The Best Dog Shampoos To Keep Your Pup Clean And Smelling Amazing

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You might think that all dog shampoos are basically the same, but that’s actually not true.

Just like there are tons of different shampoos for people, there are lots of different types of dog shampoos, and the one that’s best for your dog depends on a few factors.

The Dodo spoke to Helen Schaefer, a national certified master groomer and a certified canine esthetician with Heart + Paw, and Dr. Lydia Harbour, a veterinary dermatology resident at Dermatology for Animals in Phoenix, Arizona, to find out what to look for when buying a dog shampoo.

Different dogs need different types of shampoos, just like people. Here’s what to look for and what to consider when choosing the best shampoo for your pup:

An important aspect of picking a shampoo for your dog is checking out the ingredients to make sure they’re safe for your pup.

A good rule of thumb is to make sure the shampoo doesn’t have dyes, sulfates, parabens, alcohol, fragrances or other chemicals added, since these things can irritate your dog’s skin.

Your dog’s shampoo should always be formulated specifically for dogs, too. His skin has a lower pH than yours, so using a human shampoo on your dog can lead to skin irritation and even contact dermatitis.

There are medicated dog shampoos that help with itchy and dry skin from allergies. Dr. Harbour recommends shampoos that have chlorhexidine, ceramides and sometimes climbazole, miconazole or ketoconazole.

These ingredients help reduce bacterial and yeast growth on the skin, support the skin barrier and moisturize the skin.

Some dog shampoos are made for more than just cleaning your pup’s fur. They’re formulated for specific functions, like getting rid of fleas and ticks or dandruff. So if your dog needs some help in those areas, look for a shampoo specific to that.

According to Schaefer, some ingredients to look for in dandruff shampoos for dogs include alpha hydroxy acid and salicylic acid. “These will help gently exfoliate the old dead flakes off and reduce any greasiness, and will most likely be in any vet-prescribed shampoo,” Schaefer told The Dodo.

Dandruff shampoos should also include humectants, substances that attract and retain moisture in the skin, such as oatmeal and aloe.

Most flea and tick shampoos contain pyrethrins, a compound found in chrysanthemum flowers, which repels insects.

If your dog has thick fur or sheds a lot, you might want to consider a deshedding shampoo to help control it.

Deshedding shampoos should have moisturizing ingredients, including vitamins and fatty acids, to strengthen your dog’s coat and loosen dead hair.

“Common ingredients in deshedding shampoos include alpha hydroxy acids, vitamin E, omega-3 and omega-6, shea butter, dimethicone and any number of natural extracts and essential oils, such as argan oil, ginkgo oil, chamomile, aloe, etc.,” Schaefer said.

Pick a scent that smells good to you and isn’t too pungent for your dog, since your pup’s sense of smell is way stronger than yours.

Once you pick out your shampoo, here are the steps to bathe your dog: