What’s Coming Next at The Dog and I in 2026
If you’ve known The Dog and I for a while, you’ll know I used to make a much wider range of grooming products. At the start of 2025, I changed that and niched right down to botanical balms and salves for dogs and I haven’t looked back.
Since then, I have been looking at what sold well, feedback and also what is important to me.. It’s more of a refinement of what I’m already doing than a big change but in a nutshell this is is how it will be looking...
Going more 'apothecary style' in how I formulate and talk about the products.
Making fragrance free options much more central.
Bringing in a new core balm and, as the year goes on, possibly some seasonal products.
In an ideal world I want to be the person who is known for herbal balms and salves for dogs – natural products with no unnecessary ingredients. Products that are better for your dog.
Better for Your Dog – What I Actually Mean by That
When I say better for your dog, I mean genuinely better for your dog, not just a fancy marketing ploy.
That means
Using herbal infusions and plant based ingredients that are there for a reason
Relying on the properties of the herbs and oils themselves, rather than layering unnecessary fragrance on top
Any new products will be fragrance free only, and I will be adding a fragrance free option to the entire range, so nothing is included just to please human noses
I’m not about complicated formulas or throwing 20 ingredients in when 5 will do just as well. My focus is on simple, clear, purposeful products – where you can look at a tin and say, 'Right, that one’s for bites and stings,' 'That one’s for cleaning wrinkles and folds', 'That one’s for sore patches.' and 'That one is for dry noses and paws'. So better for you too.
An Apothecary Mindset (Without Getting Medical)
I’m not a vet and I don’t make medical claims. Indeed, we are not allowed to unless products have been clinically tested.
What I do is look at is the kind of products dog owners are buying and why as well as which herbs and oils have traditionally been used to support those kinds of issues
Things like
Calendula for delicate, stressed skin
Plantain for bites and stings
Raspberry seed oil to nourish and support the skin's natural barrier
A Little Story - Why Scent Isn’t the Star Anymore
Back when I was still dog grooming I was helping a friend in her salon around Christmas. At the end of a groom, she sprayed the dog with a scented cologne. I can't remember the fragrance but it was seasonal, gingerbread maybe, or something like that. I kid you not, it was so strong I had to step backwards and I felt awful for the poor dog as it didn't have that option.
I have never forgotten that day, and whilst all my products over the years have been subtle rather than overpowering in the fragrance stakes, I’ve become more aware and more certain that I want my products to be for the dog first, not for us. The truth is in all scented dog products that it isn't in the dog's interests at all. It is all about what want. Which is why I’m going further in to the fragrance free route from 2026 onwards.
If my existing scented range is a firm favourite of yours, rest assured - they are not going anywhere - they are a very safe product for your dog, I am just bringing the unscented in as additional options.
The Core Range – A Balm for Each Job
The basic structure of my core range isn’t new – I already moved to balms and salves only. What is changing for 2026 is
Some tweaks to names so it’s crystal clear what each one is for
A new balm is joining the core range
More emphasis on unfragranced options
Here’s how the core range now looks.
Nose & Paw Balm
What it’s for
A straightforward, everyday balm for dry noses and paws.
It’s made with shea butter, beeswax and oils to
1. Soften dry, crusty noses
2. Help with dry or cracked pads
3. Give a bit of extra protection if your dog is out and about on rough ground and against both hot and cold surfaces.
It’s the original balm in the range and will be available in both fragranced and fragrance free versions.
Calendula & Rosehip Salve
What it’s for
Sore, damaged and sensitive skin.
Calendula is well known for being gentle and supportive to stressed, delicate skin.
Rosehip oil is rich in vitamins and fatty acids and is often used to help feed and support the skin barrier, especially where skin feels dry, tired or overworked.
This is the balm I’d reach for when a patch of skin looks as if it’s had a rough time and needs some extra TLC
It will be available in both fragranced and fragrance free versions.
Herbal Soothing Salve (renamed)
Previously just called 'Soothing Salve', this is now Herbal Soothing Salve, which better reflects what it actually is.
What it’s for
Itchy skin, bites and stings.
It’s made with five different herbs infused into a sweet almond oil base, all chosen for how they can support the skin when it is itchy, irritated and reacting to bites or stings
In plain terms, it’s there to take the itch out of bites and the sting out of stings, and to calm things down. It’s been a favourite for a long time and I still think of it as my hero product.
It will be available in both fragranced and fragrance free options.
Wrinkle & Fold Care Balm (new for January 2026)
This is the new one and I’m really pleased with how it’s turned out.
What it’s for
Cleaning and protecting facial folds and wrinkles.
Breeds like bulldogs, pugs and others with skin folds can suffer a build up of
Moisture
Dirt
Smell
General discomfort if those folds aren’t cared for gently
The Wrinkle & Fold Care Balm is a 2-in-1 cleanse and protect balm, and is available in a fragrance free version only.
It uses
Calendula infused oil to support delicate skin
Raspberry seed oil to condition and help support the skin barrier
A mix of butters and oils that help to lift away dirt.
Oil is very good at attracting oil and grime, so using an oil based balm is a very natural way to clean folds. You apply a thin layer, allow it to soften what’s there, then wipe away the excess and any dirt with a clean cloth. What’s left is a light protective layer.
It fills a gap I’ve felt in the range for a while and I’m excited for it to sit alongside the existing balms and salves as another really practical, 'dog first' product.
Fragrance Free In 2026
From 2026 onwards, any new products I bring out will be fragrance free only.
Why? Because...
Dogs don’t need perfume
Some are genuinely sensitive to fragrance
In many cases, the herbs and oils themselves bring enough gentle scent and benefit without needing anything extra
I’d rather rely on what the ingredients do, not what they smell like.
For Other Small Businesses - Wholesale, Unlabelled and White Label
A big part of my work now is supporting other small businesses – groomers, pet shops, therapists, makers and more.
I know from my work as a certified business strategist how important visibility and branding are. Having your own name on a product can really help build your brand.
That’s why I offer
Wholesale – my products with my branding, for those who simply want to stock them. Find out more here.
Unlabelled – so you can buy the balms and salves and put your own labels on them, with small minimum order quantities to make it achievable. Find out more here.
White label – for businesses who’d like their own branded products but don’t have the time or desire to manage design and production. I handle that side, you get a finished product that matches your branding. Request the catalogue here to see how that works and costs.
One of my favourite things is seeing the finished white label products – all the different designs and styles – knowing that these balms and salves are helping other small businesses grow.
My non negotiables for private label are simple
1. I won’t use fragrance oils.
2. I’m open to discussing essential oils where they’re safe and sensible for dogs.
3. The base products have to stay in line with what I’d be happy to sell under my own name natural ingredients, chosen for a purpose, and nothing included just for the sake of it.
In a Nutshell
For 2026, it’s less about changing who I am and more about leaning more fully into it.
1. I make herbal balms and salves for dogs.
2. Every balm and salve has a clear job to do.
3. I don’t add anything unnecessary, and I’m moving new products to fragrance free only.
4. I use herbal infusions and plant based ingredients with a gentle, apothecary mindset – taking what plants like calendula, plantain, rosemary, comfrey and rosehip can offer, and building simple, effective products around them.