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A great dog shampoo is your secret weapon for keeping your four-legged friend looking and smelling their best.
Choosing the right shampoo for your dog is essential as it will not only keep their coat in tip top condition, but help deal with underlying dry and itchy skin conditions, dandruff and even fleas.
UPDATE : OCTOBER 2024 After a new round of testing, we've added the Earth Rated new coat specific shampoo range as a Top Pick |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Buying Advice for Dog Shampoo
Dog shampoos are big business. With 33 per cent of UK households owning a dog, grooming product sales have exploded and the upmarket beauty brands have sat up and taken notice.
So how do you know that you are buying a good quality shampoo for your four-legged friend?
The first thing to say is that this isn't a 'one size fits all' answer. There's no single shampoo which is best for all dogs or all situations. Dogs shampoos are as different as the dogs themselves.
Ideally you should look out for a shampoo with ingredients that are sensitive to skin and reduce any unwanted irritation.
Never be tempted to use human shampoo to wash your dog. Human skin and dog skin have different pH balances. Human shampoo can disrupt the natural oils on your dog's coat, which can lead to dryness, itchiness, and irritation.
Ultimately, all of the shampoos we feature in our Top 10 are kind to your dogs skin.
How to Choose the Best Dog Shampoo
If you're struggling to find the best dog shampoo for your pampered pooch, here are a few points to consider :
Problem Skin
If your dog suffers with dry or itchy skin, they're sensitive or prone to allergies, take a look at the natural dog shampoos which avoid adding harsh chemicals and ensure their shampoos are pH balanced for dogs.
Type of Coat
A Labrador coat is very different from a poodle's coat and they need to be treated as such. Some shampoos have been specifically formulated with coat types in mind.
Colour of Coat
Very pale or white coats can always benefit from a specifically formulated whitening shampoo. These shampoos are great at removing tear stains and can keep that pale fur shining bright.
Foam
Everyone loves lots of foam as it makes us feel our dogs are super clean. However, the more foam created, the more time it takes to rinse.
Reduced foam shampoos are aimed at making the whole process quicker which might be perfect if your dog hates bathing.
To keep your pampered pooch happy, clean and smelling gorgeous, here are our picks of the best dog and puppy shampoos in the UK for 2024.
Our Picks of the Best Dog Shampoo for 2024
1. Best Overall Dog Shampoo
Bugalugs
Specification
Coat Type - All
Scent - Long Lasting
Dilute - No
Reasons to Buy
+ Amazing smell
+ Great general shampoo
+ Range shampoos
+ Great value
Reasons to Avoid
- Doesn't cater for specific skin issues
- Needs a bit of work to lather
We rate Bugalugs Baby Fresh the best dog shampoo for most dogs. It's ideal if your dog loves to roll around in the mud or splash in stinky puddles.
In testing we found that it is the best smelling with a totally gorgeous baby powder scent which lasts for several days plus it comes in an easy-to-apply pump bottle.
A firm favourite with dog groomers everywhere and Freddie our cockapoo, we found when testing that it deep cleans, leaving a soft felling and fresh smelling coat.
Made in the UK, it's PH balanced, vegan and made with water from the Lake District. Gentle enough for you to use once a week to cater for some seriously muddy dog walks. It works particularly well on double coats.
The truth is that this is a great all-round shampoo if your dog doesn't have any specific needs or allergies. It's ideal for long hair and promotes healthy coats.
We found that it does take some work to get the shampoo to lather, but don't be tricked into adding more, a little really does go a long way and Bugalugs recommend diluting their concentrated shampoo before use.
Available in two different sizes so you can try it out without investing too much with the 500ml bottle or save money by bulk buying a 5Lt bottle. Dog conditioners (including Baby Fresh) and sprays are also available.
Buying Options
Bugalugs also offer a range of wipes including our top pick ear wipes which feature in our popular article - Best Dog Wipes : Paws and Perfection
2. Best Dog Grooming Range
Pet Head
Specification
Coat Type - A range for all coats
Scent - Amazing
Dilute - No
Reasons to Buy
+ Part of a pampering grooming range
+ Conditioners, sprays, foams, wipes & paw butters also available
+ Easy to lather and rinse
+ Several fruity fragrances to choose from
Reasons to Avoid
- Not the cheapest
Whatever your dog's grooming needs take a closer look at Pet Head. They offer an array of products all cleverly crafted with natural oils and extracts. Their ranges include :-
🫧 Furtastic - Moisturising to detangle long coats
🫧 Mucky Pup - Kind and gentle, perfect for puppies’ young and delicate skin
🫧 Ditch the Dirt - A deodorising range suitable for all dogs
🫧 Quick Fix - An easy range that makes cleaning more enjoyable for all
🫧 Sensitive Soul - A soothing range full of nourishing ingredients for dogs with delicate skin
From shampoos and conditioners to paw balms, soft foams, sprays and even wipes, we love that you can layer the scent by using a several products from the same range. Plus importantly, all their grooming products are suitable for all dog coat types.
