10 Best Dog Shampoos in the UK – 2024 Reviews & Top Picks

There are a lot of factors to take into account when choosing a dog shampoo. You should never use human shampoo, and while an all-purpose dog shampoo is good for regular use and on most dogs, it may not be the best choice for your pet or their circumstances. Some shampoos are suitable for dogs with all sorts of issues depending on their skin health, age, and breed.

To help you find the ideal shampoo for your dog, we have listed and reviewed the best dog shampoos in the UK below.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favourites of 2024

The 10 Best Dog Shampoos in the UK

1. Animology Dogs Body Shampoo – Best Overall

Animology Dogs Body Shampoo is an all-purpose shampoo. It has a balanced pH, so is suitable for all healthy coats and dog breeds. The mild formula minimizes the risk of causing irritation to the skin and coat because it is so easy to wash off. It also contains vitamin B5, which is a fat-soluble vitamin that seals moisture in hair and is especially beneficial to dogs with dry hair and flaky scalps. Dog’s Body Shampoo is a scented shampoo that leaves dogs smelling fresh and clean, as well as looking like they just got home from the groomer.

The perfume scent is mild and initially effective, although the smell does dissipate quite quickly. Animology’s shampoo, our best overall dog shampoo in the UK, does a good job of cleaning the coat without causing damage. This is a good all-purpose shampoo for regular cleaning, although you may need something stronger for especially smelly pups.

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2. Wahl Dirty Beastie Concentrate Shampoo – Best Value

Wahl Dirty Beastie Concentrate Shampoo is designed for use on a host of animals, including dogs. It uses natural ingredients like aloe and is free from parabens, gluten, silicone, phthalates, and alcohol. It is vegan friendly and, because it is a concentrate and comes in a large, 5-liter bottle, it will last for hundreds of washes while costing a fraction of the price, making it the best dog shampoo in the UK for the money.

The shampoo is a 32:1 concentrate, which means that you will need to mix a single measure of concentrate with 32 measures of warm water before applying. Once mixed, you use it in the same way as any undiluted shampoo.

Dirty Beastie is formulated using aloe and other natural ingredients like pear, peach, and kiwi. It does a reasonable job of cleaning really mucky dogs, but it doesn’t have a very strong smell and the viscous liquid is difficult to mix effectively. Because it is a concentrate, the large bottle will effectively make 160 liters of shampoo, although it does require some extra work while bathing your dog.

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3. ProGroom Natural Oatmeal Dog Shampoo – Premium Choice

ProGroom Natural Oatmeal Dog Shampoo is a natural shampoo made from colloidal oatmeal. Colloidal oatmeal is made from ground oat kernels which are then blended with water. For humans, it is used to treat conditions like dermatitis because it is sensitive to the skin and it soothes and moisturizes. These benefits transfer to dogs as well. It also encourages the protein HIF1-a to help repair a dog’s skin. As such, ProGroom Natural Oatmeal Dog Shampoo is not only sensitive and useful for dogs with irritable skin, but it can also bring new life to a dull-looking coat.

Other ingredients in ProGroom’s shampoo include Vitamin B5, aloe vera, and omega fatty acids. It is vegan-friendly and is free from chemicals, artificial colors, and fragrances. The shampoo does have a pleasant oatmeal shampoo, but it comes in a small bottle and has a large price tag. It’s also quite difficult to create a decent lather.

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4. Groom Professional Baby Fresh Shampoo – Best for Puppies

Puppies need sensitive shampoo to ensure that it doesn’t damage their coat, but they also tend to roll around and get dirty while exploring their new surroundings. Groom Professional Baby Fresh Shampoo contains aloe vera, which soothes skin while also conditioning the coat. Suitable for puppies aged 12 weeks and over, it even has a baby powder smell that reminds you of youth.

This is a 20:1 dilutable shampoo, which means that it requires you to mix 20 parts of warm water with 1 part of shampoo before each use. While dilutable shampoo does add inconvenience to its use, it also keeps the cost of the product down and means that this large bottle can be diluted to create 80 liters of shampoo. The cost and sensitive properties of Groom Professional Baby Fresh Shampoo, as well as the pleasant baby powder smell, make this our choice as the best puppy shampoo in the UK.

The ingredients do contain sodium lauryl sulfate, which can cause allergic reactions in some dogs, so avoid Baby Fresh if you know your dog is allergic. Consider buying a smaller bottle if you want to test it and be sure before you invest in the bigger container.

