10 Best Dog Conditioners in 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks

Dog shampoo can strip away some of the natural oils from your dog’s skin. That is why conditioner is designed to be used after shampoo, and that goes for dogs and humans! Using a conditioner can help ensure that your dog’s coat stays shiny and hydrated. But those aren’t the only benefits of using conditioner on your dog, as some of them can help with shedding, and itchiness, or even leave your dog smelling more pleasant (even though he is perfectly happy with his stink).

But choosing the right conditioner can be overwhelming, with so many different products that come in different smells and have different benefits. That’s why we’ve created this guide, complete with reviews of what we think are the 10 best dog conditioners, to help make your decision a little bit easier.

 

A Glance at Our Top Picks in 2024

The 10 Best Dog Conditioners

Dry skin isn’t just a human problem, it can be a dog problem too. That is why we think that the best overall dog conditioner is Zesty Paws Itch Soother Dog Conditioner. The main functional ingredients in this conditioner are oatmeal and shea butter, both of which hydrate, and aloe, which soothes itching. It’s perfect if you notice your dog scratching a lot, but not due to fleas.

This conditioner is also a great choice for wintertime bathing when the skin is naturally drier anyway due to the drier air. It has a vanilla bean scent as well, which can leave your dog smelling fresh. The only downside is that it contains artificial ingredients, so it may not be the best choice if you want a more natural conditioner.

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The best dog conditioner for the money is the Frisco Oatmeal Conditioner with Aloe. Not only is this conditioner affordable, but you also get a lot of high-quality product for very little money. This conditioner can last a very long time when using the appropriate amount. The main benefit of this conditioner is that it soothes and hydrates dry and itchy skin, and it is made with organic aloe and very few artificial ingredients.

This conditioner also contains vitamins E and B5, which help to support a healthy coat and skin for your dog. It also has a light almond scent, which smells more natural and isn’t overpowering like other heavily perfumed shampoos and conditioners. It also contains no dyes or parabens. The only downside is that it may not be ideal if you need a more specialized conditioner, such as one that helps with shedding or detangling. But if you just need a hydrating conditioner, this is one of the best and most affordable.

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Skout’s Honor Probiotic Honeysuckle Pet Shampoo and Conditioner is the most expensive product on our list, but this 2-in-1 product also provides many benefits for your dog’s skin and coat besides just moisturizing it. This combined shampoo and conditioner is made with 97% probiotic ingredients, such as avocado and coconut oil, that support skin and coat health by deodorizing and reducing shedding in addition to moisturizing and soothing dry skin.

This product is pH-balanced which is important as dog skin has a different pH than ours. It’s also made with 98.5% natural ingredients and is free of parabens and sulfates. Perhaps the best part is that the Skout’s Honor brand donates meals to shelter animals with every purchase of their products. The only downside is the price, but you still get a lot of product for the price compared to some of the other products on our list.

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Most of the time you’re going to find puppy shampoo, but not conditioner designed specifically for puppies. This CHI Gentle 2-in-1 Dog Shampoo and Conditioner has a gentle formula and is designed for both adult dogs and puppies that are over 8 weeks old. The ingredients used in this shampoo and conditioner are mild, which is ideal for puppies since they may have sensitive skin or unknown allergies. Plus, the ingredients won’t irritate your puppy’s eyes.

This shampoo and conditioner combo is also free of sulfates and parabens, and ingredients such as oatmeal, aloe, and chamomile help to soothe dry and itchy skin. It also detangles, so it’s a good product for long-haired or curly-haired dogs. The downside is that since it is a gentle product, it may not get your puppy or adult dog as clean as other 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioners.

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Something that we haven’t seen so far on this list is a conditioner that helps primarily with shedding, but the TropiClean Lime and Cocoa Butter Deshedding Conditioner does just that. Powerful moisturizing ingredients condition and hydrate skin in order to reduce shedding, without being too harsh. It’s a great product for adult dogs in general, but especially senior dogs that are more prone to shedding and general hair loss.

