# Shampoos



## 3Musketeers (Nov 4, 2010)

Been wondering for a while now...what are some really good shampoos/conditioners for dogs?

I've bought quite a few throughout the years, regular pet-store ones (probably crap I know).
I dread bathing the doggies because usually their coat gets all dry and poofy, and then they look like Poms for a day or two after a bath. Their coat stays kinda dry-ish for a week. :C
Bathing gets limited to once every 3-5 weeks, when they start looking gray from running around in the grass/dirt.

So I'm wondering what to try out, looking for something that will keep their coat silky and soft, and won't make them poofy/fluffy. Don't really care much about price.

Recommendations, experiences, anything that will help. :biggrin1:


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I've been using the John Paul oatmeal shampoo and conditioner by Paul Mitchell, it doesn't dry out the dogs coat and leaves them feeling soft and smelling good.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

I absolutely positively love John Paul Oatmeal shampoo for dogs. 

I got a sample of it at some charity event, and have been hooked ever since. 
it leaves my girls clean, without stripping the oils entirely.


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## malluver1005 (Nov 15, 2009)

Hands down, Earthbath Aloe and Oatmeal Shampoo!!


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## cast71 (Sep 16, 2010)

Thanks guys, I always use oatmeal but never heard of those. I'll give em a try:biggrin1:


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

I really like Earthbath, they have lots of choices, right now I have the tea tree/aloe one and its great for irritated skin due to allergies, it helps a lot during spring/summer months. 

My other 2 favorites would be Nuhemp and Happytails.


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## 3Musketeers (Nov 4, 2010)

Thanks :biggrin:
2 vs 2, I'll get one of them, or maybe both.
Well, today's bath day, so I'll be looking for them, hope they sell em at them at petsmart or petco?


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## cast71 (Sep 16, 2010)

NuHemp sounds kool:hippie:


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## catahoulamom (Sep 23, 2010)

has Earthbath, Happy Tails, AND NuHemp! They're all great. I use EarthBath, Eucalyptus and Peppermint. $14.99. Knowing us though... it may be overpriced. :/


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I got my John Paul at Petco!


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## _Trish (Jan 31, 2011)

I don't like the John Paul shampoo or any of the oatmeal based shampoos because one of my dogs is allergic to most grains, and will break out in hives if I bathe him in anything containing oatmeal. I only use shampoos that are natural, and chemical-free. I use the Earthbath puppy shampoo, it's very mild and smells like cherries. I also use a shampoo called Blueberry Facial.


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## SpooOwner (Oct 1, 2010)

The two products recommended by show folks in the Poodle, PWD, and SWD worlds are:

- Isle of Dog
- Coat Handler

And to a lesser extent:

- Green Groom
- Cowboy Magic

I expected them to be expensive, and I was shocked to discover that these are MUCH cheaper than even the cheapest PetSmart shampoo. The per bottle price is comparable when you factor in shipping, but these are concentrated, so you have to dilute them to 5:1 or up to 15:1. You get more of a higher quality product, for less money. Go figure.


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## wags (Jan 31, 2009)

:biggrin1:I also like cloud star shampoos and conditioners. they smell great and the dogs fur is soft and shiney!


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Its funny once again how the horse world has combined with the dog world!


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## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

i use Earthbath.


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## 3Musketeers (Nov 4, 2010)

Well Petco was out of Earthbath, I mean the stickers were on the shelves (but no bottles :shocked, so I went with the John Paul.
I'll see how it goes (changed bath day to tomorrow) and from there I will take a look at the other shampoos, dependng on how it goes I might stick with it or try something else :biggrin1:.

Lol Julie, I want to avoid over-pricing like the plague, at least until I have a decent job. For now, Dogbar shall be treated as a gallery rather than store :rofl:


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## dogmom (Aug 14, 2010)

I use Tropiclean Puppy Shampoo, it's soap-free hypo-allergenic. I originally went to the store to buy the Earthbath but this one was recommended by the store owner so I gave it a try and have been very pleased with it. I love the coconut smell. I'll probably try the Earthbath next though so I can compare the two.


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## 3Musketeers (Nov 4, 2010)

SpooOwner said:


> The two products recommended by show folks in the Poodle, PWD, and SWD worlds are:
> 
> - Isle of Dog
> - Coat Handler
> ...


Wow, I loove that Isle of Dog website, but I can't find any info as to how much they need to be distilled hwell:. If they are very concentrated then it would be worth a try... maybe some are concentrated and others aren't (expensive, owch)?


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

Surprisingly enough, I've fallen in love with the Furminator shampoo and conditioner. At first I thought it was just a ridiculous marketing ploy, but the ingredients seemed good enough, the shampoo smells great (if you like coconut, which I do), and it came for free with my Furminator for a really good price so I figured I'd try it out. It works really, really well! My dogs' coats were really soft and shiny afterwards, it got a lot of the dead fur out, and they stayed clean and smelling great for a long time afterwards. The only reason I stopped using it is because I ran out (that happens quickly with three medium - large dogs) and they stopped carrying it at the store for a while. But now it's back! :thumb:

I've also like the Biogroom stuff (what I'm currently using), but I'm not as crazy about it as I am the Furminator shampoo, so as soon as I run out, that's what I'm getting next!


