French Bulldogs have quickly become one of the most popular dog breeds in the world. With their adorable faces and charming personalities, it’s easy to understand why. Unfortunately, with great popularity often comes a multitude of health problems, and Frenchies haven’t escaped this curse. If your French Bulldog is one of the many who suffer from allergies and skin conditions, chances are you’ll be giving them frequent baths to help control their symptoms.

If you’re in search of the perfect shampoo for your itchy or smelly French Bulldog, we’ve got you covered. In this article, we’ll review our picks for the 8 best shampoos for French Bulldogs this year, including the best shampoo for a Frenchie puppy. Hopefully, these insights will help you narrow down the many choices available to you to find just the right one for your flat-faced pup.

A Quick Look at Our Favorites of 2024

The 9 Best Shampoos For French Bulldogs

1. Hepper Colloidal Oatmeal Pet Shampoo – Best Overall

Our favorite shampoo for French Bulldogs is Hepper Colloidal Oatmeal Pet Shampoo. This shampoo creates a hydrating, gentle foam that is easy to work into and wash out of your Frenchie’s fur. With oatmeal extract as one of its main ingredients, Hepper’s formula will reduce inflammation, irritation and dry skin, and prevent it from returning.

This product is the perfect choice for all French Bulldog skin types and contains the lightest scent, that won’t be over powering to you or your dog.

At Dogster, 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 pet company!

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2. Hartz Groomer’s Best 6 in 1 Lavender Shampoo – Budget Buy

Our pick for the best shampoo for French Bulldogs for the money is Hartz Groomer’s Best 6 in 1 Lavender and Mint Shampoo. This shampoo is multi-functional, and able to clean, deodorize, moisturize, and strengthen your Frenchie’s coat in the span of one bath. Designed to give your pup a grooming spa experience in their own bathtub, Hartz leaves your Frenchie’s coat soft and fragrant. While this shampoo isn’t hypoallergenic, it is free from dyes, parabens, sulfates, and alcohol that might irritate your pup’s sensitive skin. With a lower price and larger bottle size, Hartz is a cost-effective option for those giving multiple, frequent baths.

Some owners found the consistency of this shampoo too watery and the fragrance too strong, however.

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3. Furminator DeShedding Ultra Shampoo

Made with a blend of all-natural ingredients, Furminator Deshedding Ultra Premium Dog Shampoo is designed to reduce shedding by strengthening your Frenchie’s skin and coat. Enriched with fatty acids and extracts, Furminator Deshedding is also made in the USA. Free of parabens, dyes, and artificial colors, this shampoo can be used on puppies older than 6 weeks old. Most users report that this shampoo truly does work as intended to minimize their dog’s shedding. However, others reported that repeated use resulted in dry skin and flaking.

The product does come with an accompanying conditioner that may help restore some moisture. Furminator is only available in one bottle size.

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4. Isle Of Dogs Tearless Puppy Shampoo

To keep your Frenchie puppy clean and smelling fresh, consider Isle Of Dogs Tearless Shampoo. Designed specifically for sensitive baby dogs, this shampoo is gentle and won’t irritate your pup’s skin or eyes. It can also be used to wash the faces of older Frenchies to help keep their folds clean. The cotton and orchid scent of this shampoo can be a bit overwhelming, according to some users, but others enjoyed it. Free from parabens and sulfates, Isle Of Dogs will keep your Frenchie puppy clean even if they were born with sensitive skin.

Some users found this shampoo dried out their dog’s skin.

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5. Buddy Wash Original Lavender Dog Shampoo & Conditioner

For those who prioritize cosmetic-grade ingredients and no animal testing, Buddy Wash Original Shampoo and Conditioner for dogs might be the choice for you. This lavender and mint-scented shampoo and conditioner combination is made with natural ingredients and scented with pure extracts and essential oils. Buddy Wash also contains aloe vera to help soothe irritated skin naturally. It both cleans and conditions your Frenchie’s skin and coat while deodorizing with natural wheat protein.

The scent is not long-lasting and some users found the shampoo didn’t rinse out of their dog’s coat well, leaving a heavy residue. Free of alcohol, this product is designed to be used frequently.

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6. HyLyt Hypoallergenic Shampoo with Fatty Acids

Another great shampoo pick for French Bulldogs is HyLyt Hypoallergenic Shampoo with Essential Fatty Acids. One of the dangers of frequent bathing is causing more issues by stripping natural moisture from your dog’s coat. HyLyt is not only non-stripping and non-drying, but it contains fatty acids to replenish your Frenchie’s skin as you bathe. The shampoo is soap-free, hypoallergenic, and has a pleasant but not overwhelming odor. HyLyt is not made with all-natural ingredients, which is a negative for some pet owners. Overall, this shampoo is highly rated, with 99% of users recommending it.

It’s a bit more expensive than other shampoos on our list, but most users seem to believe the cost is worthwhile.