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5. Pretty Pooch Fox Poo Dog Shampoo

Fox poo—some dogs love it, most owners hate it. It has a really strong odor, which not only attracts dogs to roll in it and get themselves covered, but it is also sticky and difficult to effectively remove from dog fur.

Pretty Pooch Fox Poo Dog Shampoo comes in a large 5-liter bottle and is suitable for those dogs that go fox poo hunting when off their leash. It has a citrus smell designed to cover the pungent smell of feces and other nasty aromas. It uses plant-based enzymes, which break down the particles and then remove them from the fur, and is suitable for use on dogs of all sizes and breeds. However, they must be at least 6 weeks old before they can bathe in it.

It is affordable when bought in a large bottle, but it will take a few washes to get rid of really foul-smelling odors and to ensure your dog is clean and fresh.

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6. Pet Head Furtastic Shampoo and Conditioner

Pet Head’s Furtastic range includes a variety of specialist shampoos and conditioners, including this set geared towards pets with long, curly, and tangly coats. While a lot of shampoos do contain conditioner, the conditioning formula is washed out too soon to be truly effective. As with human grooming products, those that include separate shampoo and conditioner can offer a smoother, softer coat with fewer tangles.

The ingredients include shea butter to moisturize, apricot and melon for skin nourishment, and a watermelon scent. Because you need to apply shampoo and conditioner separately, the Pet Head Furtastic combination is not ideal if you have a large dog that struggles and resists, and it also means that this works out more expensive than a lot of other shampoo options.

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7. Cooper & Grace Flea Shampoo For Dogs

Flea shampoo aims to kill adult fleas as well as their eggs, which means that your pup won’t be reinfested within a few days of use. It should also clean the coat while being soothing and helping to calm cracked skin caused by itching.

Cooper & Grace Flea Shampoo For Dogs uses natural ingredients like lavender, chamomile, avocado, coconut, almond, and oatmeal and has a pH between 5.5 and 6.5. It claims to kill fleas at all life stages. Instructions state that it takes a couple of capfuls for each wash, although you may have to use more if you have a large or giant breed.

Not only is Cooper & Grace Flea Shampoo cruelty-free, but it is also paraben-free, uses natural ingredients, and does a good job of killing fleas and soothing irritation. It is quite expensive, especially if you do have a large breed. It won’t prevent reinfestation from other sources, though, and it is a thin liquid that is easy to spill or over-apply.

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8. Faith In Nature Natural Coconut Dog Shampoo

Faith In Nature Natural Coconut Dog Shampoo is a natural, pH-balanced detangling shampoo. It contains 99% natural ingredients and natural fragrance, is vegan friendly, and uses cruelty-free manufacturing and production.

It lathers up well and comes as either a liquid shampoo or a shampoo bar. There is less plastic and packaging with the shampoo bar, although it is a little more difficult to use. The shampoo is pH-balanced for dogs’ coats and fortified with vitamin E to give a shiny finish. Coconut oil assists in detangling long, curly, and matted coats. The shampoo is suitable for dogs aged over 6 weeks old. The shampoo is roughly average in price. However, the natural coconut smell does disappear quickly.

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9. Johnson’s Skin Calm Dog Shampoo

Johnson’s Skin Calm Dog Shampoo is billed as a calming dog shampoo designed to reduce itchiness and soothe dry and cracked skin. It has antibacterial and soothing properties and can be used on dogs of any breed and size. Because the bottle is quite small, it can be expensive, and there is a long list of safety warnings on the bottle, including the inclusion of substances that can cause an allergic reaction and the fairly typical warning of potential eye irritation.

Johnson’s Skin Calm Dog Shampoo can be effective in soothing red and irritable skin, but it is worth testing a small amount on your dog before you use the full amount.

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10. Vet’s Best Hypo-Allergenic Shampoo for Dogs

Vet’s Best Hypo-Allergenic Shampoo for Dogs is a hypoallergenic shampoo that uses Aloe Vera and vitamin E to soothe and moisturize skin while cleaning your dog’s coat and fur. It can be used with topical flea and tick treatments and is beneficial in combating the symptoms of dermatitis, seasonal allergies, and sensitive skin.

The shampoo is quite expensive, and it has caused some dogs to itch more, so it is a good idea to try out a small amount before using the full, advised amount.

