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11 Best Dog Shampoos for Dandruff in 2024: Reviews & Top Picks

Written by: Kit Copson

Last Updated on March 22, 2024 by Nicole Cosgrove

11 Best Dog Shampoos for Dandruff in 2024: Reviews & Top Picks

dog owner giving pet pitbull a bath

Dandruff, also known as seborrheic dermatitis, can affect dogs like humans. We all know the signs of dandruff—dry, flaky skin is the major giveaway. It can be caused by various conditions, including fleas, skin allergies, and improper grooming. The good news is that often, dandruff is easy to treat.

That said, if your dog is suffering from dandruff, it might be best to get them checked out by a vet to rule out more serious skin conditions. If your vet has recommended using a shampoo that helps with dry, flaky skin, check out our best dog shampoo for dandruff reviews to help you understand what’s on the market.

Note: If your dog is suffering from a skin issue, be sure to run any new shampoo you’re thinking of using by your vet to make sure it’s suitable for your dog.

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A Quick Look at Our Favorites in 2024

Rating Image Product Details
Best Overall
Winner
Hepper Colloidal Oatmeal Pet Shampoo Hepper Colloidal Oatmeal Pet Shampoo
  • Formulated to soothe dry, irritated skin
  • Free of soap, gluten, dye, DEA, sulfate, and phthalate
  • pH balanced
  • Budget Buy
    Second place
    John Paul Pet Sensitive Skin Dog Shampoo John Paul Pet Sensitive Skin Dog Shampoo
  • Eco and animal-friendly
  • Professionally formulated
  • PH balanced and skin-kind
  • Third place
    Vetnique Labs Medicated Anti-Itch Dog Shampoo Vetnique Labs Medicated Anti-Itch Dog Shampoo
  • Vet-formulated
  • Pramoxine helps numb itchy skin
  • Doesn’t strip healthy oils from the skin
  • Earthbath Mild Cherry Puppy Shampoo Earthbath Mild Cherry Puppy Shampoo
  • Eco-friendly and cruelty-free
  • Aloe vera infused to soothe dry skin
  • Perfect for puppies over 6 weeks old
  • Hartz Groomer’s Anti-Dandruff Dog Shampoo Hartz Groomer’s Anti-Dandruff Dog Shampoo
  • Easy to lather
  • Made with salicylic acid
  • Gentle on your dog’s skin
  • The 11 Best Dog Shampoos for Dandruff

    1. Hepper Colloidal Oatmeal Pet Shampoo – Best Overall

    Hepper-Colloidal-Shampoo-St-Bernard-Outside-1-1024x685

    Brand: Hepper
    Volume: 16 fl oz
    Scent: Aloe & Cucumber

    Leave dandruff in the dust with Hepper Colloidal Oatmeal Pet Shampoo. This pH-balanced formula uses all-natural ingredients to nourish dry, irritated skin, leaving behind a healthy and hydrated coat. The gentle lather easily works into the fur down to the skin, lifting any excess dandruff and loose hair away and leaving your dog smelling light and fresh. The aloe and cucumber scent is long-lasting yet mild enough to not bother the most sensitive dog noses.

    Once your dog’s dandruff is a thing of the past, you can safely continue to use this shampoo during bathtime to prevent future irritation, making this an all-in-one must-have product!

    At PetKeen.com, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!

    Pros
    • All natural, pet-safe formula
    • Mild, long-lasting scent
    • Free of soap, gluten, dye, DEA, sulfate, and phthalate
    • pH balanced
    • Great for all life stages
    Cons
    • Some pets may not like the scent

    2. John Paul Pet Sensitive Skin Oatmeal Dog Shampoo – Budget Buy

    John Paul Pet Sensitive Skin Oatmeal Shampoo

    Brand: John Paul Pet
    Volume: 16 fl oz
    Scent: Almond

    John Paul Sensitive Skin Formula Oatmeal Dog & Cat Shampoo is our recommendation for the best dog dandruff shampoo for the money. This inexpensive shampoo is made with oatmeal, aloe vera, and almond oil, which leaves behind a light almond scent on your dog’s fur after use. It’s designed to get rid of dirt and build-up without being harsh on your dog’s skin.

