Australian Shepherds are beautiful and hard-working dogs that have taken on roles as herding, rescue, and service dogs. No matter the challenge, Australian Shepherds are up for it.
These dogs like to spend time outdoors and can get quite dirty. Combined with their long, luscious coats, Aussies need a little extra maintenance to keep them looking good.
Their coats are double-layered with a soft, fluffy undercoat and a coarse outer layer that is semi-waterproof. They are also prone to skin allergies and may suffer from itchy skin and irritation.
To keep their natural oils intact, you need a shampoo penetrating both layers and slows shedding. Check out our best shampoos for Australian Shepherds based on reviews from dog owners like you!
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A Quick Look at Our Favorites in 2024
| Rating | Image | Product | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Best Overall  | Hepper Colloidal Oatmeal Pet Shampoo | CHECK PRICE | ||
 | Burt’s Bees Oatmeal Shampoo | CHECK PRICE | ||
 | Vetnique Labs Medicated Shampoo | CHECK PRICE | ||
| Burt’s Bees Tearless Puppy Shampoo | CHECK PRICE | |||
| Buddy Wash Original Lavender & Mint | CHECK PRICE |
The 8 Best Dog Shampoos for Australian Shepherds
1. Hepper Colloidal Oatmeal Pet Shampoo – Best Overall
| Life stage: | All |
| Breed: | All |
| Features: | pH balanced, all-natural, free of harsh ingredients, soothing |
Your Australian Shepherd needs the best shampoo available, which is where we come in. Our first choice for the best overall shampoo for this breed is the Hepper Colloidal Oatmeal Pet Shampoo. Aussies will enjoy this high-quality pet shampoo, which keeps their fur clean, soft, and shiny. Bath time will be a breeze with this product since it hydrates, soothes, and cleans your dog’s skin. Due to their thick coats, Australian Shepherds are often prone to itchy, dry skin. This is because all that hair can sometimes trap debris and moisture. This shampoo lathers well but contains natural ingredients such as colloidal oatmeal, aloe vera, and cucumber, which are gentle enough for sensitive skin. The pH of this shampoo is balanced so that it will not interfere with your furry buddy’s natural oil production.
The performance of this shampoo is outstanding. As well as removing dirt and grime from your Australian Shepherd’s coat, it leaves them smelling so fresh and clean. Your Aussie is going to feel like they’ve had a spa day. Further good news is that it is skin-safe for you and your pet to come in contact with since the formula is non-toxic. With no detergents, gluten, dyes, DEA, sulfates, or phthalates, it provides your Australian Shepherd with a soothing bathing experience.
Considering its cleaning and soothing properties and its great smell, Hepper Colloidal Oatmeal Pet Shampoo is a great choice for Australian Shepherd owners. Considering all these factors, Hepper Colloidal Oatmeal Pet Shampoo tops our list.
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!
- Formulation that is gentle on sensitive skin
- Among the natural ingredients in this product are colloidal oatmeal, aloe vera, and cucumber
- Lathers and rinses easily
- Effectively removes dirt and grime
- Formulated without harsh ingredients and pH-balanced
- Compared to some other brands reviewed, it is more expensive
- A more intense scent may be preferred by some pet parents
2. Burt’s Bees Oatmeal Dog Shampoo with Oat Flour & Honey
| Life stage: | Adult |
| Breed: | All |
| Features: | Oatmeal |
Burt’s Bees Oatmeal with Colloidal Oat Flour Dog Shampoo is the best shampoo for Australian Shepherds for the money. Made with natural ingredients like honey and colloidal oat flour, this shampoo deeply conditions the skin and coat to soothe irritation and itch. The shampoo is pH-balanced for dogs and made without artificial fragrances, parabens, chemicals, petrolatum, or phthalates.
When used as directed, this shampoo won’t wash off topical flea and tick treatments. This shampoo is intended for adult dogs. There’s also a separate puppy shampoo. Several reviewers said it doesn’t lather well and may worsen skin issues.
- Oat flour and honey
- Designed to soothe skin
- pH balanced
- Doesn’t lather well
- A few people reported skin conditions did not improve
3. Vetnique Labs Dermabliss Medicated Dog Shampoo
| Life stage: | All |
| Breed: | All |
| Features: | Medicated, soap-free |
Vetnique Labs Dermabliss Anti-Bacterial & Anti-Fungal Medicated Cat & Dog Shampoo is our third choice for dog shampoos. This shampoo is designed to help with skin infections from bacteria, fungus, and yeast and cleans and deodorizes the skin. The antiseptic formula has no soap and uses medicated ingredients like chlorhexidine gluconate and ketoconazole to alleviate itchy skin conditions.