We tested their popular Sensitive Soul range. Whilst it's mild and hypo-allergenic it combines oatmeal, coconut and marula oil, some proven powerful natural ingredients to clean your dogs coat.
We love that you simply lather into your dogs coat to remove dirt and grease, rinse and you're left with a soft shiny coat with an amazing, long-lasting fragrance of coconut with marula oil.
The hydrating paw balm is thick, creamy and seriously smells good enough to eat.
The truth is that the Pet Head products are designed to be used on their own or combined to create a spa like grooming session for your dog. Oh! and we adored the bone-shaped dispensing cap.
Buying Options
If you're interested we also tested the Pet Head Quick Fix Wipes for our new article - Best Dog Wipes : Paws and Perfection |
3. Best Coat Specific Shampoo Range
Earth Rated
Specification
Coat Type - Specific shampoo for each coat type
Scent - Mild
Dilute - No
Reasons to Buy
+ Part of a grooming range
+ Bottle designed to apply shampoo deep into coat
+ Sprays & wipes available
+ Easy to lather and rinse
Reasons to Avoid
- Not the cheapest
Earth Rated offers a range of thoughtfully designed products, including poop bags, bio-based wipes, and poo bag dispensers. Their popular range has been extended over the years and they now offer a range of dog shampoos, sprays and wipes.
You can select from 3 coat-specific shampoos which are all formulated to offer clean, hydrate and moisturise in one wash :-
🫧 Short Coat
🫧 Curly Coat
🫧 Double Coat
Designed so there is no need for extra conditioner so you can enjoy a quicker and easier grooming routine. Big tick for me !
We tested their curly coat shampoo to see if it would deal with the everyday dog walking mud and help to untangle a Cockapoos coat.
Let's talk about their deep clean nozzle. This was a first for us! Instead of squirting the shampoo into your hands or on top of your dogs coat, the nozzle is designed to apply the shampoo deep into your dog's coat nearer the skin.
No more squirting too much shampoo! This clever nozzle let me apply just the right amount, exactly where I need it ( I always squirt too much on my dog's back then desperately try to move it around)
Lathering was a breeze, the nozzle definitely helped get right into the thick curly coat. Plus, it will save money on shampoo as you waste less. It's a win-win!
Which brings me onto the smell. The white tea and basil scent was very mild and pleasant, certainly not as strong as Bugalugs. Plus if you need a speedy freshen up, Earth Rated also offer a Refreshing Mist in white tea & basil too - Perfect for between shampoos.
Buying Options
Earth Rated Wipes feature in our review - Best Dog Wipes : Paws and Perfection |
4. Best Shampoo for Poodles
Choca-Doodle
Specification
Coat Type - Poodle type
Scent - Long lasting
Dilute - Yes
Reasons to Buy
+ Ideal for dense coats
+ Easy to rinse
+ Gorgeous scent
Reasons to Avoid
- Dogs with double coats
In a recent survey dog groomers stated that 47% of the dogs they groom are poodles or doodles. So if you have a cockapoo, labradoodle, cavapoo or poochon, the Choca-Doodle dog bathing range has been designed for you.
These shampoos and conditioners from Groomers have been developed specifically for poodle-crosses which have super fluffy and dense coats that need regular clipping.
We recommend their 2 in 1 shampoo as it's designed specifically for dog hair that stands proud from the skin and it rinses really easily.
Anyone with a doodle will know how time-consuming rinsing can be. During testing we found that Coca-Doodle rinsed really easily, speeding up the whole bathing process and left a gorgeous sweet chocolate orange fragrance.
It's worth mentioning that although the bottle seems small, the 2 in 1 conditioning shampoo should be diluted before use, so this small bottle lasts a long time.
The Choca-Doodle range also includes a Conditioner and Comb Thru Spray which you can use in combination with the shampoo or use the spray between grooms.