This conditioner is free of soap, parabens, and sulfates, so it isn’t too harsh on your dog’s skin. It’s made with all-natural ingredients, and contains fatty acids as well as vitamins E and B5, to keep the skin and fur as healthy as possible. The only downside is that this conditioner has a lime and cocoa butter scent, which may be too overpowering for some people.

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This CHI Oatmeal Conditioner is the less-gentle version of the number four product on our list, but it contains many of the same ingredients and benefits, including targeting dry and itchy skin. It’s also not a 2-in-1 product, so it’s a good choice if you already have a favorite dog shampoo but are just looking for a good conditioner.

This conditioner is sure to leave your dog’s coat shiny since it contains coconut oil and almond oil in addition to oatmeal and aloe. Most of the ingredients are natural as well, but like other conditioners, it does contain artificial fragrances. Another downside is that you get less product for your money with this conditioner compared to some of the others on our list.

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PetAg Fresh ‘N Clean 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner is one of the most affordable products on our list, so it’s a great value if you’re on a budget and need just one product to bathe your dog with.  Two of the main ingredients are aloe vera and vitamin E, both of which provide skin benefits such as hydration and moisture in addition to improving the overall health of your dog’s skin and coat. This shampoo and conditioner also contain protein ingredients that strengthen the individual hairs of your dog’s coat, preventing breakage and helping to reduce shedding.

The tropical scent can leave your dog smelling fresh for a couple of days to a couple of weeks, depending on how active your dog is and how often he gets dirty. The downsides to this shampoo and conditioner are that it does contain some artificial ingredients and fragrances, and it may not lather as much as a product that is just a shampoo so it may not get dogs with thick hair as clean without using a lot of product.

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If you love products made with all-natural ingredients, then you’re sure to love Buddy Wash Original Lavender and Mint Dog Conditioner Rinse. This conditioner is 100% vegan and is made with tons of plant-based ingredients, including aloe, lavender, and mint, as well as rosehip oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, chamomile, and rosemary. This conditioner also contains vitamins A, B5, C, and E, which provide important benefits such as keeping the coat shiny and skin healthy in addition to helping to reduce shedding.

All of these ingredients are natural moisturizers and conditioners that work together to create a conditioner that works without the need for artificial ingredients and fragrances, as lavender and mint naturally provide the scent of this conditioner. It’s worth mentioning that this conditioner is ideal for dogs with thick, curly, or coarse coats so it may not be as effective on dogs with other coat types, or you may have to use less product. This conditioner is also a bit thicker than others, so you may have to dilute it some with water, which can help with using too much especially if your dog doesn’t have a thick coat.

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Like most of the other products on our list, the Isle of Dogs Silky Coating Conditioner contains aloe, which can help to moisturize and soothe dry skin. However, one downside is that aloe is one of the few natural ingredients that this conditioner contains. A lot of the ingredients are chemical ingredients because this conditioner is designed to penetrate your dog’s coat more deeply in order to release dead skin and hair that result in shedding.

Because it penetrates so deeply, it can add amazing shine to your dog’s coat, and it’s also a good conditioner for dogs with long or unmanageable fur because it helps the fur to lay flat after use. However, deeper penetration often means that it will be harder to rinse out, especially if your dog has a thick coat. This conditioner also has a fragrance of jasmine and vanilla, but since this is an artificial fragrance, it can seem strong and overpowering and may be too strong for some people (and dogs).

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There’s nothing super fancy about this conditioner, but if you want a product that does its job and is affordable, then it’s worth it to give this Burt’s Bees Oatmeal Dog Conditioner a shot. Like other Burt’s Bees products, this conditioner is almost all-natural and contains 99.7% natural ingredients. The main ingredients that make this conditioner effective are oatmeal, which helps nourish and condition dry skin, and honey, which provides shine to dull coats.