All Vetnique products are made in the US. Many reviewers saw relief from their dogs’ skin irritation with this shampoo, while others found it too harsh and drying for their dogs.
- Medicated
- Soap free
- Addresses bacterial, fungal, and yeast infections
- May be too harsh for dogs with sensitive skin
4. Burt’s Bees Tearless Puppy Shampoo with Buttermilk
| Life stage: | Puppy |
| Breed: | All |
| Features: | Tearless |
Burt’s Bees Tearless Puppy Shampoo with Buttermilk for Dogs is a great choice for puppies. The gentle ingredients help clean your puppy’s coat without drying it out, and its pH is balanced for dogs with buttermilk to soothe skin. Honey also helps to regulate and retain moisture and strengthen hair follicles for growth.
The shampoo is 97% natural and cruelty-free, with no sulfates or colorants, so you can feel confident using it on your puppy. The formula is tearless, though you should still be cautious about using it around your pup’s eyes and nose. Several reviewers said the shampoo doesn’t lather well, and it takes a lot of cycles to bathe their dogs fully.
- Buttermilk and honey
- Tearless
- No sulfates or colorants
- Doesn’t lather well
5. Buddy Wash Original Lavender & Mint Dog Shampoo & Conditioner
| Life stage: | Adult |
| Breed: | All |
| Features: | Soap-free |
Buddy Wash Original Lavender & Mint Dog Shampoo & Conditioner is a gentle, two-in-one formula specially made with cosmetic-grade ingredients. The shampoo has botanical extracts and essential oils to clean your pet with a pleasant scent. Aloe vera, lavender, and mint help calm irritated skin.
The coconut-based liquid is alcohol-free and uses wheat protein as a natural deodorizer, so you can use it on your pup regularly without drying out its skin. The shampoo is not tested on animals and is safe for humans when used as directed. Reviewers were pleased overall but did say the shampoo has a strong scent.
- Botanical extracts and essential oils
- Alcohol-free
- Naturally deodorizing
- Strong scent that some people might find overpowering
6. Skout’s Honor Probiotic Unscented Dog Shampoo
| Life stage: | All |
| Breed: | All |
| Features: | Hypoallergenic, tearless, soap-free, cruelty-free |
Skout’s Honor Probiotic Unscented Dog Shampoo is another great shampoo for Australian Shepherds. The hypoallergenic shampoo features avocado oil to soothe irritated skin and moisturize the coat, as well as colony-forming probiotic kefir to promote healthy skin. This shampoo can help defend against itch, odor, and inflammation.
The shampoo has no sulfates, parabens, colors, dyes, or GMOs. It’s also cruelty-free and suitable for all skin types and conditions, including itching, dryness, irritation, and excessive shedding. Though this shampoo is intended for sensitive skin, it’s best to speak with your vet about your dog’s specific skin conditions and your shampoo options. Some reviewers didn’t see relief for their dogs from trying this shampoo.
- Hypoallergenic
- Moisturizing to help with dog’s dry skin
- Probiotics
- Some pet owners needed to wash their dogs twice to see the result
7. 4-Legger Organic Hypoallergenic Lemongrass & Aloe Dog Shampoo
| Life stage: | Adult |
| Breed: | All |
| Features: | Hypoallergenic, cruelty-free |
4-Legger Organic, Hypoallergenic, Lemongrass & Aloe Dog Shampoo is free from artificial chemicals for an organic clean. Lemongrass is a natural cleanser and uses aloe vera to soothe the skin, even for sensitive dogs. The shampoo is USDA-certified organic and includes essential oils to promote naturally healthy skin without stripping coat oils.
The concentrated formula is easy to lather and rinse without detergents, thickeners, parabens, preservatives, or sulfates. The shampoo is 100% biodegradable, sustainably sourced, and eco-friendly. However, several reviewers complained about the consistency of the shampoo and its strong smell.