    This shampoo was chosen as our best value pick because it tackles dandruff, allergies, and dry skin at a very affordable price, is highly reviewed, and, best of all, is guaranteed cruelty-free! The only thing some may not like about this product is that the almond scent is pretty faint. That said, whether or not this bothers you depends on your preference.

    Pros
    • Inexpensive
    • Eco and animal-friendly
    • PH balanced and skin-kind
    • Professionally formulated
    Cons
    • Faint scent

    3. Vetnique Labs Medicated Anti-Itch Oatmeal Shampoo

    Vetnique Labs Dermabliss Medicated Anti-Itch & Allergy Relief Soothing Oatmeal Shampoo

    Brand: Vetnique Labs
    Volume: 16 fl oz
    Scent: Medicated

    Our third choice dog shampoo for dandruff is Vetnique Labs’ Dermabliss Anti-Itch & Allergy Relief Soothing Oatmeal shampoo. This vet-formulated shampoo is designed to cleanse without stripping your dog’s fur of healthy oils. For this, it utilizes a soap-free formula, and its key ingredients are safflower seed oil and oat extract.

    While the soothing properties of these ingredients get to work, pramoxine creates a numbing effect on your dog’s skin. This helps to relieve dry, itchy skin. Though this is a medicated shampoo, it does not smell strongly medicated. On the downside, this shampoo is pretty pricey for a 16-ounce bottle.

    Pros
    • Specially formulated to tackle skin issues
    • Pramoxine helps numb itchy skin
    • Vet-formulated
    • Doesn’t strip healthy oils from the skin
    Cons
    • Expensive

    4. Earthbath Ultra-Mild Cherry Puppy Shampoo

    Earthbath Ultra-Mild Wild Cherry Puppy Shampoo

    Brand: Earthbath
    Volume: 16 fl oz
    Scent: Cherry

    If you’re the proud parent of a gorgeous pup, you’ll no doubt be on the lookout for a shampoo that is safe for them. For puppies over 6 weeks, we recommend Earthbath’s Ultra-Mild Wild Cherry Puppy Shampoo. This cherry-scented shampoo is cruelty-free, soap-free, tearless, and infused with aloe vera to soothe irritated and dry skin.

    We also love that this shampoo is paraben and phosphate-free, biodegradable, and safe to use with flea treatments. Its sweet cherry scent is something you’ll either love or hate, and it is a bit expensive compared to many of our other recommendations.

    Pros
    • Perfect for puppies over 6 weeks old
    • Aloe vera infused to soothe dry skin
    • Lovely cherry scent
    • Eco-friendly and cruelty-free
    Cons
    • Expensive

    5. Hartz Groomer’s Best Pro Anti-Dandruff Dog Shampoo

    Hartz Groomer’s Best Professionals Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

    Brand: Hartz
    Volume: 32 fl oz
    Scent: Jasmine and citrus

    Hartz Groomer’s Best Professionals Anti-Dandruff Dog Shampoo is another good choice for the best dog shampoo for dandruff. This shampoo was professionally formulated to treat and soothe flaky, itchy skin in dogs. Its magic ingredient is salicylic acid—this reduces redness and inflammation while shedding dead skin cells. It’s completely paraben-free, so it’s a great choice for dogs with itchy, sensitive skin.

    This shampoo is easy to lather as it’s not too thick in consistency and works on softening your dog’s coat as well as tackling dandruff. Best of all—it comes in a 32 fl oz bottle so that it will last for ages! On the downside, the bottle isn’t the sturdiest and is prone to leaking.

    Pros
    • Made with salicylic acid
    • Professionally formulated
    • Gentle on your dog’s skin
    • Pleasant scent
    • Easy to lather
    Cons
    • Bottle prone to leaking

    6. Zesty Paws Itch Soother Oatmeal & Aloe Vera Dog Shampoo

    Zesty Paws Itch Soother Dog Shampoo with Oatmeal & Aloe Vera

    Brand: Zesty Paws
    Volume: 16 fl oz
    Scent: Vanilla bean

    Aloe vera, oatmeal, vanilla, and vitamin E make up this anti-itch shampoo for dogs. The added vitamin E is a major bonus—it’s good for the skin and is a great moisturizer. Moisturization is crucial when it comes to treating dandruff in dogs. As well as tackling itchy skin, Zesty Paws’ shampoo is designed to add softness and shine to your dog’s fur.

