Best Shampoos For German Shepherds | 5 Shampoos Reviewed

German Shepherds require quite a bit of grooming and maintenance. Aside from being heavy shedders, they’re highly active dogs that don’t necessarily mind getting a bit dirty and perhaps even stinky. So not only do you have to maintain a regular brushing schedule, but you also have to be prepared for the occasional bath. And so in this article, I discuss the best shampoos for German Shepherds so you can keep your beloved GSD and its coat clean and healthy.

Overview: Best Shampoos For German Shepherds

• 4-Legger USDA Certified Organic Shampoo
• Earthbath All Natural Pet Shampoo
• Burt’s Bees Natural Oatmeal Shampoo
• Particular Paws Hypoallergenic Dog Shampoo
• Pro Pet Works All Natural Oatmeal Shampoo And Conditioner

What To Consider When Buying Shampoo For Your GSD

Different Types Of Shampoos

There are different types of dog shampoos that you can choose. They are as follows:

Regular Or General Purpose Shampoos. As the name implies, these are pretty much the standard or everyday shampoos you can get for your German Shepherd. They’re general-purpose and used to moisturize, deodorize, and clean your German Shepherd’s skin and coat.

Flea And Tick Shampoos. These shampoos are formulated to prevent or treat fleas and ticks. Use these if you don’t use other flea and tick prevention products or live in an area where fleas and ticks are quite common.

Medicated Shampoos. Medicated shampoos are antibacterial, antifungal, and antimicrobial. They’re typically prescribed to treat skin conditions such as infections.

Hypoallergenic Shampoos. If your German Shepherd has sensitive skin, then it would be best to get hypoallergenic shampoos. These shampoos are mild and are specially formulated to prevent allergies, irritation, and other skin issues.

Puppy Shampoos. Similar to hypoallergenic shampoos, puppy shampoos are formulated to be milder and better suited for puppies as they make use of ingredients that don’t irritate a puppy’s eyes and nose. These shampoos are typically best for German Shepherds under one year old.

Black Shampoos. Lastly, we have black shampoos specifically developed for dogs with dark coats to enhance color and promote shine. If you have a black German Shepherd, then you might want to consider these shampoos.

Ingredients

German Shepherds have sensitive skin and often suffer from skin allergies and dry and flaky skin. Thus, I highly recommend that you stick to organic or natural shampoos. You can usually identify these just by their labels, but if you wish more thorough, look through the ingredients and check for the following:

• The shampoo must use natural fragrances like lavender and citrus instead of chemical and artificial fragrances.
• Look for natural ingredients like aloe vera, oatmeal, honey, and plant-based extracts.
• Make sure that the shampoo is soap-free as soap can cause dry and irritated skin.
• The shampoo should not have harmful ingredients such as parabens, preservatives, artificial fragrances, artificial coloring, and sulfates.

Just keep in mind, however, that while going for a natural shampoo will generally be safer, your German Shepherd can be allergic to even those natural ingredients. So, before purchasing a shampoo, you may want to consult with a veterinarian and figure out your dog’s allergies.

pH Level

Make sure that the shampoo has a pH level between 6.5 to 7.5. This specific range caters to a dog’s normal pH balance of 6.2 to 7.4 and will thus work best for your German Shepherd’s sensitive skin.

This is also why you shouldn’t use human shampoo on your dog. Our shampoos tend to be more acidic and using them on your German Shepherd may leave your dog more vulnerable to parasites, viruses, and bacteria while also causing dry and itchy skin.

Fragrance

Lastly, there’s fragrance. And really this is pretty much subjective. So go for whichever fragrance you prefer. Just be sure that the fragrance is brought about by natural ingredients and not of harmful chemicals.

The Best Shampoos For German Shepherds

4-Legger USDA Certified Organic Shampoo

To start, we have the 4-legger organic shampoo, which is a USDA-certified, biodegradable, and eco-friendly dog shampoo. It’s natural, non-toxic, and free of chemical ingredients such as detergent, paraben, artificial fragrances, preservatives, and sulfates.

Instead, it’s composed of beneficial ingredients such as the antibacterial, and antifungal peppermint; cedarwood essential oil, a natural flea deterrent; rosemary, which helps with flaky or dry skin; and aloe vera, which serves as a moisturizer and conditioner.

