Goldendoodles are known for their fluffy, curly coats, but maintaining them can be quite a challenge. A good shampoo is essential to prevent skin irritation and keep their coats strong, soft, and shiny. But with so many options out there, it can be hard to choose the right one.
When selecting the best shampoos for Goldendoodles, you’ll want something that’s not only gentle on their skin but also helps maintain a healthy, lustrous coat. Naturally, affordability matters, but more importantly, you want a shampoo that’s safe, soothing, and easy to use.
Dogs, especially Goldendoodles, don’t always enjoy bath time. They might love swimming, but getting wet on your terms—usually in the form of a bath—isn’t their favorite. If your dog isn’t a fan, bath time can become quite the ordeal. You might end up chasing them around the yard or cleaning up a wet mess in your home.
The good news is that you don’t have to spend endless hours searching for the right shampoo. I’ve done the hard work of scouring online marketplaces like Amazon and Chewy, so you don’t have to. Below, you’ll find some of the best shampoo options for Goldendoodles, as well as answers to some frequently asked questions to make bath time a little easier.
The 7 Best Shampoos For Goldendoodles
1. We Love Doodles – Dog Shampoo, Conditioner, and Detangler
This small USA-based brand offers a shampoo that acts as a cleaner, conditioner, moisturizer, and detangler for your Goldendoodle. It’s made from 100% organic ingredients, free from harsh chemicals like sulfates and parabens. The chamomile and lavender scent helps keep your dog calm during bath time.
Though it’s on the pricier side, it comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, so you can try it risk-free. This shampoo is ideal for pet owners looking for a gentle, natural option to keep their dog’s coat healthy and shiny.
2. Healthy Breeds Young Pup Shampoo
Healthy Breeds specializes in breed-specific shampoos, offering gentle care for dogs of all sizes, from Shih Tzus to Golden Retrievers. This puppy shampoo is pH-balanced, free from harsh soaps and detergents, and uses Aloe Vera to soothe the skin, preventing dryness and irritation.
It’s hypoallergenic, making it perfect for sensitive dogs, and safe for use alongside flea and tick treatments. The mild baby powder scent is pleasant but not overwhelming. While the price is affordable, make sure to choose the right breed-specific formula, as the labels can be similar across different versions.
3. Earthbath Oatmeal & Aloe Pet Shampoo
Earthbath’s oatmeal shampoo is a gentle, soothing option for Goldendoodles, especially those with dry or sensitive skin. It uses colloidal oatmeal and Aloe Vera to nourish and hydrate, minimizing irritation. The formula is soap-free and contains no fragrances, phosphates, phthalates, sulfates, or parabens, ensuring a gentle bath experience.
It’s pH-balanced and helps deodorize, leaving your dog smelling fresh. While slightly pricier, it’s cruelty-free and environmentally friendly, made with biodegradable ingredients. However, it’s not suitable for puppies under 6 weeks of age. Earthbath offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee, adding extra confidence to your purchase.
4. 4Legger Organic Dog Shampoo
4Legger offers a fully organic, hypoallergenic dog shampoo that’s perfect for dogs with sensitive or dry skin. The main ingredients—coconut oil and Aloe Vera—provide a soothing and moisturizing effect, while the formula is free from parabens, detergents, phthalates, and artificial additives.
This shampoo promotes healthy skin and a shiny coat with its blend of organic oils, and it’s completely fragrance-free, making it safe for dogs’ noses. It’s eco-friendly, vegan, and sustainably sourced, earning multiple EcoExcellence awards and USDA certification.
While it’s on the pricier side, it’s a high-quality, cruelty-free option worth considering for those seeking a premium, gentle shampoo for their Goldendoodle.
5. HONEYDEW’s Moisturizing Lavender and Oatmeal Shampoo for Dogs
HONEYDEW’s Lavender and Oatmeal Dog Shampoo offers a soothing experience for your Goldendoodle, with oatmeal providing a gentle, comforting texture that helps prevent any discomfort during bath time. The lavender scent adds a relaxing touch for both you and your dog, creating a spa-like atmosphere.
This shampoo also acts as a deodorizer, helping to eliminate dirt and odors, leaving your dog fresh and clean. It’s a go-to for many dog groomers due to its simplicity and effectiveness. Hypoallergenic and pH-balanced, it’s safe for all coat types and dog sizes.
Free from sulfates, phthalates, and parabens, this cruelty-free option is budget-friendly, making it an excellent value for those seeking a natural, quality shampoo. The only downside is occasional leakage during shipping, which can make the lavender scent overwhelming initially.
6. Burt’s Bees for Dogs 2 in 1 Dog Shampoo & Conditioner
Burt’s Bees, known for its high-quality baby and dog care products, brings a gentle shampoo perfect for your Goldendoodle. Featuring buttermilk and linseed, it provides a silky smooth texture that hydrates your dog’s skin while making the fur soft and fluffy. These ingredients help create natural oils, giving your dog a luxurious bath experience.
This shampoo is pH-balanced, ensuring it’s gentle on your dog’s skin, and it’s tearless, meaning no stinging eyes during bath time. Free from artificial fragrances, sulfates, parabens, and other harmful chemicals, it’s safe for your dog and the environment. Additionally, 80% of the bottle is recyclable, making it an eco-friendly choice.
Despite its quality, Burt’s Bees offers this shampoo at an affordable price, making it a great option for those on a budget. While the packaging may not be eye-catching, the product itself is highly recommended by veterinarians for its effectiveness and gentle ingredients.
7. 2-in-1 TropiClean Dog Shampoo And Conditioner With Coconut And Papaya
Tropiclean’s 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner offers a soothing, tropical experience for your Goldendoodle. Infused with coconut and papaya, it creates a gentle lather and provides a refreshing tropical scent. This shampoo also includes aloe vera, chamomile, kiwi, and mallow flower, which work together to hydrate, relax, and nourish your dog’s skin and coat.
The blend of ingredients not only enriches your dog’s fur, making it soft and fluffy, but also helps to deodorize and eliminate common stains like dirt and food residue. Tropiclean ensures that the shampoo is free of parabens, phthalates, and artificial dyes, making it a safe and natural option for your dog.
This cruelty-free product is suitable for dogs at least 12 weeks old and is available in various sizes, including a ship-friendly version to prevent leaks. With its reasonable price and high-quality ingredients, Tropiclean’s shampoo is a solid choice for keeping your dog clean and smelling fresh. However, be cautious of possible packaging issues, such as leaking caps.
Before You Buy: What To Look For In A Shampoo For Goldendoodles
While the products listed are of top tier quality, I do understand that every dog has his unique needs and yours may not end up liking either of the ones listed here.
But, I’d still like to show you a few highly sought-after traits to be on the lookout for when searching for the product that you’d deem the best shampoo for Goldendoodles, or at least your doodle.
Naturally Gentle And Soothing
The key part of a shampoo is not just to clean your dog and deodorize him, it’s to help your dog relax so he doesn’t end up trying to run away or struggle around too much.
It’s meant to make bathing a pleasurable experience for him.
While I’m sure some of you do have dogs that absolutely enjoy it regardless, that’s not the case for most dogs.
That’s why focusing on relaxing properties is key to keeping yourself dry and not having to chase your precious pupper around the house or the yard prior to every bath instead.
Skin And Fur Care
Goldendoodles have this nice and thick fur coat, wonderful for cuddles, but this fur often gets tangles and mats, especially with the more playful and active ones.
Some may even have dry or overly sensitive skin or have relatively weak hair which is why finding a shampoo that offers good skin and fur care properties is another high priority trait to seek out.
Try going for ingredients that your dog is likely to enjoy.
Aloe Vera is usually a surefire hit, though oatmeal and buttermilk as well as coconut to a degree have proven themselves great standalone options or solid pairings with the former.
pH Balanced For Dogs
The constant mention of this fact may be confusing for some, but you see, dogs can’t use every shampoo out there as, for instance, human shampoo and dog shampoo have different levels of acidity.
This is because of the different resistances our skin has compared to our dogs which is why we usually need a higher pH level to help scrub some filth off.
The human shampoo would, in most cases be harmful to dogs and would be too abrasive for their skin, barring a few exceptions that double as both human and dog shampoos.
Do make note of this as it may save your furry friend a lot of potential discomfort.
All-natural Ingredients
As with any other product, organic and all-natural is the way to go.
All of the chemicals that are often put in to supplement something organic are simply a means to cut costs of production for a lower quality product that ultimately does more harm to your dog than good and can lead to some nasty rashes and skin irritations.
That’s why it’s best to avoid artificial ingredients and harmful chemicals as best as you possibly can.
The all-natural stuff may be more expensive, but your dog will definitely thank you for it, even if he can’t voice that gratitude verbally.
Hypoallergenic
There are plenty of dogs that have some form of allergy, and for that, you always want to look for a hypoallergenic shampoo option.
Sure it’s an obvious thing, but I felt it was still worth being mentioned, especially considering how more and more allergies are starting to pop up in humans and dogs alike.
Affordable Pricing
And, one of the most subjective traits is affordability.
I know that the cost of raising a Goldendoodle or any dog for that matter can be quite high as all of the expenses accumulate so making some cuts in places is understandable.
And, while the cut in the shampoo bit is usually only about 5 to 10 dollars, it does make a significant difference.
Make sure to balance out quality with price though as you don’t want to get something that’ll be harmful to your precious pooch in the long run.
