Our Favorite Dog Shampoos Will Make Any Coat Shine

Our top pick for most dogs is the EQyss Grooming Products Micro-Tek Dog & Cat Shampoo, a shampoo often used by professionals. This veterinarian-recommended, non-toxic, and cruelty-free formula is made with human-grade ingredients to soothe scratching, itching, biting, and licking of hot spots. A blend of botanicals, including aloe vera, clove, lavender, and thyme, gives the shampoo a light, refreshing floral scent while it removes dirt and odor without stripping essential oils from the skin and coat.

The shampoo is also gentle enough for dogs and cats of all ages, including puppies and kittens. While most users like how this formula leaves their pets smelling fresh with noticeably softer coats, some feel the results are not as long-lasting as they’d hoped, particularly when it comes to itch relief for dogs with persistent environmental allergies.

_{Sizes: 16 ounces | Scents: Aloe, clove, lavender, thyme | Usage: All life stages}

At under $8 for 16 ounces, Burt’s Bees Oatmeal Shampoo is our pick for the most budget-friendly dog shampoo. Made with colloidal oat flour, honey, and green tea extract, this shampoo is great for dogs with dry, itchy skin in need of something soothing.

Our tester said it’s gentle on their golden retriever that gets very itchy and leaves the coat feeling moisturized. It rinses clean and has powered through some scummy park water after a swim in Central Park.

_{Sizes: 16 ounces, 32 ounces | Scents: Unscented | Usages: Adults, puppies over 8 weeks}

Baking soda is a natural way to clean and neutralize smells. This gentle shampoo is made by Arm & Hammer, known for versatile baking soda. It cleans deeply, removing odors for days. The formula is paraben- and phthalate-free with no potentially harmful chemicals.

Ingredients include rose, white tea, and kiwi fruit extracts which help with odor control, limit shedding, and leave a floral scent on your dog’s coat. The smell is much better than wet dog, but a little heavy. This shampoo is much more cost-effective than many and comes in a larger bottle (20 ounces) than most other brands.

_{Sizes: 20 ounces | Scents: Kiwi blossom | Usage: Adults, puppies 8 weeks and up}

Our top fragrance-free dog shampoo pick is Earthbath’s Oatmeal & Aloe Shampoo, made with colloidal oatmeal and organic aloe vera—a particularly effective combo for dry, itchy, and flaky skin. Like all Earthbath products, this pet-safe shampoo is made without parabens, sulfates, phthalates, gluten, or synthetic dyes. It’s also cruelty-free and made in the United States.

Among our dog shampoo survey responders, Earthbath users say it does a good job getting their dog clean and removing any smells without added fragrances, which is great since dogs are much more sensitive to fragrances than humans. If you would rather have a lightly scented shampoo, Earthbath also makes a vanilla and almond-scented option. And, all Earthbath products have a satisfaction guarantee, so if you aren’t happy with the results, you can get a refund.

_{Sizes: 16 ounces, 32 ounces, 128 ounces, 320 ounces | Scents: Unscented, vanilla & almond | Usage: Adults, puppies 6 weeks and up}

Puppies are wiggly and the whole bathtime thing can be quite an adventure. When you’re lathering and rinsing and trying to keep your puppy in the tub, it helps to have a gentle, no-tears shampoo in case the suds go everywhere. Wahl’s Puppy Shampoo fits the bill in every way with a pH-balanced, alcohol-free, and paraben-free formula that’s safe and gentle for delicate puppy skin.

Our tester especially likes the mild formula and that it doesn’t have a strong scent to ensure she’s treating her puppy’s skin gently and not using anything that smells like perfume. The tester noted it leaves her puppy incredibly soft and has helped get rid of mild dandruff. Plus, the concentrated formula means you only need to use a little bit for each bath, making this a cost-effective product that will last a long time.

_{Sizes: 24 ounces | Scents: Cornflower aloe | Usage: Puppies over 6 weeks}

Depending on your dog’s coat and the time of year, you might feel like you live in a perpetual cloud of dog hair. This FURminator DeShedding shampoo, from a company that makes popular de-shedding tools, may be able to help at bath time. It has a mix of natural ingredients to promote healthy skin, including omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids from cranberry, sunflower, and safflower seed oils, as well as aloe vera and vitamin E. 

The key is to wet your dog’s skin well, leave it on for 5 or 10 minutes, and then ideally follow up with the brand’s conditioner. There should be clumps of hair in the tub and even more when you finish up with a brush or Furminator rake.