- Hypoallergenic
- USDA-certified organic
- Essential oils
- Consistency of the shampoo is quite thin
- Strong smell, not good for people with sensitive noses
8. FURminator DeShedding Ultra Premium Shampoo for Dogs
| Life stage: | All |
| Breed: | All |
| Features: | De-shedding |
FURminator DeShedding Ultra Premium Shampoo for Dogs is a uniquely formulated shampoo designed to condition, clean, and de-shed your dogs. Omega fatty acids, calendula extract, and papaya leaf extract help to enrich the coat, promote healthy skin, and reduce shedding.
The proprietary formula is made in the USA and free of parabens, chemical dyes, and artificial colors. Though some reviewers had good results, others said the shampoo was no different than other shampoos they’ve used and didn’t help with shedding.
- De-shedding formula
- Omega fatty acids, calendula, and papaya leaf extract
- Made in the USA
- Mixed results on the overall effectiveness
Buyers Guide: Choosing the Best Shampoo for Australian Shepherds
Australian Shepherds have a double-layered coat that needs special care to reduce shedding and penetrate the thick coat to the skin beneath. With the right care, an Australian Shepherd’s coat can have less shedding, more smoothness and shininess, and healthier skin.
Before bathing, it’s important to brush your dog thoroughly to remove loose hair and dirt. Otherwise, you may not see the best results from ANY shampoo.
Scents
If your shepherd suffers from itchy or dry skin, it’s best to get a moisturizing shampoo that won’t dry out or irritate the skin further. Scented shampoos often contain chemicals that can irritate, so it’s best to choose fragrance-free shampoos or shampoos that derive scents from natural and non-irritating ingredients, such as botanical extracts.
Soothing Ingredients
Dog shampoo must cleanse the skin and coat gently without stripping the natural oils that keep your dog’s coat and skin healthy. Soothing ingredients like oatmeal, honey, and vitamin E can help your dog’s skin become less irritated and itchy, but be sure to speak to your vet about the best options for your dog’s unique needs.
To talk to a vet online now, click on the image or button below:
Puppy Formula
Dog shampoos have different formulas for a reason. It’s not recommended to use an adult shampoo formula on a puppy. Most puppy shampoos are gentler and tearless for rambunctious puppies who don’t quite sit well for bathing (yet) and won’t be as irritating if it gets in your pup’s eyes. Once your dog reaches adulthood, you can switch to an adult formula.
Odor
If your dog likes to play in gross stuff, like garbage, manure, mud, or other smelly things, you may want a deodorizing shampoo. These powerful shampoo formulas help to eliminate unpleasant odors rather than masking them with strong floral scents.
Tangles
Aussies have long coats that can become matted easily. If your dog is prone to tangles, you may want to get a conditioning shampoo to ensure moisture and manageability for your dog’s long coat. If your dog gets a lot of tangles and mats, you may want to use a separate shampoo and conditioner to replenish natural oils and help with detangling.
Our Selection Process For Dog Shampoos For Australian Shepherds
To create this buyer’s guide, our writing team and editorial staff checked customer reviews, brand reputation, and veterinary approval ratings to present the dog shampoos we think should be highlighted for our readers. In some cases, we conducted hands-on testing along with seeing how much our dogs liked the dog shampoos. All these factors were considered when selecting these listed dog shampoos to help you make the best purchase for your furry friends.
Why Trust Dogster?
Since 2004, Dogster has been a trusted brand for dog owners online, which means we have a lot of experience with dog shampoos. We take pride in promoting the well-being of all dogs—from toy breeds to giant canines. Our in-house veterinarians, writers, and editors examine each product on our lists, ensuring its quality and reputation. As pet owners ourselves, we only want the best for our furry companions. At Dogster, we are transparent about the products we promote. The nutritional information, overall brand reputation, and customer reviews are all considered for these lists. We inform you how we want to be informed.
Conclusion
Australian Shepherds have long, beautiful coats and sensitive skin that need some extra TLC. Our top pick was Hepper Colloidal Oatmeal Pet Shampoo, which is the best overall shampoo for Australian Shepherds for its hypoallergenic formula. For the budget buy, we chose Burt’s Bees Oatmeal with Colloidal Oat Flour Dog Shampoo. Our third pick is Vetnique Labs Dermabliss Anti-Bacterial & Anti-Fungal Medicated Cat & Dog Shampoo for skin issues.
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Featured Image Credit: Kozak_studio, Shutterstock
