Best Shampoo for Dirty Dogs

Dirty dogs happen. And for those dirty and smelly moments, you need a heavy duty cleaning shampoo that won’t dry your dog’s skin out. I like to call these products the workhorses of the canine shampoo world because no one wants to bathe their dog multiple times, right? 🙂

Deodorizing Shampoos

Heavily scented shampoos contain ingredients to neutralize and deodorize smells, such as baking soda and oatmeal. Usually, these shampoos are used to remove strong odors, such as skunk spray or any other disgusting odor your dog decided to roll in that day.

Follow shampoo directions completely, as most deodorizing shampoos need sufficient contact time with skin and coat to successfully remove foul and strong odors. If shampoo is rinsed too soon, most odors will linger and the skunk will still smell terribly even diluted. To keep your dog busy in the tub while shampoo soaks, smear peanut butter along the shower wall. Once your dog is clean, rinse off your shower wall.

Degreasers

Clarifying, or degreasing, shampoos remove excessive buildup from your dog’s coat. This is pretty common in some breeds of dogs, such as long-haired dogs and Terriers, especially if they have beards and mustaches. If not cleaned often and properly, dog beards and mustaches will develop food boogers (food matted in hair), which are very tough to remove. By rubbing and combing in a good clarifying shampooing, most food boogers can be worked loose and deodorized.

My Favorites

Hands down, my favorite is Clean Start Clarifying Shampoo by Chris Christensen. Many years ago, I shared my home with Bouviers, which are large heavy-coated breeds with long breads and mustaches. When bathing, I needed a quick acting, yet gentle clarifying and deodorizing shampoo that would remove residue and keep food boogers at bay. This shampoo did a fabulous job!

To remove skunk odors, I highly recommend Best Shot One Shot Deodorizing and De-Skunk Shampoo. It will get the smell out! Follow shampoo directions. You may need to bathe your dog’s face again later in the week. Skunk smells were designed to last. 🙂 Tomato juice and other home remedies have not worked for us, but again my skunked dogs had long beards. Oh, the joy.

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