Over the course of my decade-plus career as a beauty editor, I have tested a mind-boggling number of shampoos. I still never cease to be amazed by how much they can differ – from consistency to scent to suds-satisfaction to the way they leave the hair looking and feeling post blow-dry. As the proud owner of two small dogs, both of whom get washed rather unwillingly in the kitchen sink, I have also been through more dog grooming products than I can count.
And there’s good news: we are living in a golden era. For years, formulations were functional at best and there was not a lot of attention paid to creating a pleasurable experience for dogs, to say nothing of their human beauticians. Now, however, there are increasingly more advanced and elevated options to properly pamper our grubby little buddies – many of them inspired by the performance-forward and texture-specific haircare one would find in salons, and some from well-known beauty brands you probably have in your own collection. Here are my favourites.
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Created by former beauty industry exec Gerrard Larriett in 2012, this brand was one of the first to introduce the idea of using aromatherapy to help soothe anxious dogs during grooming. The no-longer-available rose scent was easily my favourite ever dog shampoo, but the lavender is divine, too – and it really does seem to calm my bath-hating Papillon.
When Gerrard Larriett discontinued its fabulous rose aromatherapy shampoo, I scrambled to try to find a replacement. AuraPet makes this lovely option, which softens my dog’s wiry coat and leaves her smelling like roses (and not in a perfume-y way) for days afterwards. The price is right, too.
Maybe the only time the idea of smelling exactly like your dog is a good thing. Ouai – which was founded by Jen Atkin, the Kardashians’ favourite hairstylist – incorporates the same signature scent into its pet shampoo that makes the brand’s human-hair range so addictive. Think: notes of orange, peony, jasmine and musk, with no parabens, sulfates or other potential irritants.
You can’t really go wrong with this one: it suits all coats and textures, it’s pH-balanced so that it won’t strip away essential oils from the skin or fur, it’s only very lightly scented, and the glycerin in the formula helps lock in hydration so that the coat stays soft longer.
For dogs who suffer from itchy skin or dermatitisopens in new tab, this cheerful oatmeal-based shampoo helps heal rough, dry patches while also leaving the fur fluffy and well-moisturised. It’s also soap-free, incorporating coconut-derived surfactants and aloe vera to provide gentle cleansing sans chemicals.
April Long is a writer and editor who has contributed to Town & Country, ELLE, Marie Claire, Vogue, Well & Good, and many more publications both print and online. She currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband Will, dogs Gimlet and Pixie, and a semi-feral cat named Watson.
