11 Best Dog Shampoos for Dandruff – 2024 Reviews &amp; Top Picks

Hepper’s Colloidal Oatmeal Pet Shampoo in cucumber and aloe scent is a soothing and moisturizing product, eliminating dandruff and preventing it from coming back. It’s made with natural ingredients like aloe vera to hydrate your dog’s dry skin and colloidal oatmeal to soothe ongoing irritation and inflammation.

The formula is made without soaps, synthetic dyes, sulfates, or phthalates, so it is gentle to use on even the most sensitive puppy skin. In addition, Hepper’s shampoo is pH balanced and safe to use on both dogs and cats, making it the perfect product for multi-pet homes.

This shampoo serves three primary purposes for your pet: thoroughly cleanses and conditions their coat, rehydrates dull and dry skin and offers relief and prevention for irritation. Since it cleans, moisturizes, and reduces irritation all at the same time, we think this is your best defense against doggy dandruff.

In addition, it leaves a long-lasting, subtle, and fresh aloe and cucumber scent that is not too overpowering. Perhaps the best thing about this product is its affordable price.

We think that Hepper’s Colloidal Oatmeal Pet Shampoo is the best dog shampoo for dandruff.

Pros

Natural ingredients
No phthalates or sulfates
pH-balanced formula
Gentle on sensitive skin
Cleanses and moisturizes

Cons

Not all pet owners like scented products

2. Hartz Groomer’s Anti-Dandruff Dog Shampoo – Budget Buy

Hartz Groomer’s Best Shampoo is an anti-dandruff dog shampoo specifically designed to get rid of dandruff and dry, flaky skin. It contains salicylic acid, a powerful dandruff-fighting ingredient that won’t damage your dog’s skin. This shampoo is easy to lather and rinse out, so it won’t leave an oily residue on your dog’s fur. It’s formulated to leave your dog’s coat soft and shiny, giving your dog a salon-fresh look with each bath. It’s also less expensive than other dog shampoos without sacrificing on quality. However, this anti-dandruff dog shampoo contains Sodium Laureth Sulfate, which is a detergent that can be harsh for dogs with sensitive skin. It also has a slight chemical odor to it that may be a bit unpleasant to some, which is why we kept it out of our #1 spot. Otherwise, if you’re looking for the best value, we recommend Hartz 3270015462 Groomer’s Best Shampoo as the best dog shampoo for dandruff for the money.

Pros

Salicylic acid helps prevent dandruff
Leaves coat soft and shiny
Easy to lather and rinse out
Less expensive than other shampoos

Cons

Contains sodium laureth sulfate (SLS)
Slight chemical odor

3. Arava Natural Medicated Dog Shampoo

Arava Natural Medicated Dog Shampoo is a premium dog shampoo that can help fight dandruff and other skin conditions. This anti-dandruff dog shampoo is formulated with vitamins and minerals from the Dead Sea, which is known for having skin healing properties. It deeply cleanses and repairs the hair follicles without using harsh chemicals to help prevent dandruff and flaky dry skin. This shampoo also contains 28 active ingredients that have antibacterial and antifungal properties to help prevent painful skin conditions and infections. However, it also contains butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), a preservative that has questionable data on its safety with human and pet products. This shampoo also needs a conditioner after each use, which can add up financially if you have a big dog. It’s also on the expensive side when we compared it to other shampoos. If you’re looking for a premium-grade shampoo and you don’t mind buying a separate conditioner, we recommend trying Arava Natural Medicated Dog Shampoo.

Pros

Formulated with Dead Sea minerals
Deeply cleanses hair follicles
Contains 28 active ingredients

Cons

Contains butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
Needs a conditioner after each use
On the expensive side

4. Pets Are Kids Too Oatmeal Anti-Itch Shampoo

The Pets Are Kids Too Oatmeal Anti-Itch Shampoo is a dog shampoo designed to soothe your dog’s itchy skin. It contains a shampoo and conditioner-in-one, so you won’t have to buy an additional product to keep your dog’s fur from tangling. It’s made with oatmeal and other anti-itch ingredients, which can cause dandruff and other skin problems that may cause itching. This shampoo also contains ingredients with antibacterial and antifungal properties that can help prevent infections. While this shampoo may have some important benefits, we found that it may not be suitable for dogs with extremely sensitive skin. It took longer to wash out than other shampoos, leaving a slightly oily residue after washing it out twice. Although it was hard to rinse off, it has a thin, watery consistency that makes it difficult to lather and wash your dog with. As long as your dog’s skin isn’t sensitive, the Pets Are Kids Too Oatmeal Anti-Itch Shampoo can be a good dog shampoo for dandruff.

Pros

Shampoo and conditioner in one
Oatmeal and other anti-itch ingredients
Antibacterial and antifungal properties

Cons

May irritate extremely sensitive skin
Takes longer to rinse out
Thin, watery consistency

5. Pro Pet Works Oatmeal Dog Shampoo

Pro Pet Works Oatmeal Pet Shampoo is a dog shampoo that can help with conditions like dry skin and dandruff. It uses a soup and detergent-free formula, so it’s gentle on your dog’s sensitive skin. This shampoo moisturizes and soothes dry and irritated skin, which can help prevent flaky skin and dandruff. The formula is made with natural, cruelty-free ingredients, making it suitable for all lifestyles. The almond cherry scent is light and fragrance-free, which can gently deodorize your dog’s coat. The shampoo and bottle are made with 100% biodegradable or recycled ingredients and materials for an earth-friendly product. Although it is a great product, the watery consistency of this shampoo doesn’t lather well and makes it a bit hard to use.

