoat. Snow clumps stick to every hair during walks, causing tangles. After washing, it's important that the coat is fluffy and tangles can be easily brushed out by blow-drying. That's why we developed a coat-conditioning shampoo bar for Pepe's needs.

After washing with Pepe shampoo bar, his coat is soft and fluffy like cotton candy. After washing, the coat is easy to blow-dry straight and tangle-free. A clean poodle smells fantastic even without fragrances.

MAISA

Maisa is the apple of Jenni's sister Mia's eye. Maisa is a Spanish Water Dog and came into Mia's life as a rescue dog.

Maisa is a very puppy-like and human-like PERSON for a 10-year-old dog. Maisa commands, romps, gets angry, and sulks, but never does anything naughty. Maisa is a co-dependent mama's girl, a couch potato, and a gourmet. A soulmate who loves rolling in the hay in the field and on the lawn. Maisa is always there wherever cuddles or treats are available. If no one is in a hurry, neither is Maisa. She gladly lies contentedly on the sofa and sometimes, when clean, in bed too, enjoying slow mornings. Ready for anything, as long as the family is involved. Cottage life is Maisa's favorite, because she gets to swim freely. It's Maisa's favorite summer pastime.

The dog conditioner bar is named after Maisa. The conditioner bar is a completely new way to get rid of tangles in a dog's coat and make detangling easier. Maisa conditioner bar leaves the coat wonderfully soft and shiny after washing.

Using the conditioner bar during washing is really easy. Once you have washed and rinsed the coat thoroughly, take the conditioner bar in your hand and rub it directly onto the dog. Go over the entire coat with circular motions, especially focusing on tangled areas such as armpits and paws. For particularly long coats, you should "comb" the conditioner bar through the coat section by section. Leave on for a few minutes and rinse well. You can also leave this conditioner unrinsed. After washing, blow-dry and treat the coat as before.

Shop the Dogs of My Life product series at Elsan Ekopaja's online store: