The 5 Best Dry Shampoos for Dogs PROVEN to Work!

If you’ve got a furry friend at home, you know that keeping them clean isn’t easy. Baths can be tedious and difficult if you have a busy schedule or if your dog simply hates getting wet. 

Whether your dog gets stinky between baths or your best friend has a medical issue that prevents them from being submerged, dry shampoo can be just the solution to keep your pet fresh and comfortable. 

Dry shampoo can be applied without water and brings up dirt and debris as it deodorizes to get your dog’s fur soft and cleansed. Want to know which dry dog shampoos are best?

Check out the list of our top 5 dry shampoos for dogs plus 3 honorable mentions.

Our Top Picks

How We Chose the Best Dry Shampoos for Dogs

We chose the best dry shampoo for dogs first by researching top brands like Arm & Hammer, known for their quality products in all departments. TropiClean was another reputable brand. We’ve loved their spa-like products that pamper our pups.

In addition to these well-known brands, we also looked at smaller companies with great care for their ingredients and practices like Pawstruck and Warren London. We loved these made-in-the-USA brands and their intentional recipes. 

Next, we tested the products on our furry friends to see which ones we liked best, considering everything from the scent to the chosen ingredients. We also considered how well the clean feeling lasted and how well our dogs liked the formula.

While there are dozens available, we chose the 12 top-rated dry shampoos for dogs and tested them with our dogs. 5 made our top picks, and 3 landed on our honorable mentions. Want to know what dry dog shampoos we thought were top-notch? Check out our list below. 

Read our related article, How Long Does Dog Shampoo Last? See the shelflife of most dog shampoos and what can happen if you use an expired product.

Best Dry Shampoos for Dogs

1. Best Overall: Arm & Hammer for Pets Ultra Fresh Dog Shampoo

Product Ratings

Scent	3/5
Ingredients	4/5
Effectiveness	5/5
Gentleness	4/5

Type: Foam | Design: Adult Dogs | Size: 8 Fluid Oz | Scent: Juniper Mist

The tried-and-true baking soda technology put Arm & Hammer for Pets Ultra-Fresh Dog Shampoo on the top of our list. We loved how well this dry shampoo worked and that the ingredients were ones we recognized and trusted.

Scent

Arm & Hammer for Pets Ultra-Fresh Dog Shampoo comes in a delightful juniper mist scent that’s not too strong. It works quickly to neutralize odors with baking soda. We did find that the scent was short-lived and we wish we could have enjoyed it longer. 

Ingredients

This dry shampoo has all-natural ingredients, including baking soda (of course), coconut, and extract from citrus, cactus, and peppermint. Baking soda is long-trusted for deodorizing just about anything, and it did a great job of cleansing and softening our pet’s fur. 

Effectiveness

We found that this dry shampoo was very effective and we were pleased with the results. Though the scent doesn’t last long, baking soda serves its function by neutralizing the odor and wicking away moisture that can cause a wet dog smell.

Additionally, this option is pH-balanced for canine skin health. If a company doesn’t take time to adjust the pH levels in their products for dogs, then the soaps can irritate and dry out your pup’s skin. But with this pH-balanced option, you won’t have any issues with scratching. 

We were a bit frustrated by the application process of this option. The foam is difficult to spread around, especially if your dog doesn’t like to be cleaned this way. It also doesn’t help that the poor quality pump broke easily, making the application even harder. 

Gentleness

The all-natural ingredients and pH balance make this a great selection if you have a dog with sensitive skin. Arm & Hammer will be gentle on even the most tender skin. 

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2. Best Multi-Pet: Bodhi Waterless Lavender Dog Dry Shampoo

Product Ratings

Scent	4/5
Ingredients	5/5
Effectiveness	2/5
Gentleness	5/5

Type: Dry | Design: Adult Dogs | Size: 8 Fluid Oz | Scent: Lavender

Bodhi Waterless Lavender Dog Dry Shampoo is a fantastic selection for your multi-pet household. Whether you have dogs and cats or something more exotic, this can be an all-in-one solution for you. We love that this one product can get all of our furry friends through to bath day. 

Scent

This lavender scent is not only pleasant but is long-lasting and has calming effects on our pups. We loved that this not-so-fun cleaning process was paired with some aromatherapy techniques to keep our pets relaxed. 

Ingredients

All the Bodhi Waterless Lavender Dog Dry Shampoo ingredients are all-natural and plant-based! And the ingredients are harvested in the USA, alcohol-free, and hypoallergenic. It doesn’t get much better than that! 

Effectiveness

We love that this brand is professional-quality and often used by vets and clinics. As it cleans, it doesn’t remove flea and tick treatment either, so those ointments and sprays can remain effective. (Also, if you’re looking for flea and tick treatment, here are our top picks)

We found that Bodhi doesn’t always really clean. It depended on the dog and how dirty it was, and the scent wasn’t as long-lasting as we would have liked. However, it can be used on all pets and was great for a fur-refresher.

It is also important to note that the spray sound sometimes scares dogs and makes this easy bath-substitute not-so-easy for more skittish dogs.

Gentleness

This choice is perfect for your sensitive pets. There is no alcohol to dry out the skin, and the ingredients are free of common allergens. As stated previously, it doesn’t remove flea and tick treatments.

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3. Best Foam: TropiClean Waterless Papaya & Coconut Dog Shampoo

Product Ratings

Scent	4/5
Ingredients	3/5
Effectiveness	4/5
Gentleness	3/5

Type: Foam | Design: All Dogs | Size: 7.4 Fluid Oz | Scent: Papaya & Coconut

TropiClean is a great brand to treat your pets to spa-like treatments. This great foaming option fills all your needs, from cleaning to detangling. It’s made in the USA and contains high-quality ingredients. 

Scent

TropiClean Waterless Shampoo comes in various luxurious scents, including papaya, berry, vanilla, and coconut. These scents make you feel like you and your pet aren’t performing an arduous task but indulging in a delightful spa adventure!

Ingredients

This option comes with a great selection of ingredients that are soap- and paraben-free as well as all-natural. This option is also safe for puppies, which we loved. 

What we didn’t love so much was that this version contains alcohol which can dry out pup’s skin and create irritation. Foam can also be difficult to apply, and the slippery, poor-quality bottle was difficult to handle with messy, foamy hands. 

Effectiveness

We found this brand to be super effective at cleansing and bathing your dog in a beautiful, fresh scent. TropiClean can also be used with flea and tick treatments, a must-have for many pet owners. 

Our team also loved that TropiClean not only cleans but also detangles—which is unique to this brand. So if you have a pup with long fur, this might be a great selection for you. 

Gentleness

This option works great for puppies and dogs of all ages. The only downside to the otherwise very gentle ingredients was the inclusion of alcohol which can be irritating for dogs with sensitive skin.

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4. Best Spray: Pawstruck Dry Shampoo for Dogs

Product Ratings

Scent	3/5
Ingredients	5/5
Effectiveness	3/5
Gentleness	5/5

Type: Dry | Design: Adult Dogs | Size: 16 Fluid Oz | Scent: Citrus

This spray is great not only for dogs but for any furry friend. This spray can be used on dogs, cats, horses, and even ferrets! Pawstruck is a small business with a clear vision and a unique blend of intentional ingredients perfect for a dog dry shampoo. 

Scent

This citrus scent is fainter than the other ones we tried, but it is pleasant. We found it mostly neutralized odors rather than bathing the dog in a bold scent. We appreciated this though because we felt our dogs were clean rather than just covered in perfume.

Ingredients

Pawstruck has a fantastic concoction of plant-based, non-GMO, vegan, and cruelty-free ingredients. Each item is selected for a purpose. It has rosemary to fight fungi and bacteria, ginger to neutralize bacteria, and bergamot to cleanse and naturally repel fleas. 

You won’t find a brand with better thought-out ingredients than Pawstruck. We loved the intentionality of this natural recipe. 

Effectiveness

We loved that this was another brand that did not interfere with flea and tick treatments. Pawstruck Dry Shampoo cleans well for short and medium-length coats but didn’t do so well with long-haired pups.

Additionally, we wished the solution would come in a better quality bottle. Many had to replace the bottle after the sprayer broke. 

Gentleness

This brand is all-natural and will be great for your pup’s skin and fur. It’s all plant-based and made in the USA. If you’re looking for something that will clean your pet and create no irritation, this is a great option for you. 

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5. Best for Puppies: Warren London Dry & Waterless Dog Shampoo

Product Ratings

Scent	5/5
Ingredients	4/5
Effectiveness	2/5
Gentleness	3/5

Type: Dry | Design: All Dogs | Size: 8 Fluid Oz | Scent: Green Apple

Warren London Dry & Waterless Dog Shampoo is a good pick if you’ve got puppies at home. This option is specifically designed to clean dogs of all ages, and if you have an energetic pup who is a chore to bathe, Warren London’s shampoo is just for you. 

Scent

This green apple scent is great when it first hits, but unfortunately, it is too faint. It doesn’t last long or create a luxurious aroma. Some users reported that this product seemed to only put a dull mask over odors instead of neutralizing them, but we felt it worked pretty well on our dogs.

Ingredients

All Warren London Dry & Waterless ingredients are cruelty-free, non-toxic, and derived in the USA! All active ingredients are also natural, so this will be safe for your dog of any age. 

Effectiveness

We found mixed reviews about Warren London’s effectiveness. Some users didn’t think it cleaned too well and described it more like a dog perfume over a cleaner. 

We felt that it cleaned well, but struggled against more severe odors, so it works better when it is used more frequently to keep dogs fresh.

Like other sprayers on this list, some dogs really didn’t love the sounds of the bottle spraying. It’s best to first test out a spray bottle on your dog before making the choice to select a spray. 

Gentleness

The non-toxic and natural ingredients were universally gentle on our pet’s skin. We loved that this product was also created cruelty-free, so no animals were exposed to anything harsh or unhealthy at any point in the process. 

Do you need more shampoo options for puppies? Check out our list of Best Shampoos for Puppies.

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Comparison Chart

Products	Best Overall	Best Multi-Pet	Best Foam	Best Spray	Best for Puppies
Overall Rating	4/5	4/5	3.5/5	4/5	3.5/5
Scent	3/5	4/5	4/5	3/5	5/5
Ingredients	4/5	5/5	3/5	5/5	4/5
Effectiveness	5/5	2/5	4/5	3/5	2/5
Gentleness	4/5	5/5	3/5	5/5	3/5

The Winner

Though most of these selections had great ingredients and delightful scents, we think Arm & Hammer for Pets Ultra-Fresh Dog Shampoo is still the best choice. Not only did it have a great recipe, but it was very effective and gentle on a pup with any sensitivity. 

READ MORE: The Best Dog Bath Tubs. These groomer-style dog bath tubs ensure that your pet gets a good cleaning (without dirtying up your bathroom!)

Honorable Mentions

Here’s a brief look at the dry shampoo options that didn’t make our list. 

1. John Paul Pet Oatmeal Waterless Foam Shampoo – Another Foam Option

This option has great ingredients and is concentrated, so you don’t need to use it as much as other brands. John Paul is an off-shoot of the well-known Paul Mitchell human brand, and they donate a portion of proceeds to pet adoption organizations. 

This option not only smells good and cleans but also moisturizes your pup’s skin to keep it from itching! Though it’s a great foam option, it removes flea and tick treatments and leaves a sticky residue, so we vote for TropiClean’s foam option.

2. Burt’s Bees Waterless Shampoo – Another Natural Option

Of course, Burt’s Bees is a well-known natural brand that contains no sulfates or colorants, is pH balanced, 97% natural, and cruelty-free! 

The problem was that the scent was too faint, and we didn’t feel it was an effective cleaner for every dog. We preferred Arm & Hammer for Pets Ultra-Fresh Dog Shampoo.

3. Vet’s Best Waterless Dog Dry Shampoo – Moisturizing Formula Option

This brand has natural ingredients and is made by veterinarians, which is a great start. It also is specifically designed to help moisturize skin and fur to decrease itching and scratching. It neutralizes scents and softens your pet’s coat. 

Unfortunately, we thought the bottle was poor quality, the application was difficult, and it wasn’t hypoallergenic, so we still recommend Arm & Hammer for Pets Ultra-Fresh Dog Shampoo for our top pick.