Pros

Soap and detergent-free formula
Moisturizes skin to prevent dandruff
Natural, Cruelty-free ingredients,
Scented without fragrance
Made with 100% biodegradable ingredients

Cons

Watery consistency doesn’t lather well

6. Friends Forever Natural Dog Shampoo

The Friends Forever Natural Dog Shampoo is an anti-dandruff dog shampoo formulated to get rid of and prevent dandruff. It’s made with all-natural ingredients like oatmeal and essential oils, with no harsh chemicals and ingredients. This shampoo is gentle on the skin and fur, leaving your dog’s coat shiny and soft after each use. It has a decent lather that washes your dog completely, so you can get a deep clean. It also rinses out easily without leaving a waxy residue on your dog’s fur. However, this shampoo is not as strong as other shampoos, so it may not work for moderate and severe cases of dandruff. The apple scent is a bit strong and smells artificial, which may be unpleasant to both you and your furry friend. It’s also on the expensive side, so it may not be the best value if you have a large dog. If you’re looking for an all-natural shampoo to get rid of a mild case of dandruff, the Friends Forever PET66-162 Natural Dog Shampoo may work for you.

Pros

Made with all-natural ingredients
Leaves coat shiny and soft
Decent lather and rinses out easily

Cons

Not as strong as other dandruff shampoos
On the expensive side
Artificial apple scent

7. BEXLEY LABS Benzoyl Peroxide Dog Shampoo

BEXLEY LABS Benzoyl Peroxide Dog Shampoo is a medicated dog shampoo that treats multiple skin and coat conditions, including dandruff. This shampoo contains benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, and salicylic acid, a powerful blend of skin-healing ingredients that will improve your dog’s coat. It’s stronger than most shampoos, especially compared to all-natural and organic products. This dog shampoo uses a soap-free and paraben-free formula, which won’t leave your dog’s coat oily or greasy. However, there are some issues with this product that we encountered. Because of the strong formula, this shampoo is not suitable for dogs with sensitive skin. It contains a fragrance-based scent, which can irritate sensitive skin even more. BEXLEY LABS shampoo may also have a drying effect from the peroxide, so you may have to use a conditioner to prevent dry skin. For better quality ingredients without causing irritation, we recommend trying Pro Pet or Hartz shampoos first.

Pros

Contains a blend of skin-healing ingredients
Stronger than most shampoos
Soap and paraben-free formula

Cons

Not suitable for dogs with sensitive skin
Contains fragrance-based scent
May have drying effect without conditioner

8. Pet MD djbv Medicated Shampoo

PET MD Medicated Shampoo is a dog shampoo that uses a medicated blend to help control skin problems like dandruff and folliculitis. It uses a blend of Peroxide, Sulfur, and Salicylic Acid, which have antiseptic, antifungal and antibacterial properties. This shampoo lathers up well and rinses off easily, meaning you won’t be stuck rinsing your dog over and over again. It also leaves your dog’s coat shiny and soft without the need for a separate conditioning product. However, the medicated formula in Pet MD djbv Medicated Shampoo is strong, so it may irritate your dog’s skin rather than heal it. It contains an intense fragrance-derived scent that smelt like chemicals rather than orange, which may cause even more irritation. It also contains propylene glycol, a chemical with mixed data on its safe use in pet products. For higher quality products with gentler solutions, we recommend trying other dog shampoos for dandruff first.

Pros

The medicated blend helps control skin problems
Lathers up and rinses off well
Leaves coat shiny and soft

Cons

Strong formula may irritate skin
Contains intense fragrance-derived scent
Contains propylene glycol

9. Mika Pets Dog Shampoo

Mika Pets Dog Shampoo is a dog shampoo aimed to help treat and heal dry, itchy and irritated skin. It contains colloidal oatmeal, which is refined and stronger than plain oatmeal. This shampoo is sulfate and paraben-free, both of which are known irritants that can cause the skin to become itchy. This shampoo is also made with ingredients that moisturize the skin and coat, which helps prevent tangling and matting. However, there are a few issues with this product that we couldn’t overlook. It contains fragrance and a foaming agent that can be harsh on the skin if your dog is sensitive to them. The scent isn’t strong enough to deodorize the coat, so it makes the fragrance kind of pointless to have. Mika Pets Dog Shampoo is also not as helpful with dandruff when compared to other dog shampoos for dandruff, so we recommend trying other dog shampoos for better ingredients and quality.

Pros

Contains colloidal oatmeal
Moisturizes skin and coat
Sulfate and paraben-free

Cons

Contains fragrance and foaming agent
Not as helpful with dandruff
The scent isn’t strong enough to deodorize the coat

10. Strawfield Pets Medicated Dog Shampoo

Strawfield Pets Medicated Dog Shampoo is a dog shampoo made to fight skin problems that cause dry, flaky skin. It contains a medicated Benzoyl Peroxide formula, which helps get rid of dandruff. It also may soothe irritated, itchy skin, getting rid of buildup and residue at the follicles that cause itching and irritation. Although it has a strong formula, this shampoo doesn’t condition the coat and will need a separate product to make grooming easier. It contains fragrance and coloring, which can lead to skin allergies and irritation. This shampoo contains a strong chemical odor, so may be unpleasant to you and your dog. Strawfield Pets Medicated Dog Shampoo is also on the expensive side, so it won’t save you much financially. For better value and results, we recommend trying one of our Top 3 picks first.

Pros

Benzoyl Peroxide formula
May soothe itchy skin

Cons

Doesn’t condition coat
Contains fragrance and coloring
Strong chemical odor
On the expensive side

11. PetAg Fresh ‘n Clean Dandruff Dog Shampoo