Whether it's allergies, dandruff, itchy skin, or you just want a gentle pet shampoo, the best oatmeal shampoo for dogs can help. Everything from age to specific skin issues can determine the right shampoo for your dog's needs. Plus, all the shampoos in this roundup, no matter its specialty, are highly rated.
Oatmeal baths are known to help soothe various human skin woes, like eczema and poison ivy. But oatmeal is a great natural remedy for canine skin issues, too. Since a dog's skin pH level is different than ours, most dogs need shampoos designed for them that are extra-gentle; oatmeal shampoo, specifically, can help relieve everything from allergies to hot spots. Some oatmeal shampoos work for cats dealing with dry skin and other skin concerns, too. However, unless a dog shampoo explicitly states that it’s safe for cats, you shouldn’t use it on feline friends.
The picks below all contain oatmeal, mostly colloidal oatmeal. Colloidal oatmeal still has bran, traditionally milled out of most oatmeals and oat flours, which is the source of oatmeal's skin soothing benefits. The picks also contain other skin-nourishing ingredients — like aloe and vitamin E. In addition to containing quality ingredients, most are free from soap, parabens, sulfates, and artificial colorants and fragrances, all of which can potentially irritate your dog's skin. Many are pH-balanced and one is even hypoallergenic. I’ve even included two picks that are tear-free and puppy-safe, too.
Take a look at the best oatmeal shampoos for dogs below. From warding off fleas to neutralizing odor, there should be a pick to suit your dog's needs.
1The Overall Best Oatmeal Shampoo For Dogs: A Highly-Rated All-Natural Shampoo
Thanks to its nourishing and moisturizing ingredients — like colloidal oatmeal, aloe vera, and vitamins A, B, D, and E— Earthbath's all-natural oatmeal and aloe pet shampoo is a winner for dogs with dry, itchy skin. Since it's also pH-balanced, soap-free, and formulated without artificial fragrances, dyes, parabens, or sulfates, it works to gently cleanse your dog's skin without over-drying. While it isn't advertised as hypoallergenic, reviewers noted that it didn’t irritate their very sensitive pets. Plus, this pick has received a 4.4 star rating and over 2,900 reviews.
What fans are saying: “This shampoo is the best! My vet had recommended oatmeal for bathing my dog, because of her allergies. I got this after reading great reviews and I have to agree. This stuff is the best! This helped with the itching and irritation. It was soothing. She was back to normal, no more scratching and red belly. Also it left her really soft and fluffy...she got so many compliments on her coat.”
2The Best Budget
Burt’s Bees oatmeal shampoo for dogs is jam-packed with 97% natural ingredients, including soothing colloidal oat flour, honey, beeswax, and green tea extract — all of which work to leave your dog's coat soft and shiny. Tear-free and pH-balanced, this gentle pick contains no parabens, phthalates, soap, petroleum, synthetic fragrances, colorants, or SLS (sodium laureth sulfate), making it an excellent choice for dogs with extra-sensitive skin. Amazon shoppers give it an impressive 4.1-star rating and lots of glowing reviews as well. While it isn't advertised as hypoallergenic, it does claim to be suitable for all dogs and puppies, and it's veterinarian recommended, according to the company.
What fans are saying: “I bought this for my dog. I highly recommend it. She has sensitive skin and when I use this I notice she scratches significantly less. Plus, it leaves her soft and smelling good. I recommend getting both the shampoo and conditioner.”
3The Best Hypoallergenic Oatmeal Shampoo
For a hypoallergenic oatmeal shampoo look no further than the Pro Pet Works Oatmeal Pet Wash. With its natural cherry-almond scent and nourishing ingredients like oatmeal, almond oil, aloe vera, and vitamins A, D, and E, this pick is sure meet your dog's sensitive needs. PH-balanced and free from soap, alcohol, detergents, sulfates, parabens, added colors, and artificial fragrances, it boasts a 4.7-star rating and over 2,000 reviews.
What fans are saying: “I wanted to wait to post a review until we got a couple of washes in...I absolutely love this shampoo. My boxer dog has allergies and dry, itchy skin, especially in winter. The shampoo lifted all the dead skin to the surface and I was able to brush it all out after. Left her skin shiny, smooth, and moisturized. Smell was nice and gentle, almond-like. Highly recommend! In fact, I'm tempted to try on myself, I too suffer from allergies and itchy scalp lol.”
4An Oatmeal Shampoo That Neutralizes Odors
This oatmeal shampoo by Nature's Miracle uses a natural odor-neutralizing and deodorizing formula to gently cleanse and condition your dog's coat. It contains soothing colloidal oatmeal, plus chamomile extract and vitamin B, to calm your dog's dry, itchy skin. It's also dye-, paraben-, and soap-free, making it a great option for dogs with sensitive skin. This pick boasts a 4.5-star rating and nearly 800 reviews as well; and it's pH-balanced for your dog's skin, since it has a pH level of 7, according to Amazon.
What fans are saying: “I love this shampoo so much that I am going to get the perfume and doggy wipes in the same scent. I didn't know how I would feel about the mix of honey and sage, but this stuff smells AMAZING, and my dog smells amazing after I bathe her with it. She is a stinky lady, being a hound dog, but this stuff keeps her smelling good for a few days at least. Most other shampoos only keep the scent down for a couple hours.”
5The Best Oatmeal Shampoo For People With Multiple Dogs And Even Cats
For about $0.23 per ounce, John Paul Pet's oatmeal shampoo is great for washing all your dogs affordably. From the Paul Mitchell brand, but designed for pets, this pH-balanced pick is formulated with sensitive skin in mind, and it's safe for both cats and dogs. Similar to others on this list, it contains soothing, moisturizing ingredients including oatmeal, aloe, almond oil, and chamomile. However, this isn't the most natural option, as it doesn't claim to be hypoallergenic or paraben-free, and definitely includes sulfates, artificial fragrances, and artificial colors — but Amazon shoppers love it enough to give it a 4.8-star rating. If you don't need this much shampoo, this pick is also available in a smaller size.
What fans are saying: “I have been using this shampoo on my dogs and cats for years. It's fantastic for dry, irritated or allergy-inflamed skin. It has a pleasant scent while washing, but it's mild, and doesn't linger after you rinse your fur baby off, so fragrance it not an issue for sensitive-types. All you smell is clean animal! It makes their fur/hair feel soft as well. And I absolutely love that John Paul tests this on people instead of animals!”
6The Best For Flea And Tick Control
Combining soothing oatmeal with two medications for managing ticks and fleas — Permethrin and Piperonyl Butoxide — this shampoo by Sentry offers the moisturizing qualities of oatmeal with powerful tick and flea protection. However, while it should be effective at ridding your pup of pests, know that permethrin is an insecticide, meaning this pick might not be ideal for those who don’t want to use chemicals on their dog. Also, cats are very sensitive to permethrin, so do not use it on cats or kittens.
Because this pick isn't advertised as being free from soap, parabens, sulfates, or artificial colors and fragrances — nor does it claim to be hypoallergenic or pH-balanced — it might not be ideal for dogs with extra-sensitive skin. But it is well rated for managing ticks and fleas.
What fans are saying: “This is a really great flea and tick shampoo for our dogs. We have three dogs, two small and one large. We bathe them once every two weeks and this controls fleas and ticks fairly well. We use this in conjunction with our flea regime as well, and seems to help a lot more than just the usual flea and tick shampoos. I like the fact that it is very gentle on our dogs, and would recommend this to most people.”
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