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## 3Musketeers (Nov 4, 2010)

Don't think I would ever get them a Furminator since they don't have an undercoat (I got a cheap rip-off imitation once and it actually *cut* their hairs ) and you could say I've been paranoid XD. I just use a flea comb since it doesn't damage the coat and loose hairs get stuck on it.

I noticed their shampoos don't have sodium laureth sulfate though, so that's a plus (the john paul does hwell: , but yet to try it, we'll see) That stuff makes even my own hair look like a lion's mane!


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

Yeah I was actually really impressed with the ingredients:



> Natural Shampoo, Natural Surfactants, Water, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Oat Protein, Omega 3 & 6 Fatty Acids, Cranberry Seed Oil, Kava Extract, Calendula Extract, Vitamin E, Chamomile Extract, Aloe Vera, Papaya Leaf Extract, Safflower Seed Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil.


I ended up barely using the furminator itself, except on our old shepherd mix who had the most obnoxious undercoat in the summer, and then I gave it to my brother when he took over her care when I moved since I didn't need it for my short-haired pups. But I still continued to use the shampoo because it was so awesome!


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## catahoulamom (Sep 23, 2010)

We sell Isle of Dogs too, it is a bit more expensive than Earthbath, but supposedly it's good stuff, we sell out of it a few days after getting our shipment in. I've never used it, just because I have so many big dogs, one bottle would only last me one or two bath days. Customers that use it once always come back for more. I don't think you have to dilute it, or at least not the regular formulas (Violet Seamist/Jasmine Vanilla/Red berries & Champagne). They do have some really intense conditioning formulas you may have to (I'm not sure though). I think we sell the regular shampoos/conditioners for $16.99 each. They do have great scents... I love the Violet Seamist, it's the only some-what masculine smelling dog cologne I've found.

I feel you on the saving money thing... I would never spend any money there if I didn't have such a great discount. Sometimes it seems like the majority of my pay goes right back into the store though... :Cry:


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## _Trish (Jan 31, 2011)

You should check out Earthbath puppy's ingredients.

Purified water, renewable coconut based cleansers, aloe vera, natural cherry essence, olive oil squalene (natural preservative). All ingredients are natural and 100% biodegradable.

I'm not sure what the ingredients are in the Blueberry Facial, I'll have to find the bottle to post them as I can't find them online, but I know they're all natural. The bottle is expensive, $35, but it dilutes 8 to 1 so a little bit goes a long way.


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## 3Musketeers (Nov 4, 2010)

Yep, John Paul made them poofy, on the bright side they smell great and are soft, but way too much "poof!" today.

I'm going to look at Earthbath and Green Groom next .
The furminator one looks nice too, but I wonder what "Natural Shampoo, Natural Surfactants" really actually means .

Now to wait until teh dogs start looking gray again...


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Dis you use the conditioner after shampooing?


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## 3Musketeers (Nov 4, 2010)

Nope o.o, I should, shouldn't I?


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I would think with anything other than short coated dogs like mine, which I do use the conditioner on every other bath, that a conditioner would help with fly aways and puffiness!:biggrin:anda::bathbaby:

But I've never had a longer coated dog so it's just a guess.


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## 3Musketeers (Nov 4, 2010)

I'd imagine the conditioner would help a bit, I tried one once and it did nothing, but beats me, it was probably bad. 
I was guessing that there has to be a shampoo out there which doesn't make them *as* poofy, so I guess I'll keep trying till I find one I like! :biggrin: I'll probably end up having to add a (good) conditioner anyways, to get rid of all the poof.


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

I really like Cowboy Magic rosewater shampoo. Its a human/dog/horse crossover shampoo that clarifies the coat and restores moisture. They are so soft to after a bath. The detangler/shine works well to.


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

3Musketeers said:


> The furminator one looks nice too, but I wonder what "Natural Shampoo, Natural Surfactants" really actually means .


I'm gonna guess it doesn't mean sodium laureth sulfate, so that's a start :wink:


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## jiml (Jun 29, 2010)

after circulating through a few brands I just said screw it last time and bought some coconut kids shampoo. I swear its as good as anything I have used and was $3


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## Jacksons Mom (Jun 13, 2010)

Minksheen is awesome, imo. It's got a cologne-type smell and some people LOVE it and some don't. But it makes Jackson the shiniest he's ever been, the smell lasts about 4 days before wearing off, which I love, and it's also got insect repellent in it. I also use BioGroom silk creme conditioner.

I've heard amazing things about Isle of Dogs and may be buying some shampoo soon, since my Minksheen is almost gone.