Buying Options
5. Best Luxury Shampoo for Dogs
Ouai Fur Bébé
Specification
Coat Type - All types
Scent - Long lasting
Dilute - No
Reasons to Buy
+ Luxurious scent
+ Moisturising
+ Luxury option
Reasons to Avoid
- A bit pricey
If you’re prepared to fork out a little more on a dog shampoo then take a look at Ouai. Ouai are a french company renowned for their human range of beautifully chic hair products.
Co-founded by hairstylist Jen Atkin, who has tended to the tresses of stars including supermodel Gigi Hadid and pop star Gwen Stefani. Earlier this year they brought our their Fur Bébé shampoo so your dog can look effortlessly chic too!
The vegan formulation is full of gentle but super powerful ingredients to hydrate and moisturise your pooch's coat and skin.
Free from nasties, it smells of their Mercer St signature fragrance - with Italian lemon, iris, white musk, lily, jasmine sambac and Turkish rose for some super sweet cuddles.
It even contains panthenol to soften and increase coat shine. Sounds good enough to use myself ...
Although it's on the pricey side, it's a big bottle holding nearly 1/2 litre of shampoo and the specially designed lid stops you wasting any shampoo too.
Buying Options
6. Best Shampoo for Puppies
WildWash
Specification
Coat Type - All types
Scent - Subtle
Dilute - Yes
Reasons to Buy
+ Mild for puppy coats
+ Easy to rinse
+ All natural
Reasons to Avoid
- Needs diluting before use
- Unscented
If you've recently welcomed a puppy to your family and are searching for a suitable shampoo, we recommend WildWash Sensitive Shampoo for itchy, allergy skin and puppies. Specifically formulated with your little fluff-ball in mind.
We love that WildWash have formulated their puppy shampoo to give a light lather and rinse easily. This is essential for a puppy shampoo as keeping the little wrigglers in one place can be tricky.
Puppies have delicate and often more sensitive skin than adult dogs, so they need a much milder shampoo. This simple shampoo is also fragrance free and pH balanced to avoid any adverse reactions.
We love that all the WildWash products are natural and their puppy shampoo has a low-irritant formula enriched with aloe vera and evening primrose oils for their mild cleansing properties.
The shampoo is concentrated so you'll need to dilute it before use. Simple add a couple of pumps to a jug of warm water and mix well before use.
If you're interested, WildWash also offer a 1 Litre mixing bottle to make their shampoo even easier to use. Available in 300ml bottles from an extensive range of products including Pro-Detangle spray for matted fur.
WildWash suggest leaving the shampoo on your puppy's coat for 5 minutes to help the essential oils work their wonders. |
Buying Options
7. Best Flea Shampoo
The Healthy Dog Co.
Specification
Coat Type - All
Scent - Subtle
Dilute - No
Reasons to Buy
+ Natural flea shampoo
+ No harsh chemicals
+ Soothes fleabites too
Reasons to Avoid
- If fleas aren't an issue
If your dog is prone to fleas then this is definitely the shampoo for you.
These shampoos from the Healthy Dog Company aim to work at naturally and safely to remove fleas and insects and also keep your dog's coat glossy.
With a natural lemongrass scent,it also helps sooth fleabites and stop your dog itching.
Their natural flea dog shampoo has some amazing reviews from customers with dogs prone to fleas and itching.
It's worth noting though, that because it is natural, it is quite a watery consistency and doesn't produce a lot of lather easily. But don't be tempted to add more and more shampoo, it's designed to give a light lather and rinses really easily so great for dogs that want you to keep that bathing routine super quick.
The Healthy Dog Company also offer a Spot-on flea treatment and a household spray.
Buying Options
8. Best Shampoo for White Dogs
Wahl
Specification
Coat Type - White coats
Scent - Subtle
Dilute - No
Reasons to Buy
+ Ideal for white coats
+ Ideal for tear-stains
+ Great value
Reasons to Avoid
- Light scent
There are lots of shampoos available on the market that are enhanced with ingredients to make your white or pale pooch’s coat gleam. These purple shampoos work in a similar way to our human purple shampoos for blonde highlights!
If you are looking for a whitening shampoo for your pale coloured dog, we would recommend Diamond White by Wahl.
Crafted by a globally known company, it's designed to enhance lighter coloured coats and it also removes any staining from mud or tears. Featuring white enhancers which aim to boost the natural pigmentation of your dog's coat.
Plus, it helps to moisturises and leaves fur soft to touch. This shampoo smells faintly of apples and pears.