This conditioner is also made without parabens and sulfates, but again, it’s just a basic conditioner. If you need a product that targets a certain area of your dog’s coat, or if your dog’s skin is excessively dry, then this product may not be for you. It also doesn’t have much of a smell, which can be a good thing for some people but may be bad for people who need a more deodorizing conditioner for their dog. Finally, this conditioner comes in a much smaller container than other conditioners we’ve mentioned, so even though it is affordable, it may not be the best value.

Buyer’s Guide: Buying the Best Dog Conditioner

You’ve seen a lot of products mentioned on this list, so we understand if you may be having a hard time trying to differentiate between them and sort out what features of dog conditioner you do or don’t need. That’s why we’ve created this Buyer’s Guide of things that you should consider when purchasing a conditioner for your dog.

Skin/Coat Type

The main thing you should consider when choosing a conditioner for your dog is the skin and coat. Knowing what type of skin and coat your dog has can help determine what ingredients to look for that can best help keep the skin and coat healthy.

Most conditioners are designed to target dry and itchy skin because they work by coating the individual hair fibers and moisturizing them. However, the skin of some dogs may be drier than others, either due to a medical condition, the type of coat they have, or the environment in which they live.

If your dog has excessively dry skin, you’re going to want to look for a conditioner with lots of moisturizing ingredients besides just oatmeal and aloe. Conditioners that contain lots of plant oils and extracts are usually a good idea, or you may even want to talk to your veterinarian about a medicated conditioner if your dog suffers from a skin condition.

Some dogs also have thicker coats than others or may shed a lot more. In this case, you may want a deep-penetrating conditioner that can reach all layers of your dog’s coat or one that helps to reduce shedding. Usually, these conditioners will be marked as such, so you don’t have to play a guessing game about whether a certain conditioner will do those things.

Fragrance

Something else to consider is the scent of the conditioner as well as how that scent is achieved. What do we mean by that? Well, some conditioners are scented with artificial fragrances while others are naturally fragranced by their ingredients. Some are also more deodorizing as a result.

The main difference is that artificial fragrances tend to have a stronger smell or last longer on your dog’s coat, but they can irritate dogs (and even their owners) that have sensitive skin or allergies. Natural fragrances aren’t as powerful and don’t last as long, but they don’t cause as much irritation as artificial fragrances.

It’s also better to use a conditioner with natural fragrance (or even no fragrance) on puppies until you have a better understanding of their health and skin type.

Ultimately, you have a good idea as to whether or not your dog has sensitive skin or allergies, in addition to how stinky he or she usually gets. The decision of what type of fragranced conditioner to buy is ultimately just a matter of personal preference, with an emphasis on considering your dog and what is safe for him or her.

Budget

Finally, you’ll want to take your budget into consideration, as well as the value of the actual product that you’re getting. For example, even though some conditioners cost more, they last for a longer time so you could end up saving money in the long run.

Then, of course, there are some conditioners that are both affordable and a great value for the money, so these are the most budget-friendly options. Or, you can opt for a combination shampoo and conditioner, which is great if you don’t want to buy separate products or your dog has a very low tolerance for bathtime so you need to get it done as quickly as possible.

However, 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner may not be as effective as using both products alone, which brings us to our next point. Just because a product costs more, doesn’t necessarily mean that it is better than a cheaper product, nor does it mean that cheaper products don’t work as well. You don’t want to spend more money than you reasonably have on a product that you don’t need just because you think it is better than a cheaper alternative. Buy only what you need and what works well for your dog.

Conclusion

Hopefully, our reviews and Buyer’s Guide helped you to choose the right conditioner for your dog. We like the Zesty Paws Itch Soother for the best overall conditioner, while the Frisco Oatmeal Conditioner with Aloe wins for the best value for the money. Even if you don’t end up choosing a product from this list, we hope you at least have an idea of what you need and can find a product that works for both you and your dog.

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Featured Image Credit: ElenaYakimova, Shutterstock