Best Dog Shampoo For Dry Skin: 5 Itching, Flaking & Odor Fixes! (2024)

We all know how painful and frustrating dry skin can be, don’t we?

Imagine how it must feel to be a dog with dry skin. Not knowing what is wrong or having the means to fix it yourself must be very stressful. 

It’s up to us owners to help our fur babies out, and what better way to help their dry skin than with a dog shampoo designed to tackle it. 

Finding the best dog shampoo for dry skin, however, can feel overwhelming.

There are so many on the market with such a wide range of prices, knowing where to start can feel impossible. 

That is where we come swooping in to save the day!

Stick around for the best dog shampoo for dry skin, our handy buyer’s guide to provide you with all the tips and tricks to this purchase, and an FAQ section to answer all your questions. 

In a hurry? Check out our top picks to grab your shampoo and hydrate your pooch! 

These are some of our favorites!

Review of The Best Dog Shampoo for dry skin

#1: Pro Pet Works All Natural and Organic Shampoo and Conditioner

Pro Pet Works offers a reasonably priced shampoo and conditioner designed to alleviate your dog’s dry and itchy skin.

This shampoo is excellent for sensitive pets as it is hypoallergenic. 

Pro Pet Works shampoo is free of artificial colors, irritants, alcohol, fragrance, and toxins, making it an excellent option for even the most sensitive of dogs.

The shampoo is made up of natural ingredients such as oatmeal and aloe vera to help soothe and hydrate the skin. 

As a brand, Pro Pet Works is conscious of the environment and its part to make a small footprint.

Their bottle is 100% biodegradable and completely cruelty free. There are also no animal by-products so that those plant-based owners can use them with ease. 

The shampoo is suitable for regular use and should not disrupt any flea treatments, so you don’t need to worry about that either.

The shampoo is combined with a conditioner to provide a shine to your dog’s coat and leave it feeling silky soft. 

Some customers found that the cherry scent on this shampoo did not last for a long time, compared to other brands or the groomers where your dog can have that fresh, clean smell for a while.

This may not be an essential factor for you, but it is worth mentioning. 

Pro Pet Works uses aloe vera combined with almond oil to provide hydration.

The vitamin E in almond oil keeps the skin cells healthy and protects the skin from UV radiation damage.

It also promotes quick skin repair and retains the moisturizer to help your dog deliver soft and soothed skin. 

Customers were pleased with how well this worked and found that their pets’ hair was easier to manage and that the shampoo provided a lot of suds, meaning you only need to use a little to deliver an outstanding clean to your dogs! 

Those after a super safe, affordable, and soothing shampoo that really will help your dog’s dry skin need to look no further than Pro Pet Works because it does work!

Likes:

• Decently priced. 
• 100% biodegradable.
• Great for dogs with allergies to food, grass, and flea bites. 
• No artificial colors, irritants, alcohol, fragrance, or toxins.
• Organic ingredients.

Dislikes:

• Some customers found the scent did not last long. 

More time to browse? Check out our other fantastic recommendations to keep your doggy satisfied! 

Other Great Options for Dog Shampoo for Dry Skin

Veterinary Formula Clinical Care Dog Shampoo

Veterinary Formula offers an affordable medicated shampoo to help relieve your dog’s dry skin. 

The shampoo can be used for various conditions, such as dermatitis, mange, seborrhea, parasitic, and bacterial infections.

It is recommended that you use this shampoo two to three times a week initially until the dog’s skin improves. After this point, it can be used less frequently. 

What’s great about this shampoo is that it is veterinary recommended, meaning you can put your trust in this shampoo.

If it’s good enough for the professionals then why not you too? 

The shampoo is also paraben, dye, and soap free. The shampoo contains coal tar, salicylic acid, and micronized sulfur, which controls bacterial infections.

The shampoo also contains oatmeal and allantoin, which promote healing and work to hydrate your dog’s skin.

The ingredients in this shampoo cannot be listed as hypoallergenic, so those with sensitive pooches may want to consider another option.

If your dog is suffering from a bacterial infection or severe symptoms associated with dry skin, then this is an excellent option to consider. 

The shampoo is suitable for dogs over 12 weeks old and includes a pH balanced treatment ideal for dogs with sensitive skin. 

The shampoo is excellent for those with a small budget or dogs with more severe symptoms or infections.

You can rest easy knowing vets approve it for sensitive skin! 

Likes:

• Affordable. 
• Quick relief and fast acting.
• Vet-level components used. 
• Works to help with greasy skin, rashes, and dandruff.
• Suitable for seborrhea and scaling skin.