If you're interested Wahl Diamond White can be used on dogs with multi-coloured coats as it won't lighten black or brown fur. |
Buying Options
9. Best for Sensitive Skin
STHLM Dog Spa
Specification
Coat Type - Sensitive
Scent - No
Dilute - No
Reasons to Buy
+ Create that dog spa at home
+ Use as often as you need
+ Fragrance free
+ Free from 'nasties'
Reasons to Avoid
- Pricier than most
If your dog suffers with sensitive and dry skin then we think you'll love the Sensitive Shampoo and Conditioner Duo from the utterly gorgeous DogSpa range at STHLM.
Created in Stockholm, Sweden (hence the brand name), this Nordic grooming range looks and feels properly premium. Perfect for the modern dog lover from the minimalist bottle design to the one-touch pump, you'll love having them in the bathroom.
But it's not just the looks ! Both the shampoo and conditioner are perfume free which is ideal for sensitive skin and they're also free from parabens, gluten and silicone.
100% vegan and pH balanced for dog's skin, they're blended with aloe vera and vitamin E which are known for their natural yet powerful soothing properties.
Used together, the shampoo is great at rebalancing their skin's moisture levels gently whilst the high quality smoothing conditioner is exceptionally mild yet luxurious to create that home spa feel.
Seriously, they look and feel better than my own shampoo and conditioner !
Thought we'd mention that STHLM Dog Spa also offer a Hydrating Shampoo and Softening Conditioner |
Buying Options
10. Best Deep Cleaning
Animology
Specification
Coat Type - All types
Scent - Mild
Dilute - No
Reasons to Buy
+ Award winning formula
+ Great value
+ Mild for sensitive skins
+ Deals with Fox Poo!
Reasons to Avoid
- Scent not long lasting
If you have a 'roller' then you've already discovered the amazing scent of fox poo. The scent is so bad that Animology decided fox poo warranted its very own shampoo!
Specially formulated, this shampoo is created to not only remove fox poo from your dog's coat but to remove the very persistent bad smell it leaves behind.
We love this shampoo because it does exactly what it says on the tin and the customer reviews back that up.
The scent left on your dog's coat (their signature fragrance) is mild but pleasant although it doesn't last long. If you're wondering about using it on a dog with sensitive skin then the shampoo is fairly mild and can be used on puppies from 6 weeks.
So if fox poo is your dogs idea of Chanel No.5 ( or the poo of any other animals including sheep, duck, badger and cow poo) - definitely take a look at Animology.
It's worth noting that Animology have recently rebranded their whole range of shampoos as well as adding a new product - Spa Day Skin & Coat Shampoo. |
Buying Options
Top Tips for Bathing your Pooch
Here's Smart Bark's top tips on bathing your pooch :-
✅ Brush before bathing
✅ Don't be tempted to add more shampoo. Some dog shampoos are designed for limited foam so they are easier to rinse. This allows for speedy bath times and reduces the chance of any shampoo remaining on your dog after the bath
✅ Check if the shampoo needs diluting. If so, prepare ahead of your dog's bath with a jug or better still a water bottle (easy to shake and mix)
✅ Always leave the shampoo on your dog's coat for a few minutes before rinsing. This enables the ingredients and essential oils time to clean and moisturise your dog's coat
✅ Don't rush the rinse. Shampoo residue can cause itching and skin irritation
✅ If your dog really hates baths, consider investing in a LickiMat Splash.
This bowl shaped lick mat with a suction plate to stick to your bath or tiles.
Add some Pets Purest dog-friendly Peanut Butter and bingo a perfectly behaved and distracted dog whilst you shampoo!
Take a look at our review of lick mats and how they can help - Best Lick Mats for Dogs
FAQs
Can I use human shampoo on my dog?
Human shampoo won't necessarily harm your dog as a one-off but they're not formulated at the same pH level as human shampoos. Long term they will be too harsh for your dog's skin and can cause itching and rashes.
How often should you wash your dog?
Generally, most dogs only need to be bathed about once a month. Dogs are much better left without being washed as they have sensitive skin and cleaning them too often can dry their skin and irritate their skin. Obviously use you own judgement, if they start to smell, it's time for a bath.
How often should I bathe my puppy?
Puppies are no different from adult dogs. Where possible try to bath once a month with a gentle puppy shampoo. In between monthly baths, simply wash their paws or mud off with water or hypoallergenic dog wipes.
We hope you've found the perfect shampoo for your pampered pooch in our guide to the Best Dog Shampoos for 2024. Thanks for dropping by.
