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Types of Dog Shampoos

It’s natural for dogs to roll in the dirt, tumble in the hay, and wade through shallow creeks. All of this activity can lead to one dirty looking and sour smelling dog. Fortunately, a nice clean bath with the right shampoo can restore your dog and his coat to their personal best.

Bath time for a Bulldog.

Canine shampoos are available in such a wide variety, that there is sure to be one for your pet. In fact, the shampoos are available in waterless types as well as the kind that you use with water. This makes it easier to keep your dog clean when you are away on a vacation and don’t have a proper place to bathe your dog.

Let’s take a look at some of the most popular types of canine shampoos on the market today.

Medicated Shampoo

Even dogs experience skin problems such as itchy rashes. A large variety of medicated shampoos have been specially formulated to help deal with this type of canine problem. The medicated shampoos have been prepared with a variety of ingredients, many of which are also included in the product’s name.

Some of the ingredients that you can expect to find in different medicated shampoos include: eucalyptus, peppermint, tea tree oil, aloe, and coal tar. Not all of the shampoos use the same ingredients mainly because they are treating different types of skin problems including allergic rashes, dry skin patches, rashes due to pest infestation, and contact rashes.

Flea and Tick Shampoo

Flea and tick shampoos are designed to help eliminate problems with flea and tick infestation on your dog. When shopping for a flea shampoo, it is important to purchase the right product. If your pet is still a puppy, then you want to make sure that you buy a flea shampoo that is safe for puppies. If your pet has suffered skin irritation due to his recent infestation of fleas and/or ticks, then you may want to consider a flea and tick shampoo that includes lanolin.

Whitening and Color Enhancing Shampoo

For many of our canine friends, their coats are their best feature and their shining glory- provided their master keeps it clean and well groomed. Fortunately, many shampoos have been manufactured solely for two purposes. The first is to clean the dog’s coat. The second is to add whitening or color enhancing effects to our dog’s fur.

Typically, these shampoos are for use with water and are available in plastic containers in a variety of sizes. The smaller sizes range between 8 and 12 ounces, while the larger refill size is usually a full gallon.

Waterless Shampoo

Waterless shampoos typically come in a liquid spray or a powder spray form. The containers can usually be purchased in an 8-ounce, easy to handle container. Additionally, larger gallon size refills of the liquid variety of waterless canine shampoo are also for sale.

The waterless shampoos do not require any rinsing or washing off once it is applied to the dog’s coat. Even within this limited category of shampoos, a variety of options exist including tearless and grooming varieties. A smaller market of waterless shampoo products includes a powder version for dogs.

Allergy Relief Shampoo

A good allergy relief shampoo is the perfect solution for families that include at least one member who is allergic to the dog. Most of the allergy relief shampoos are designed to remove dander, thereby alleviating allergy problems.

Conditioners

Conditioners or shampoos that include conditioners may be helpful for detangling the fur of longhaired dogs. Proper grooming is the better option here. However, longhaired dogs do have a tendency toward tangled or knotted hair.

Deodorizers

Shampoos that contain some type of deodorizing element are readily available in pet stores, supermarkets, and online. Their intent is to leave you with a fresh smelling dog. However, some dogs simply smell like wet dogs once they have had a bath. In addition to deodorizing shampoos, a number of cologne sprays are also available for our dogs.