Dislikes:

• It’s not considered hypoallergenic. 

Paws & Pals 5-in-1 Oatmeal Dog Shampoo

Paws & Pals offers an affordable dog shampoo that will also condition your dog’s coat.

The shampoo is also suitable for cats with dry skin, so it’s an excellent option for those with multiple pets! 

The shampoo is vegan friendly and made with lots of organic ingredients such as oatmeal and aloe vera, which work to hydrate and soothe your dog’s irritated and dry skin.

Pro-vitamin B5 is also included, and as a naturally occurring vitamin, it’s a great natural addition to soothe and hydrate your pet’s coat. 

Paws & Pals shampoo is also veterinary approved, which means you can trust the shampoo to do what it says!

The natural ingredients have helped relieve itchy skin, spots, dry skin, and some allergy symptoms! This does depend on your dog, as every pup is different. 

The shampoo is made with a tear-free soapless formula to ensure that your dog’s eyes and nose are not irritated or inflamed, making bath time an enjoyable experience for the both of you, although there is still a strong chance of splashing! 

Not all the ingredients used are suitable for sensitive dogs, resulting in exacerbating your dog’s dry skin or resulting in a rash.

We would recommend a shampoo labeled as hypoallergenic for those with sensitive dogs to ensure that there won’t be a reaction. 

Customers enjoyed the shampoo quality, with some reporting that it helped reduce the amount of hair their dogs shed daily!

If you are after a great shampoo that is vegan friendly and helps deliver a clean and soothed dog, this is the shampoo for you!

Likes: 

• Affordable. 
• Cruelty and soap free. 
• Great for itchy, dry, and inflamed skin. 
• Made with lots of organic ingredients.
• Vegan friendly. 

Dislikes:

• Not all ingredients are suitable for sensitive skin.

4-Legger Organic Dog Shampoo

4-Legger’s shampoo is made in small batches, all handcrafted, and uses plant-based vegan USDA organic oils to create a great and reasonably priced shampoo! 

You don’t need to use it a lot either, as it is super concentrated and will last a long time!

The shampoo lathers up well too, providing you with an excellent shampoo for your dog’s dry skin. 

4-Legger uses vegan ingredients such as coconut oil, lemongrass essential oil, and soothing aloe vera.

All of these are organic too, providing you with high-quality ingredients to help soothe your pet’s dry skin.

They are also USDA certified, so 4-Legger’s money is where their mouth is!

There are no synthetic, artificial, or toxic ingredients in this shampoo, making it safe for all dog ages and even humans!

At such a reasonable price, why not double up and share? After all, they do say pets are like their owners! 

What’s great about this shampoo is that the lemongrass oil used is an excellent deterrent for fleas, so you don’t need to worry about your dog falling prey to further itching from these! 

4-Legger has so much faith in their product that they even offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.

If you have any issues or are not happy, you can return it for a 100% refund! Great for those who are maybe on the fence about trying out this great shampoo! 

Some customers found the shampoo a little more watery than others by 4-Legger, which means that it may get into your dog’s eyes.

This was not an issue reported by all customers; you may just want to take care of the eyes as usual! 

Overall, customers were pleased with this shampoo and found that it provided relief from itching and promoted healthy hair growth.

This hypoallergenic shampoo is an excellent option for those after a decently priced shampoo that will soothe your dog’s skin without any harmful chemicals!

Likes:

• Biodegradable and sustainable ingredients.
• No synthetic or artificial chemicals used. 
• Reasonably priced. 
• Lemongrass essential oil works to deter fleas. 
• 30-day money-back guarantee. 

Dislikes:

• Some customers found the shampoo a little watery.

Wahl Dog/Pet Shampoo

At a very low price, Wahl offers a highly concentrated dog shampoo designed to relieve dry, itchy, and irritated skin. 

The shampoo is made using no artificial chemicals and is plant derived to help deliver your pet’s skin.

Wahl uses coconut, lemon, aloe, and lime verbena to soothe the skin and help provide hydration.

The shampoo is also PEG-80 free, alcohol free, and paraben free. It is pH balanced for dogs too, so you know you are in safe hands! 

Some customers found that the shampoo did not agree with their dogs and left them itching afterward.

As the shampoo is not listed as hypoallergenic, it is worth using one of our other recommended products to avoid any further irritation for those with sensitive dogs. 

The shampoo lathers well with only a little needed to get some serious suds and give your dog an excellent clean!