Buyer’s Guide: Finding the Best Dog Shampoo in the UK

Owners want what is best for their dogs, and a good shampoo not only helps keep a dog healthy and clean, but can also eliminate odors and make grooming and brushing easier. But what should you be looking for when buying a dog shampoo?

Types of Dog Shampoo

Although manufacturers and retailers use a lot of different names, dog shampoo can typically be characterized in the following ways:

Hypoallergenic

Hypoallergenic means having minimal risk of causing allergic reactions. It is impossible to remove or avoid all possible allergens, but a hypoallergenic dog shampoo should contain fewer substances that are known to cause reactions. These tend to use natural ingredients rather than harsh chemicals, but this also means that they tend to be more watery and may not lather as well.

Sensitive Skin

Shampoo that is labeled as suitable for sensitive skin is similar to hypoallergenic shampoo. It uses fewer or no chemicals and typically relies on natural ingredients. Sensitive skin shampoo will also include some ingredients that are designed to soothe sensitive skin caused by itching or allergies. Common ingredients include aloe or colloidal oatmeal, but there are many others.

Detangling

Detangling shampoos use a slipping agent. This stays on the coat even after the shampoo has been rinsed off. It causes hairs to slip away from one another rather than becoming tangled. Detangling shampoo is especially effective for dogs with matted hair but can also be effective for those with long or curly hair.

Flea Shampoo

Fleas are an unfortunate, but almost unavoidable, part of a dog owner’s life. Some dogs can suffer badly from infestations and the bites can cause inflammation and may lead to a dog scratching and biting the area. Flea shampoos contain either a chemical or natural ingredient that kills fleas. While some flea shampoos are designed to kill adult fleas, others are designed so that they eradicate fleas at all lifecycle stages, from eggs to adults.

Dilutable

Dilutable shampoo comes in a concentrated form and needs to be mixed, typically with warm water, before use. The benefits of this type of shampoo are that even a small bottle of shampoo can be diluted to make a large volume of shampoo, and it does tend to cost less and last longer. However, it can be very tedious and difficult to mix.

Is It Safe to Use Human Shampoo On Dogs?

Dogs need a shampoo with a pH value between 6.5 and 7.5, whereas human shampoo typically has a pH value of less than 6. This means that the human shampoo is likely too acidic for your dog. Using a human shampoo may not cause lasting or severe damage if used in an emergency, but it should not be used as a regular replacement for a good quality dog shampoo with a neutral pH.

Is Baby Shampoo Safe for Dogs?

Baby shampoos have a pH value closer to 7.0 because it eliminates the likelihood of causing tears and stinging in a baby’s eyes. Because this falls within the ideal pH range for dog shampoo, baby shampoo is considered safer and milder for use on dogs. You can use baby shampoo to bathe your dog in a pinch, but it still shouldn’t be considered a permanent replacement because dog shampoo is specially formulated for the needs of dogs.

How Often Should You Wash Your Dog?

Many factors determine the ideal bathing frequency for dogs. The length of your dog’s hair, their skin and coat health, and whether they regularly get dirty are some of the most important factors. Generally, it is recommended that a dog be bathed every 3 months and groomed regularly between baths. However, certain breeds and dogs that get really dirty may need weekly baths.

Do Puppies Need Special Shampoo?

Puppies are more sensitive than their adult canine counterparts, but some also have a much greater tendency to get dirty and smelly. Puppy shampoos are formulated to help maintain good coat health while also being effective enough to remove dirt and grime and get rid of smells.

Do Long-Haired Dogs Need Special Shampoo?

A long coat is more likely to get tangled, and detangling shampoo includes slipping agents that help prevent knots. However, if your dog doesn’t suffer in this way, there is no need to opt for a long-haired shampoo.

Conclusion

Not all dog shampoos are the same. As well as those designed for different life stages, there are shampoos specifically for dogs with long hair, for dogs that require hypoallergenic shampoo, and that are formulated with anti-flea treatment. Above, we have listed 10 of the best dog shampoos in the UK, including Animology Dog’s Body which is affordable, vegan-friendly, and has a neutral pH value that benefits your dog and its coat.

If you’re looking to save money on dog shampoo, Wahl Dirty Beastie is a really affordable dog shampoo, but it does need diluting with warm water before you use it.

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Featured Image Credit to Nishizuka, Pexels