9 Best Dog Shampoos in 2025, Recommended by Vets

Your pup might not be the biggest fan of bath time, but when you finally wrangle them into the tub, you’ll need to pick a good dog shampoo to get them squeaky clean with a soft and shiny coat.

Dogs usually smell better after some suds, but there are other benefits to bathing too. Washing dogs with shampoo can clean their fur, protect their skin, and leave their coat with a healthy sheen.

When picking the best dog shampoo for your pup, choose one with simple and safe ingredients and pH balanced specifically for dog skin. We’ve consulted our panel of vets to find out which dog shampoos they recommend and why.

What To Consider When Selecting the Best Dog Shampoo

Reputable Brand

When shopping for a good dog shampoo, choose one made by a trusted brand backed by experience and research. Reputable brands invest in development, and they research the most effective and safe ingredients for different conditions.

Pet parents need to trust that the dog shampoo’s ingredients are effective, high quality, safe, and targeted to their pet’s issues.

Age Appropriate

Dogs’ skin and coat change with time and are especially delicate when they are puppies.

When picking the best dog shampoo and conditioner for your pup, watch out for age restrictions, particularly on medicated shampoos, as some ingredients might not be safe for very young or old dogs.

For puppies, the best dog shampoo has a gentle formula made specifically to soothe their delicate skin.

Species Appropriate

Good dog shampoos contain safe and effective ingredients created specifically for their skin barrier, their coat, and their skin’s pH balance, which is different from humans and other species, such as cats.

Shampoos made for humans and other species might contain ingredients—such as soaps, sulfates, parabens, and silicones—that can cause mild to severe reactions in dogs, such as itching, redness, dry skin, hives, or swelling.

Targeted Ingredients

Pet parents bathe their dogs for a variety of reasons besides getting them clean, such as soothing itchy skin, helping with shedding, removing fleas, and easing hot spots.

Today’s dog shampoos contain beneficial ingredients, with a variety of formulas targeted for distinct skin and coat issues. Choose the best dog shampoo designed for your pup’s particular skin and coat issues. If unsure, ask your veterinarian for a recommendation.

Personal Preference

Scent, low or full lather, ease of rinsing, and application type (spray, foam, bar, or liquid) all depend on your preference—or your dog’s.

Dog shampoos come in scented, lightly scented, and unscented fragrances. Some pet parents find a bar soap easier to use, while others prefer liquid or spray. There’s also waterless shampoo, so you can easily bathe away the stink between baths.

No matter your preference, choose a safe dog shampoo with the ingredients and qualities you need.

How We Chose the Best Dog Shampoos

This list of the best dog shampoos was meticulously curated by a panel of veterinarians and veterinary technicians who are employed by Chewy, the publisher of PetMD.

They were asked to choose the best dog shampoos in their honest opinion, across multiple categories, based on the following:  

• Brand reputation
• Age appropriateness
• Species appropriateness
• Targeted ingredients

Opinions and product recommendations in this article belong solely to the review panel of vets and animal health experts.

Manufacturers and vendors cannot buy placement in Vet Verified content or exert influence on our panelists as they evaluate products.

Our sole goal with this program is to provide pet parents with the information they need to make the best decision for their pets.

Dog Shampoo FAQs

Can I use human shampoo on dogs?

Do not use human shampoo or other species-specific shampoos—such as cat shampoo—on your dog. Dogs have different pH balance, skin, and coat requirements than humans or other animals do. Ingredients meant for humans could cause slight to severe reactions, such as hives, redness, or swelling.

Do dogs need conditioner?

Not all dogs need a conditioner. Dogs with certain skin or coat types—such as those with dry and sensitive skin or those with long hair—might benefit from a good conditioner to smooth, moisturize, and keep tangles at bay.

Check with a professional groomer or veterinarian for recommended gentle conditioners that target your dog’s coat type.

How often should I use dog shampoo on dogs?

You can use a gentle, safe dog shampoo every time you bathe your dog, the frequency of which will depend on the season, breed, coat type, and need.

Read the dog shampoo’s directions to see whether it’s recommended for daily use or for no more than once a week, as it varies depending on ingredients and purpose of shampoo.

Can dog shampoo be used on cats?

Do not use dog shampoo on cats. Ingredients in dog shampoos can be toxic or irritating to cats.

Dog and cat skin have many differences, including pH levels and the types of healthy organisms that live on the skin. Because of these differences, shampoos made specifically for dogs or specifically for cats should only be used on the species indicated on the label.

There are some products specifically formulated for both dogs and cats, so make sure you are reading the product label carefully.