Best Shampoo for Australian Shepherds

You don’t need to bring your Australian Shepherd to a professional groomer every time they get dirty from playing outside. Whether you’re an experienced dog owner or not, you can bathe your dog in your bathroom or in your yard — wherever feels comfortable for your pup. That being said, you need to get the best shampoo for Australian Shepherd dogs to ensure their fur is in its best health and the product is safe for their skin.

Australian Shepherd dogs are known for their thick and long fur.

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Best Shampoo for Australian Shepherd Comparison

• Earthbath All Natural Pet Shampoo
• Natural Dog Shampoo Bentonite Concentrated-Organic by Moosh
• Wahl Dog/Puppy Shampoo
• DVM PHARMACEUTICALS Hylyt Shampoo for Pets

Australian Shepherd Coat Care

Just like with human hair, our pets also need shampoos to keep their fur manageable and clean. As with most human hair products, these dog shampoos were specifically made to keep their fur strong and healthy. They also tend to keep its natural shine and oil as much as possible.

However, human shampoos are far different than a shampoo for Australian Shepherd or any dog shampoos in particular. A dog’s skin is more alkaline whereas shampoos for us humans are more acidic. If you use any of your shampoo on your dog, there’s a tendency that it would dry their skin. Apart from that, ingredients and chemicals in our shampoo may prove to be too harsh on a dog’s thinner skin. It could cause several skin conditions that can affect not just their look but also their health.

It’s also best to purchase a shampoo for your dog that specifically caters to their skin types and issues. Many dogs have allergies — may it be with food or their surroundings. There are specific types of shampoos that have medicated formulas to help soothe allergic reactions.

Finding the right shampoo for Australian Shepherd can enhance your dog’s overall look while making sure they are safe and healthy. Normally, these shampoos for your pup can work on any breed so your dog, no matter what breed they are, can still make full use of the products we listed.

Dog’s Coat

Your dog’s coat could be the basis of whether they are sensitive to various elements or not. For example, those with thinner single coats are often more prone to cold or hot weather compared to thicker coats or dogs with double coats. That could also affect their sensitivity to chemicals such as those in a shampoo.

Their coat could also tell whether you need to frequently bathe them or they can go two weeks without getting a much-needed doggie shower. Normally, dogs with double coats like an Aussie Shepherd will need more bathing than those with thinner, single-layer coats.

Here are the best shampoo options for varying coat types:

• Thinner coat – A shampoo with a formula that can condition both skin and coat, but can help repel dust and dirt, cleanse and leave the coat shiny is the best choice.
• Normal to medium coats – These are the normal coats — not too thin but not too thick. Some have double coats but it’s basically a medium-density type of coat. For these dogs, get a shampoo with a stronger formula than what you use with thin-coated dogs. Just give them a more thorough rinse.
• Double-coated dogs – These are the dogs with heavier coats, normally with two layers. Because of that, they’ll need a shampoo that can penetrate both layers. Their shampoos are normally created for thicker fur and have conditioning effects that can penetrate both layers. This is the best type of shampoo for Australian Shepherd.

Dog’s Skin Type

A shampoo shouldn’t only be solely based on how it affects the coat. It’s also about skin care as well.

Consider your dog’s coat and skin type when finding a shampoo.

That’s why any product you choose for your dog should be gentle to their skin. Organic products which have fewer chemicals (some even boast they don’t use any chemicals at all) would be your best bet to keep your dog’s skin healthy.

You might also want to check your dog’s skin and check whether they experience skin conditions. For example, dogs with dry skin could benefit from a product with moisturizing effect. Find products with jojoba oil or oatmeal as it can help soothe them. Meanwhile, sensitive skins would call for hypoallergenic and gentle shampoos. This is where organic products enter.

Another important tip is to rinse your dog thoroughly, especially when they have dense coats like an Aussie Shepherd. Any leftover shampoo could further dry the skin and cause itching and flaking.

Ingredients

As with dog food, you also need to check the ingredients of the shampoo. Here are some of the ingredients you need to avoid as much as possible:

• Colorants and dyes – A bright yellow shampoo might look good, but additional colorants and dyes are linked to several cancers as well as with other serious health problems. For example, Tartrazine or a synthetic yellow dye is known to cause migraines, allergic reactions, hyperactivity as well as tumors. Natural colors for shampoos range from solid white to a light yellow.
• DEA, Lauramide DEA, and cocamide DEA – These are often used as foaming agents in various shampoos. However, it may cause cancer.
• Stearalkonium chloride – This is also commonly used in shampoos for its antimicrobial effect as well as a surfactant. But this can cause eye skin irritations, hypertension, and can negatively affect the brain and other organs.
• Parabens – These are used to help preserve the product. Parabens are known to mimic the hormone estrogen and are often linked to breast cancer.
• Chemical-based fragrances and perfumes – These types of chemicals can cause nausea, headache, and allergies.