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7. EarthBath Oatmeal And Aloe Dog Shampoo

Earthbath Oatmeal And Aloe Dog Shampoo is formulated to relieve dry, itchy skin, an all too common occurrence in French Bulldogs. Cruelty-free and completely biodegradable, this shampoo is good for the earth and humankind. Oatmeal naturally moisturizes your Frenchie’s skin, while the aloe soothes any itch or scratches. Earthbath can be used on puppies over 6 weeks, making it another option to keep your Frenchie puppy clean.

Some users found the vanilla and almond scent overwhelming, although it also doesn’t seem to last very long. Because Earthbath is made with natural ingredients, the consistency and scent can vary somewhat from bottle to bottle.

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8. Vet’s Best Allergy And Itch Relief Formula Dog Shampoo

For confirmed allergy dogs, Vet’s Best Allergy And Itch Relief Formula Dog  Shampoo may be just the right choice. Formulated with essential oils and natural ingredients, Vet’s Best soothes your dog’s skin and washes away potential allergens, minimizing their impact on your pup. Users reported mixed results with this shampoo when it came to controlling itching but mostly positive results on the softness of their dog’s coats. Developed by a holistic veterinarian, Vet’s Best prioritizes gentle, natural products.

While this product is designed to combat itching, you must have your dog’s skin issue properly diagnosed by a veterinarian rather than merely continuing to treat the symptoms. Severe skin problems generally require more intensive treatment than bathing alone (more on this in our buyer’s guide).

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9. PetAg Fresh ‘n’ Clean Scented Dog Shampoo

For especially stinky Frenchies, consider the long-lasting scent of PetAg Fresh ‘n’ Clean Dog Shampoo. This shampoo relies on soap-free, plant-based cleaners to wash, deodorize, and condition your pup’s coat. A cruelty-free product, this shampoo is suitable for all life stages, including puppies.

The shampoo advertises its scent as lasting as long as 2 weeks, and most users did find it to be long-lasting. However, some didn’t consider this a positive because they found the smell itself unpleasant, many comparing it to a “great-grandma’s perfume.” Overall, this shampoo got high marks for cleaning ability but mixed reviews when it comes to the scent.

Buyer’s Guide: Finding the Best Shampoo for French Bulldogs

Before you make your shampoo choice and start bathing your French Bulldog, here are some final points to keep in mind.

Why Are You Bathing Your Dog?

This may seem like an obvious question but for breeds prone to skin problems, it can be more complicated. If your Frenchie just needs routine baths because they like to roll in the mud or because you dislike the general scent of dogs, your shampoo options are essentially wide open. You’re free to choose any scent or type you like because you only need it to keep your dog clean.

However, if your dog has allergies, dry skin, or an actual medical condition that requires bathing, you’ll need to be more particular with your choice. As we discussed, frequent bathing can dry out a dog’s skin unless you pick a shampoo such as HyLyt that is non-drying and replenishes the moisture while bathing.

Some skin conditions may require an actual medicated shampoo, prescribed by a veterinarian. This brings us to our next point…

Why Is Your Frenchie Itchy?

Before trying to cure your dog’s itchiness with over-the-counter shampoo, you should see your veterinarian to determine why your dog is scratching in the first place. Allergies are just one of many causes, and you’ll quickly become frustrated trying to manage your dog’s skin if you aren’t using the right treatments.

Managing some skin conditions requires medications by mouth, diet changes, and yes, bathing. If not treated appropriately, skin problems can worsen and lead to secondary complications.

How Old Is Your Dog?

Several of the shampoos on our list are suitable for puppies, but not all of them. In general, you should reach for a gentle, natural product to bathe your puppy, ideally a tearless formula. Getting your Frenchie used to baths when they’re young is always the best option, and you want the experience to be as pleasant as possible.

What Flea And Tick Products Do You Use?

Many topical flea and tick products are negatively impacted by bathing. Several of the shampoos on our list specifically mention that they are safe to use with these preventatives. However, every topical product works differently. To be safe, consult the directions on the flea product itself before bathing your dog. You may need to avoid bathing for several days before and after treating your Frenchie. Another option is to switch to pill parasite prevention which should not be affected by bathing.

Final Thoughts

Our best shampoo for French Bulldogs overall, Hepper Colloidal Oatmeal Pet Shampoo, is an all-natural formula safe for frequent use thanks to its moisturizing properties. Our budget buy pick, Hartz 6 in 1 Grooming Shampoo is a cost-effective, multi-functional shampoo and conditioner. No matter why you’re bathing your Frenchie, there’s a shampoo option out there that can get the job done. We hope our reviews of these eight products were a helpful overview of your choices and provided useful information to help you make your final decision.

You Might Also Be Interested In:

• Best Oatmeal Shampoos for Dogs – Reviews & Top Picks
• Best Shampoos for Golden Retrievers – Reviews & Top Picks

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Featured Image Credit: Margarita Mindebaeva, Shutterstock