4-Legger will not dry your dog's skin or strip the natural oils. In fact, it will do quite the opposite!  Over the years, soap has gotten a bad reputation because manufacturers who produce soap sell the glycerin that is developed during the soap making process (saponification). Glycerin is natural humectant - it absorbs water from the air and attracts moisture to the skin and hair. Only the highest quality soaps retain the glycerin. Other manufacturers sell the glycerin or use them in other products that they manufacture like lotions to treat dry skin as they command higher prices!  Also, these poor quality and mass market soaps usually have free alkali in them, making them harsh and drying. This is great for shelf life - and it increases the lather. It is also drying to the skin.  Free alkali will find every last bit of the natural oils in your dog's skin and coat and saponify them (turn them into soap), leaving your dog dry and "squeaky clean".  Too high a coconut oil percentage in the formulation. the addition of artificial color and fragrance increases the probability that the soap will be drying.  4-Legger retains 100% of the glycerin in the product and there are no free alkalis in our formulations.