Top Shampoos for Australian Shepherds

Earthbath All Natural Pet Shampoo

“Natural pet care and cruelty-free”

• Soap-free product
• 100% biodegradable
• All natural
• Aloe and Oatmeal itch-relief shampoo
• Good for dry, sensitive skin

A great choice for dogs with sensitive and dry skin, this Earthbath pet shampoo contains aloe vera extract as well as oatmeal (3%) to soothe the issue naturally. Since it’s an all-natural product, this is safe and gentle for your dog’s skin, especially with its pH balanced formula.

It does clean up your dog and has this heavenly scent that will leave you wanting to hug and kiss your dog after they took their bath.

Finding the right shampoo for Australian Shepherd is important to guarantee their safety and cleanliness.

This shampoo for Australian Shepherd is also soap-free, adding to the layer of gentleness it provides. But while it is organic, it does keep your dog’s fur cleaner while leaving its natural oil so it’s as shiny as ever.

If you read the ingredients, you can guarantee it does not have any parabens, DEA, synthetic colorants and any other harmful ingredients we’ve listed.

However, this shampoo is not tear-free, so be careful when you’re using it around your dog’s eyes and head as it might get in their eye and cause them pain. If that happens, redness may occur due to irritation. Rinse it as soon as possible with clean water and if it still stays, you should consult your vet. Nonetheless, you only need to be careful where you lather the shampoo.

Natural Dog Shampoo Bentonite Concentrated-Organic by Moosh

“Natural shampoo with anti-bacterial”

• All-natural shampoo
• Antibacterial, anti-itch, and anti-fungal
• Helps soothe hot spots
• Contains bentonite clay
• Includes aloe vera

This Moosh natural dog shampoo boasts its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-itch formulation. This helps save your dog from possible fungal and bacterial infections that can cause itching and skin allergies, with thanks to the inclusion of bentonite clay in the ingredients. Bentonite clay remains popular because of its natural healing abilities. That being said, it can help with the itching and hot spots.

If they are a little sensitive, this shampoo still works best as it’s gentle on the skin, including argan and neem oil, shea butter, and aloe vera that works best on sensitive skin as well as soothing itching and dry skin.

Speaking of skin, this has a pH balanced formula as well, making sure that it works well on your dog’s skin and avoiding dryness. Allergies can be avoided with the neem and argan oil combination. Meanwhile, aloe vera and shea butter works on keeping the skin moisturized and feeling healthy.

Of course, this shampoo cleans and it does a good job on it actually. It does smell good as well, with thanks to the essential oils it contains. Overall, this is a good shampoo for Australian Shepherd.

Wahl Dog/Puppy Shampoo

“Rich lather, easy rinse”

• Plant-derived oatmeal formula
• Coconut lime verbena scent
• Gentle formula
• Plant-derived ingredients
• Helps maintain fur and coat

From Wahl, this shampoo can be used by both puppies and adult dogs without any problem due to its natural ingredients that were derived from plants. This shampoo is specifically done with the oatmeal formula that works best with itchy, dry, and sensitive skins.

Besides cleaning your pet thoroughly, this also keeps your dog’s fur and coat healthy and minimize shedding. For Australian Shepherd dogs, shedding is a year-round thing so this definitely helps.

With natural products, it does not contain any parabens, alcohol, artificial colorants, preservatives, and perfumes. But it does have a coconut lime verbena scent which turns your dog into a cute and cuddly reminder of sunny days in summer. It has the right pH balance, keeping your dog’s skin safe.

This is good for any coat types, that means it’s not only a shampoo for Australian Shepherd but also for any other breeds. Generally, it’s a gentle shampoo that creates a rich lather but also rinses easily — an important factor to ensure there are no leftover shampoos that can cause skin allergies, irritation, and dryness.

DVM PHARMACEUTICALS Hylyt Shampoo for Pets

“Controls scaling and flaking”

• Soap-free shampoo
• Gentle on the skin
• Hypoallergenic for sensitive skins
• Natural moisturizers
• Contains tartrazine

This Hylyt shampoo for pets is a good choice when it comes to dogs with sensitive skin as well as for those who are suffering from allergies. This hypoallergenic product makes it easier to bathe them without worrying whether it would cause allergic reactions. Apart from cleaning, it does help in flaking and scaling — usual signs of dry skin. This is thanks to the moisturizers and essential fatty acids found in this shampoo.

As a soap-free shampoo and a pH balanced formula, it is gentle on the skin. This also contains protein which helps condition your dog’s fur and make it more manageable for daily brushing and to avoid tangles and mats.

If you’re looking for an all-natural shampoo for your pet, this isn’t really the best answer. Yes, it does have some natural ingredients. But it also has several chemicals and even a tartrazine (FD&C Yellow #5). It may cause concerns but there are several vets who actually recommend this shampoo so the levels may not be bad. If it helps, you can dilute the shampoo in water to make it lighter and so you don’t have to use more product. Just observe your dog for a while after using this shampoo and report to your vet if they feel funky afterward.

Finding the best shampoo for Australian Shepherd can be hard; just because there are lots of options to choose from. However, finding reviews, especially from fellow pet owners, can help you find some effective choices. Then again, it all becomes a matter of preference especially since each dog is unique in their own way.