    Another of Zesty Paws Itch Soother Dog Shampoo’s powers is that it helps to banish unpleasant smells. What we like about this shampoo is that it packs a lot of power into one bottle. On the downside, it may not be suitable for dogs with very sensitive skin or serious skin conditions.

    Pros
    • Vitamin E to moisturize
    • Adds softness and shine
    • Good for odor control
    Cons
    • Might not be suitable for dogs with especially sensitive skin

    7. Pet MD Benzoyl Peroxide Dog & Cat Shampoo

    Pet MD Benzoyl Peroxide Dog & Cat Shampoo

    Brand: Pet MD
    Volume: 16 fl oz
    Scent: Citrus

    Pet MD is one of the most trusted sources of information about pet health conditions. It has also developed its own range of pet care products, including this vet-approved anti-itch shampoo. Pet MD’s Benzoyl Peroxide shampoo is all about treating conditions like dandruff and banishing grease and dirt that could contribute to skin conditions.

    This shampoo utilizes benzoyl and salicylic acid—which helps get rid of dead skin and exfoliates the pores. If your dog suffers from clogged hair follicles, Pet MD’s shampoo can help with this and dandruff. It has a fresh, non-chemical-like scent. On the downside, this shampoo can potentially cause dryness on dogs with especially sensitive skin.

    Pros
    • Vet-approved
    • Fresh scent
    • Designed to treat dandruff and clogged follicles
    • Tackles dirt that could be making skin conditions worse
    Cons
    • Can be drying on dogs with especially sensitive skin

    8. Vet’s Best Oatmeal Medicated Dog Shampoo

    Vet’s Best Oatmeal Medicated Dog Shampoo

    Brand: Vet’s Best
    Volume: 16 fl oz
    Scent: Tea tree

    Vet’s Best Oatmeal Medicated Dog Shampoo targets itchiness, dryness, and flakiness on your dog’s skin. It smells pleasant and doesn’t have that harsh chemical-like smell that some medicated shampoos do. It is made of a few simple but powerful ingredients—tea tree oil, salicylic acid, oatmeal, aloe vera, and vitamin B5—a great combination for skin care.

    You can use it with tick or flea treatments without worrying about washing them away, and the tea tree helps give your dog that “fresh” feeling and relieves their flaky skin. The only thing we’re not keen on with this shampoo is that it’s a little watery—this means that it’s not hard to lose some of it to the drain when applying it to your dog’s fur. On the bright side, you won’t have to worry about working up a decent lather!

    Pros
    • Oatmeal medicated
    • Contains tea tree
    • Smells fresh
    • Targets dryness and itchiness
    Cons
    • A little watery

    9. Veterinary Formula Antiparasitic & Antiseborrheic Dog Shampoo

    Veterinary Formula Clinical Care Antiparasitic & Antiseborrheic Dog Shampoo

    Brand: Veterinary Formula Clinical Care
    Volume: 16 fl oz
    Scent: Coconut

    Veterinary Formula Clinical Care’s Antiparasitic & Antiseborrheic Dog Shampoo was made specifically for dogs with dandruff. Like many other dandruff shampoos, it’s made with oatmeal and salicylic acid, but it has an extra trick up its sleeve—coal tar. Coal tar is commonly used to treat skin conditions in humans, too, and is known for its ability to shed dead skin cells and soothe flakiness, scaliness, and even inflammation.

    What we like most about this product is that it targets not only flakiness and itchiness but also the soreness and redness that sometimes accompanies it. If your dog has a rash or inflammation, you might want to give this shampoo the once over.

    You might want to check with your vet before using this product, though, as it’s not the gentlest dog shampoo and can even be harsh on some dogs’ skin. It may not suit some skin conditions and could worsen the symptoms.

    Pros
    • Designed to reduce inflammation and soreness
    • Uses coal tar
    • Targets a range of skin conditions
    Cons
    • Might not be suitable for some dogs
    • Not the gentlest shampoo

    10. TropiClean Medicated Oatmeal & Tea Tree Dog Shampoo

    TropiClean Medicated Oatmeal & Tea Tree Dog Shampoo

    Brand: TropiClean
    Volume: 20 fl oz
    Scent: Fresh

    TropiClean’s Medicated Oatmeal & Tea Tree Dog Shampoo is a paraben-free, dye-free, and soap-free product for dogs with itchy skin. We love that this product is both eco-friendly and cruelty-free and comes in a 20-ounce bottle—more than the standard 16-ounce. This throws in a little extra value for money at a not-too-shabby price.