FAQs
What Is The Best Shampoo For Goldendoodle Dogs Then?
For me, one of the best options would certainly be the Burt’s Bees one as it has everything in a relatively inexpensive package with the runner up being the Earthbath option.
They’re great all-rounders that work for pups and adult dogs alike so you don’t have to put much thought into whether they’d fit a specific breed or not.
Can Dogs Use Human Shampoo To Bathe?
Absolutely not. As mentioned before, the shampoos have a different pH balance and the human one is a lot stronger which’ll just bring harm and irritation to your canine companion for no reason.
There are some shampoos that work for both humans and dogs, but they’re primarily dog shampoos.
How Often Should A Goldendoodle Be Bathed?
Goldendoodles are known to have really sensitive skin which is why it’s important to not overdo it with baths.
About once a month or so should be plenty, give or take a few weeks, as they’ll do some self grooming on the side, but you also don’t want to irritate their skin from using shampoos too much.
Thankfully, this should cut down on shampoo expenses somewhat compared to some other dogs who require some more frequent attention.
How To Properly Bathe A Goldendoodle?
While the process of getting a shampoo may be difficult enough, getting to bathe a smaller dog like the Goldendoodle can be just as big of a challenge, at least at the start.
Once you get into the swing of things, it becomes real easy, here’s how to do it.
1. Brush Your Dog Down Before A Bath
To make baths easier overall, you’ll want to brush your dog down beforehand.
This’ll help remove excess fur, which, in turn, will help eliminate matting and tangles a lot easier so you won’t have to struggle as much.
If you’re bathing your doggo indoors, it’ll also help not make a mess of the tub or clog the drain.
2. Provide As Much Warmth As You Can
While this goes without saying, wet fur can make it real cold for your doggo afterwards if you’re using cold water, so make sure to use lukewarm or slightly warmer water to give your Goldendoodle an extra level of comfort.
It may not mean much to you, but it’ll certainly mean a lot to him and will help him keep steady. If your shower needs time to adjust, aim the showerhead away from your dog until it warms up.
The same can be said for the drying towel. Warm it up prior to the bath and use it to keep your own dog warm while drying him up.
3. Make a proper gripping surface
If you’re giving your furry friend a bath in the tub, chances are he’s not going to have a good grip on the surface of the tub itself given how smooth and sturdy it is.
This ends up panicking the dog as he doesn’t have as good a grasp of balance as he normally would on a flat surface.
You can circumvent this by buying something that you can place in a bath to cover it to provide grip, or you can simply take an extra towel and place it underneath.
The rugged texture will provide your Goldendoodle with extra grip and he’ll be calmer than he would’ve been otherwise during bath time.
This is a lot less of an issue if you have a backyard, but some of you may not have that luxury with you.
4. Prevent hair from clogging the drain
While this doesn’t contribute to your dog’s enjoyment, it does to yours as you won’t have clogged up pipes as quickly as you would if you left the drain unprotected.
You don’t want to fully plug it so the dirty water can still drain off, but you want to place some sort of filter over it, a sieve of some kind.
The best option for that is getting some steel wool and stuffing it in the drain.
It’ll catch all the stray hairs on the way while letting the water safely drain off, and we all know that there’s going to be A LOT of hair coming from a Goldendoodle, no matter how thoroughly you brush.
5. Use Gentle Shampoos
Another no-brainer, but one that’s always worth reiterating. Goldendoodles have very sensitive skin.
That’s why you want to get a shampoo that helps stimulate the production of the skin’s natural oils and that won’t scrape off existing ones while still cleaning the filth off your precious pooch.
6. Brush After The Bath Too
Once you’re done bathing your doggo, you can either blow-dry his hair if you have a hair dryer handy or you can simply pat him down with the warm towel you had stored up prior.
Regardless of which, once he’s fully dry you should brush him again to get any tangles that may have created themselves during the bath out of his fur.
While optional, you can help prevent some of them by dabbing the shampoo on your dog rather than rubbing it in as it makes for less fur movement overall, reducing the chances of tangles occurring in the first place.
As for why brush when the Goldendoodle’s coat is dry? Because wet fur is a lot harder to detangle than dry fur is.
In Conclusion
The best shampoo for Goldendoodles is one that’s ultimately extremely gentle on the skin and helps rehydrate it through natural means.
You’ll also want a shampoo that acts as a relaxant to your dog in some capacity since most dogs don’t particularly like getting wet without their agency on the matter.
While a lot of shampoos cover these two niches, there are many other small factors that make certain ones stand out above the rest, edging them out above the competition.
This is why it’s hard to choose the de facto best one in the first place as every Groodle has different tastes and preferences, even when dog shampoos are concerned.
But, you know your dog the best, so I have full confidence that you’ll be able to pick out the perfect option that’ll cater to his every need. Until next time.
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