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## malluver1005 (Nov 15, 2009)

3Musketeers said:


> I'd imagine the conditioner would help a bit, I tried one once and it did nothing, but beats me, it was probably bad.
> I was guessing that there has to be a shampoo out there which doesn't make them *as* poofy, so I guess I'll keep trying till I find one I like! :biggrin: I'll probably end up having to add a (good) conditioner anyways, to get rid of all the poof.


With Earthbath you won't have to use conditioner because it makes them really soft and silky (not poofy, at least not for me). I wouldn't consider Aspen a long haired breed nor short haired, but in between. His hair is about 2 inches in length all over. I don't need to use conditioner on him with Earthbath Aloe and Oatmeal.


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## Paws&Tails (Sep 3, 2010)

I've used Earthbath, Tropiclean, soap bars for dogs, castile soap etc. They all dried his skin out. The best thing I've tried is an herbal wash. I steep different herbs in boiling water and make a "tea." Once it's cooled off and is warm I can use it by pouring it over him slowly and massage it into his skin. Then I rinse off and use some conditioner. He only needs some conditioner in the winter, but not much. 

I prefer Tropiclean's conditioner.


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## TylersMom (Jan 19, 2011)

We use earthbath around here for Tyler (Sheltie with a more of a "working" Sheltie coat than the thick super full coats you see in the ring... still long and fluffy though). I found I had to dilute it as per the instructions otherwise it made his coat dry out. I also follow it up with a Spa Lavish Pet conditioner I have lying around (made by Tropiclean but the ingredients seem to be happy and it works for him).

I think in the future I'm going to go all earthbath though. I really like it!

Tyler's Mom


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## 3Musketeers (Nov 4, 2010)

I think I'll be trying Earthbath next since it seems to be the most recommended .


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## Serendipity (Aug 13, 2010)

Earthbath is great, and seems to be the most popular among all dog forums. I also like Cloud Star, and I want to try TropiClean and Oh My Dog. I've used the FURminator shampoos, and although they did not remove any more hair than other products, they were still good. Stick with all natural products that are oil, aloe vera gel, or coconut cleanser based. Right now, I'm using Buddy Wash 2-in-1 Rosemary & Mint (Cloud Star). It's my favorite, scent-wise, and is very well priced. It's approved for human use, so I might have to try it, too!:bathbaby:


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## tracydr (Feb 25, 2011)

I've had several papillon breeders recommend the Vellus and Pure Paws products. I've been using Nexxus Humectress shampoo and conditioner and don't get the pom look at all. Maybe, also a finishing spray might help? Dome paps have a fluffier coat than others, could be part of what you're dealing with. Mine has a very "nylon" silky coat that never tangles, ever.
I do notice yours, on the picture seems to have finer hair in her ear fringes than mine so she could have a different texture.
If you go to the Forever Papillons website or the Pure Paws website they have some great product and grooming recommendations.
There is also a less expensive, Petsmart shampoo that my breeder recently recommended in a lavender scent but I lost the email. Seems like it was name Pearl something?


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## BoxerMommie (Jun 26, 2008)

Personally I like Earth Bath shampoos, particularly the Mango Tango version. Also like Tropiclean. Those are the only 2 brands I will use.


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## jdatwood (Apr 13, 2009)

A couple of years back I got some free samples from Dinovite that I really liked. I'm thinking of ordering some more since we're getting into the season where the dogs are gonna be getting muddy
Dinovite Shampoos


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## 3Musketeers (Nov 4, 2010)

So far I've used Earthbath last week and was pretty happy with it, left them nice and soft with a lot less poof. I didn't really like the John Paul.
After the bottle is all gone though, I want to try others. Free samples would be great heheh.

Tracy, my Patchie does have a bit of a fluffier coat, but the other two have more of that nylon-silky type though, so when it "poofs" on them, then you know something ain't right, LOL. Their fringes are kinda thin, kind of fragile, I'll blame it on genes and their rough playing. 
So far I like that Pure Paws doesn't use any of the harsh chemicals, looking into them.

I'm trying to stay away form the cheap ones, from bad experiences xD, the cheap ones I have previously used were "Perfect Coat" which is the biggest crap on earth. "Four Paws" which is also crrrrapity crap, and the rest I don't remember but they were bad too.


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## KittyKat (Feb 11, 2011)

I use Tropiclean... the berry one...it takes the stains out of my dogs coat, isn't overly priced, and it leaves my dogs coat soft and good smelling.

There's a bunch of shampoos from them though, i've only tried the berry one. I don't wash my dog very often (she has a short coat and doesn't get dirty much), so it's lasted for awhile. I like how thick it is when it comes out.... but a word of warning, it lathers really nicely, so you have to be good at rinsing them off. Soooo many times i'm all "YAY DONE!" and then... i lift my hand up... and she's still soapy. Maybe i use too much.


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