The 10 Best Dog Shampoos for Every Kind of Dog

If your pet shampoo has been leaving your pup smelling like, well, a wet dog, then it's time for an upgrade. However, finding the right dog shampoo isn't as easy as it sounds. As you may have figured out, many dog shampoos promise more than they can deliver. "The FDA does not regulate grooming aids (pet cosmetics) unless they are a drug, meaning they are intended for medical purposes," explains Birnur Aral, Ph.D., Director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Health, Beauty and Environmental Sciences Lab. "Therefore, the barrier to entry into this market is even lower than that for cosmetics, which in short are defined as products intended for beautifying and cleansing of human skin, hair and nails. This has recently led to an explosion of pet grooming brands, for that matter dog shampoo products, in the market."

Basically, you should be looking for the same thing in dog shampoos that you look for in human shampoos — to remove dirt and oil. Also, a vet's recommendation doesn't hurt. "When choosing a dog shampoo, we recommend that consumers rely on their veterinarians for guidance or use products from established brands," says Aral. "After all, a shampoo’s main function, whether for humans or pets, is to clean hair and underlying skin. Clean hair and coat will be shinier when there is no dirt and oil which are known to dull the appearance of the hair fibers." To keep your four-legged friends happy and clean, here are the best dog shampoos to buy.