The shampoo also has a pleasant and long-lasting smell, ensuring that your pet will be fresh for a while. 

Customers were impressed with how well the shampoo worked at relieving dry skin and stopping their dogs from scratching their skin too.

A bonus is how soft and shiny it leaves your dog’s fur also! Their coat will be the talk of the dog park in no time. 

For those after an excellent shampoo that is affordable and paraben free, Wahl’s is the one for you!

Likes:

• No artificial chemicals are included. 
• Good lather.
• Affordable.
• Coconut and lime verbena helps to soothe dry and irritated skin.
• Alcohol and paraben free.

Dislikes:

• It may not be suitable for all dogs with sensitive skin.

Buyer’s Guide

Not too sure what you need from your dog’s shampoo? Read our buyer’s guide for all the answers! 

Formulation 

Generally, there are two specific formulas that will provide the best relief and results: organic and hypoallergenic shampoos. 

Both of these formulas will help stop your dog from scratching and help avoid any allergic reactions to their new shampoo. 

Organic

Organic shampoos are made with only natural ingredients and are widely considered safe to use on all dogs.

They are made without artificial additives or chemical ingredients and are designed not to cause any allergic reactions. 

Organic shampoos will often contain nourishing ingredients that can soothe the skin and provide natural hydration to your dog’s skin.

Those whose dogs have sensitive skin and who want to avoid chemical-based products should find organic shampoos an excellent option for their dogs. 

Hypoallergenic

When looking for your dog’s shampoo, you will certainly see the word hypoallergenic being used, and it does raise the question – do you need a hypoallergenic shampoo for your dog? 

If your dog has any allergies or sensitivities, then we would recommend opting for a hypoallergenic shampoo.

A hypoallergenic shampoo is less likely to cause any further irritation as it will be free of toxins, chemicals, and usually fragrance.

As your dog’s skin is dry, it runs the risk of being easily irritated, so it is better to introduce their skin and coat to more natural-based products. 

Key Ingredients

Every shampoo brand will tell you that their ingredients are the best for your dog’s dry skin.

When you just want to help your dog, it can be overwhelming to pick the right ingredients. 

Vitamin E is often used for its nourishing properties to provide moisture to the skin. You can usually buy it as an oil to massage into your dog’s fur to provide hydration.

For those with dehydrated skin, this could be done in between washes. 

Vitamin E is also safe for dogs, so you don’t need to worry too much if they lick themselves after you have applied it. 

It can also protect against UV rays when your dog is out in the sun – a bonus! You can find Vitamin E in some dog shampoos if you don’t wish to add it separately. 

Aloe vera is another excellent ingredient to look out for in your dog’s shampoo.

Aloe vera is perfect for soothing the skin and providing relief from the itchy feeling your dog’s skin might have.

It is often added to dog shampoos as it is a natural ingredient derived from plants. 

How Much?

When deciding what dog shampoo to go for, price is an essential factor to consider.

The cost of dog shampoo, especially for complaints like dry skin, can range in price.

Be sure to set a clear budget before you begin your search to ensure you get the best option for you and your budget. 

Remember that you don’t need to spend a fortune to get a good quality dog shampoo for your dog and its dry skin!

Remember to keep an eye out for larger bottles on special offers to get a bargain! 

Your dog’s diet can impact their skin’s health positively or negatively. Learn how to choose wisely when selecting dog food here.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Tell If My Dog Has Dry Skin?

Every dog will be different, and certain breeds can show symptoms differently, but generally, there are some key symptoms you can look out  for to tell if your dog has dry skin.

The main ones are itchiness and excessive scratching. There are other common symptoms to look out for, such as: 

• Dandruff.
• Flaking. 
• Hair loss.
• Inflammation.
• Increased bad odor.
• An oily coat. 
• Pimples. 
• Scaly skin.
• Scabs. 

Your dog may experience all of these symptoms, or they may just have the itchiness, which is most common.

Be sure to keep an eye on your dog, and if you notice a change in any symptoms or are concerned, be sure to contact a vet to make sure there is no underlying condition other than dry skin. 

How Often Should I Shampoo My Dog?

Every breed is different, so be sure to check with a vet or groomer if you are unsure or need further advice.

Generally speaking, a dog needs to be shampooed once every three months. If your dog smells, or like mine, enjoys a muddy walk, they can be washed to clean them.

Take care not to wash your dog too often. Weekly shampoos can strip your dog’s coat of its natural oils (just like when you wash human hair too often), which can be harmful to a dog. 

Last update on 2024-04-18 at 19:01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API