    Its ingredients include oatmeal, tea tree, and papaya—a good combination for skin care and a fresh, tropical scent. Its naturally derived ingredients make it one of the least harsh choices of all our recommendations. Its magic ingredient is beta-hydroxy, commonly used in skincare products to unclog pores and exfoliate. One thing to watch out for with this shampoo is that it is prone to leakage, especially when delivered.

    Pros
    • Targets dryness and flakiness
    • Infused with beta hydroxy for exfoliation
    • Paraben, dye, and soap-free
    • Cruelty-free
    Cons
    • Prone to leakage

    11. Burt’s Bees Dog Oatmeal Shampoo

    Burt’s Bees Oatmeal Shampoo

    Brand: Burt’s Bees
    Volume: 16 fl oz
    Scent: Fragrance-free

    Infused with colloidal oat flour and honey, Burt’s Bees Dog Oatmeal Shampoo is an inexpensive, PH-balanced shampoo free of parabens, chemicals, and artificial fragrances. It is designed to moisturize skin and leave your dog feeling soft while the colloidal oat flour goes to town to soothing skin irritation. We like this shampoo’s very reasonable price, natural ingredient selection, and eco-friendliness—the bottle is made of 80% recycled material!

    If you prefer scented shampoos, though, you might be disappointed, as Burt’s Bees shampoo is fragrance-free. Overall, it’s a gentle, inexpensive option unlikely to worsen your dog’s dandruff or skin condition. This shampoo is our bottom pick because, while there’s a lot to love about it, you may need to use a lot of product as it’s hard to lather. Also, it’s a little subjective on our part, but we do prefer shampoos that leave behind a nice smell!

    Pros
    • Cruelty-free and eco-friendly
    • Good for sensitive skin
    • Affordable
    • Cruelty-free
    Cons
    • Unscented
    • Need to use a lot of product

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    Buyer’s Guide: Selecting the Best Dog Shampoo for Dandruff

    As there are so many dog dandruff shampoo options out there, it can be hard to decide which one would be best for your dog. First and foremost, we’d like to reiterate something we mentioned near the start of this article—if your dog has a skin condition, check any potential shampoos out with your vet first before using them.

    However unlikely a product may be to cause a reaction or worsen your dog’s condition, it’s better to be safe rather than sorry. This is because, though certain shampoos are designed to treat and soothe dandruff and other skin conditions, some just simply might not be suitable for the type of condition your dog has.

    If you’ve got the go-ahead to use an anti-dandruff shampoo on your dog, ask yourself these questions when picking one out:

    • Do I need something for a puppy or an adult dog?
    • Does my dog have a simple case of dandruff, or do they have another kind of skin condition?
    • Which ingredients is this shampoo made of that can help with my dog’s specific skin condition?
    • Are there any ingredients I want to avoid using on my dog?
    • Do I want something scented or fragrance-free?
    • Does my dog have any allergies or especially sensitive skin?
    • How much product am I going to need?
    • Is dandruff an occasional issue that can be reduced by using a good shampoo, or does my dog have an ongoing condition I should speak with my vet about?
    • Is this shampoo professionally formulated, vet-approved, or at least have positive reviews?
    • What’s my budget?
    dog bath
    Image Credit: oritslama, Pixabay

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    Conclusion

    Let’s recap. Our choice for the best overall dog shampoo for dandruff is Hepper Colloidal Oatmeal Pet Shampoo. We particularly like the refreshing treatment you can give your dog for a reasonable price.

    Our best value pick goes to John Paul’s eco-friendly shampoo designed with sensitive skin in mind. Finally, our premium choice is the pricey but gently cleansing Vetnique Labs Dermabliss Medicated Anti-Itch & Allergy Relief Soothing Oatmeal Shampoo.

    We hope that our best dog shampoo for dandruff reviews have given you a good idea of what’s available to treat and soothe your dog’s flaky skin. Remember—when in doubt, talk to a vet. Good luck!

    See Also:


    Featured Image Credit: Vershinin89, Shutterstock

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