_{Sizes: 16 ounces, 128 ounces | Scents: Papaya | Usage: Adults, puppies over 6 weeks}

The Buddy Wash Original Lavender and Mint Dog Shampoo and Condition is a soap-free, 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner made with a coconut base. It’s a gentle shampoo formulated with wheat protein extract, which acts as a natural deodorizing agent, as well as lavender and mint oils for a spa-like fragrance. It’s a very concentrated formula that when mixed with water goes a long way and lasts a long time.

Our tester has been using this shampoo for many years and says it does a great job getting the dirt out of their dogs’ coats and alleviating itchy skin during the spring months. They like that the shampoo rinses clean, even from squirmy dogs, and find the smell very pleasant.

_{Sizes: 16 ounces, 1 gallon | Scents: Lavender and mint | Usage: Adults, puppies over 12 weeks}

Our pick for itchy, allergy-prone skin is the Douxo S3 CALM Soothing Itchy, Hydrated Skin Dog and Cat Shampoo. The formulation contains the active ingredient ophytrium, which supports the skin’s barrier, keeps microbes on the skin in balance, and soothes red, itchy, and irritated skin that develops from a triggered immune system.

Our tester says this product has worked wonders on their dog’s skin allergies, reducing redness and irritation and significantly hydrating the skin. The tester noted that it’s much more cost-effective than medications they’ve tried and has had to use it less frequently over time.

_{Sizes: 6.7 ounces, 16.9 ounces  | Scents: Coconut vanilla | Usage: Adult}

If you love the iconic scent and shine of Ouai (pronounced “way”) shampoo for humans, you can now share that shine factor with your dogs with Ouai Fur Bébé Pet Shampoo. This shampoo features their Mercer Street scent, with notes of lemon, rose, jasmine, and musk. The shampoo hydrates, cleanses, and adds shine to your dog’s coat.

Our tester loves the way this shampoo smells and says it cleaned their dog very well. They say it left the coat feeling smooth and hydrated and noted that other shampoos haven’t made their dogs’ coats feel as smooth.

_{Sizes: 16 ounces | Scents: Ouai Mercer Street | Usage: All life stages}

There are nine USDA-certified organic shampoos in the 4-Legger line, with an array of ingredients including oatmeal and lavender for dry and itchy skin; peppermint and eucalyptus for conditioning; and an unscented version with aloe vera for sensitive skin. This popular choice features aloe vera, lemongrass, and coconut oil for moisturizing. 

All 4-Legger products are USDA-certified organic and free of parabens, sulfates, phthalates, artificial colors, fragrances, or harmful preservatives. Shampoos are made in the United States and have a money-back guarantee. They’re vegan and cruelty-free.

_{Sizes: 2 ounces, 16 ounces, 1 gallon | Scents: Unscented, lemongrass & aloe, cedar & peppermint, lavender & oatmeal | Usage: All lifestages}

If you looking for a flea and tick shampoo, this lightly coconut-scented formula kills adult fleas and their eggs and larvae and tackles ticks and lice. The active ingredient is pyrethrins, which are natural pesticides found in chrysanthemums. It also contains aloe vera, lanolin, and oatmeal to help moisturize and soothe irritated, dry skin, plus keep your dog’s coat soft and manageable.

The lather can be thick so it will take some effort to rinse it out completely. Nevertheless, the formula is effective for nearly a month—typically shampooing every 28 days—and is safe to use on dogs and puppies at least 12 weeks old. Note that pyrethrins are not safe to use on cats.

_{Sizes: 6 ounces, 12 ounces, 24 ounces, 1 gallon | Scents: Coconut | Usage: Adults, puppies over 12 weeks}

Lovers of Aesop’s human skin and hair care products can now give their pets the same luxurious experience with Aesop’s Animal Pet Wash. The mild botanical scent comes from lemon rind, tea tree leaf, and spearmint leaf and is gentle enough for sensitive skin. The concentrated formula means you won’t have to use much to wash your pup—mix a little with water to make it last longer.

Our tester loved this shampoo and said it left her dog very soft, smooth, and shiny (and smelling great). The tester noted that while they received the product as a gift and normally wouldn’t spend this much on a pet shampoo, she will repurchase it because it’s “so good.”

_{Sizes: 16.9 ounces | Scents: Lemon, tea tree, spearmint | Usage: Adult, puppies over 6 weeks}

The BioSilk Therapy Whitening Dog Shampoo is our favorite shampoo for white and light-colored dogs. The shampoo brightens and whitens the hair, eliminating any yellow hues or overall dinginess. The formula is moisturizing and safe for sensitive skin and use with topical flea and tick treatments.