So, not only will this shampoo help keep your German Shepherd’s coat and skin healthy, but it’s also hypoallergenic and thus generally irritation-free. Meaning, it’s the perfect shampoo for dogs with sensitive skin.

As for the smell, the herbal scent can be quite powerful but not entirely overpowering when rinsed. That said, if you’re not a fan of it, you might want to opt for the lavender or unscented variants instead.

If you do get this shampoo, then keep in mind that it’s concentrated. Meaning it lathers well, and you can quickly produce a thick lather even with minimal amounts. However, this shampoo does have a watery consistency, and it might feel weird and not shampoo-like at first. As such, you can easily waste it if you’re not careful.

Earthbath All Natural Pet Shampoo

Next on the list is the Earthbath All Natural Pet Shampoo, which, as its name implies, is another natural shampoo free of harsh chemicals such as parabens, synthetic dyes, and sulfates. It’s also soap-free and uses natural cleansers such as purified water, colloidal oatmeal, aloe vera, coconut-based cleansers, and food-grade extracts of almond and vanilla to keep your German Shepherd’s skin and coat clean, soft, and well moisturized.

All in all, the Earthbath All Natural Pet Shampoo is a 100% biodegradable, cruelty-free, and safe shampoo that smells good and is excellent for dogs with itchy and dry skin.

Burt’s Bees Natural Oatmeal Shampoo

The Burt’s Bees oatmeal shampoo is another option you can go for if you want an all-natural and organic shampoo for your German Shepherd. This shampoo is free of dyes, sulfates, and parabens, and is instead made of ingredients such as colloidal oat flour, honey, beeswax, and green tea extract, making it a mild and gentle shampoo. More importantly, these ingredients are highly beneficial and will moisturize your German Shepherd’s skin and keep its coat shiny and healthy.

As for downsides, this shampoo doesn’t quite lather as well compared to other shampoos in this list, so you may find yourself using more of it per wash. Also, it doesn’t really have much of a scent, which could be an issue if you prefer something a bit more fragrant.

Particular Paws Hypoallergenic Dog Shampoo

Another great choice you can go for is the Particular Paws Hypoallergenic Shampoo. This is an incredibly gentle shampoo formulated for dogs with sensitive skin. It’s so gentle, in fact, that it’s also puppy friendly.

Like the other recommendations, this shampoo is free of harmful chemicals and is completely safe and hypoallergenic. Instead, it’s made of natural ingredients like aloe vera, rosemary extract, honey extract, and chamomile, which all help to keep your German Shepherd’s coat and skin healthy while also making it smell pleasant.

The only downside with this shampoo is the fact that it’s quite expensive compared to similar shampoos.

Pro Pet Works All Natural Oatmeal Shampoo And Conditioner

If your German Shepherd has sensitive skin, then you can’t go wrong with the Pro Pet Works oatmeal shampoo and conditioner. 

Like the previously listed shampoos, the Pro Pet Works oatmeal shampoo and conditioner is natural and organic. Meaning, it does not contain chemical ingredients such as artificial colors or fragrances, alcohol, parabens, and sulfates, which may all irritate your German Shepherd’s skin. Instead, it’s a soap-free and hypoallergenic shampoo made with natural ingredients like aloe vera, oatmeal, and almond oil. So not only does it reduce the risk of irritation, but it’s also well formulated to restore your German Shepherd’s natural oils and to moisturize dry and itchy skin.

As for the smell, this shampoo produces a soft and pleasant fruity aroma, which I find to be good. However, different people like different scents, so I can’t say for sure if you’d love it as I do.

Other than that, the shampoo lathers quite well and rinses easily, so it is quite easy and fun to use.

Conclusion

That sums up my list of the best shampoos for German Shepherds. I hope that the information presented helps you in choosing the ideal shampoo for your dog or at least aid you in your research.

That said, while I fully stand with these recommendations, I acknowledge that these products may not necessarily work for every German Shepherd. As I’ve mentioned, your dog can be allergic to even the safest and natural ingredients. So, again, I advise you to try and consult with a veterinarian and determine your dog’s allergies before making a purchase.