Our tester used this shampoo on a Havanese whose white spots are on the areas that tend to get dirtiest, like the feet, belly, tail, and muzzle. Just a few drops of this shampoo in the bath water and then some directly on the white patches brightened the hair right up. This shampoo doesn’t have to sit on the hair for too long to work, so it’s perfect for dogs who don’t like spending too long in the bath.

_{Sizes: 12 ounces | Scents: BioSilk classic | Usage: Adults, puppies 8 weeks and up}

Sometimes you don’t have time to give your dog the full spa experience or your pup just needs a little freshening up. The Dandylion Clean Paws No-Rinse Foaming Cleanser instantly freshens up dirty dog paws—no water necessary. The foaming formula dispenses onto a silicone brush attachment, letting users easily deep clean dog paws and get the hard-to-reach areas that towels struggle to clean.

This no-rinse cleanser is made with aloe vera juice, coconut oil, broccoli seed oil, and pomegranate extract to clean paws gently. There are no artificial fragrances or essential oils, making this safe for dogs who are sensitive to those ingredients. Simply dispense a few pumps, rub it into your dog’s paws, and wipe clean with a towel.

_{Sizes: 5 ounces | Scents: Unscented | Usage: All lifestages}

Hopefully, your dog will never get sprayed by a skunk, but you’ll be happy to have this shampoo on hand if they do. While some skunk treatments just try to cover up the smell, this one contains a blend of essential oils that work to erase the smell and is made by Thornell—a company that provides odor-control products to veterinarians.

The shampoo is watery, so you’ll need to massage deeply to work up a lather. Be sure to get often-overlooked spots like between the toes and the face and focus on the spot where your pup was sprayed, and let sit for three to five minutes. It’s safe enough to use on puppies over 8 weeks old, but be sure to rinse thoroughly and then air dry.

_{Sizes: 8 ounces, 32 ounces, 1 gallon | Scents: Neutral | Usage: Adults, puppies over 8 weeks}

If your dog suffers from seborrhea, they can find relief with the Douxo S3 SEB Odor-Control Seboregulating Dog and Cat Shampoo. Seborrhea is a condition where the skin produces too much sebum and can make the skin scaly or flaky, oily, and in some cases smelly. This shampoo helps to remove the excess sebum, oils, and flaky buildup while reducing odors and deodorizing the skin.

As mentioned above with the other Douxo product, this shampoo contains ophytrium, making it an effective treatment for skin conditions. Our tester is thoroughly impressed with these products and how they have controlled the redness and itchiness of their dog’s skin allergies.

_{Sizes: 6.7 ounces, 16.9 ounces  | Scents: Coconut vanilla | Usage: Adult}

Veterinary Formula Clinical Care Antiseptic and Antifungal Medicated Shampoo for Dogs & Cats is an over-the-counter shampoo designed to help with many skin issues, including fungal dermatitis. With the active ingredients ketoconazole, benzethonium chloride, aloe vera, and lanolin, this shampoo can help with a myriad of skin concerns, bacterial and fungal skin infections, or allergies.

Our tester said that this shampoo especially helps with cleaning all dirt from their dog’s coat and is very helpful for allergies. They use the accompanying conditioner to leave the coat soft and smooth.

_{Sizes: 16 ounces, 1 gallon  | Scents: Neutral | Usage: Adult}

Virbac Epi-Soothe Shampoo is often recommended by veterinarians for the treatment of allergic dermatitis and mild bacterial or yeast infections on the skin that cause itching and irritation. Made from natural oat grain, this extra gentle soap-free shampoo nourishes and hydrates dry, delicate skin and is suitable for dogs of all life stages, as well as cats and horses.

It uses glycotechnology to help reduce bacterial and yeast adhesion by physically disrupting the colonization of microorganisms on the skin’s surface, while an encapsulation system also helps to continuously deliver soothing ingredients to the skin and coat after shampooing. The main drawbacks are that the shampoo needs to be used in conjunction with a cream rinse to maximize effectiveness and both products need to sit on the skin for at least five minutes.

_{Sizes: 8 ounces, 16 ounces | Scents: Green apple | Usage: All life stages}

The HEMPZ Petz Strawberry Limeade & Hibiscus Tea Herbal Gentle & Deodorizing Shampoo is made with hemp seed oil, which provides hydration for the skin and coat with vitamin E, antioxidants, and amino and omega acids. The scent is long-lasting and fruity.

Our tester said this shampoo rinsed easily, gave a good clean, and left their dog’s coat hydrated, soft, and smelling great. If you or your pup is sensitive to smells, this shampoo might be too heavily fragranced.

_{Sizes: 17 ounces | Scents: Strawberry limeade & hibiscus tea, sweet pineapple & honey melon | Usage: All lifestages}