The Best Dog Shampoos and Pet Conditioners for Every Type of Coat

It is Sunday afternoon and you’re at the local mega-pharmacy in the hair care aisle on a mission to discover a new (hopefully life-changing) shampoo and conditioner.  You peruse the vast selection, always keeping one critical piece of information at the forefront of your mind: your hair type.

Whether fine, coarse or curly we all know our hair type and only buy products formulated to enhance its natural properties.  As someone with very dry and thick hair, the idea of using something labeled as “volumizing” is truly unthinkable to me.  So why then when it comes to dog shampoo and conditioner do we think beauty products are “one size fits all?”  The reality is that our dog’s coats are just as unique as our own hair types and the products we use should be aligned with their coat type.

Nice Coat, Girl.

It may surprise you to know that there are 165 dog breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club, and this doesn’t even include cross-breeds!  We have identified ten distinct dog coat types within the ever-growing canine species.  Here is a quick run down of each type, but if you need a little more information to help determine your pup’s coat type, we’ve got you covered.

1. Smooth-Coated: Chihuahuas, Boxers & Bulldogs
2. Short-Coated: Labs, Pugs & Rottweilers
3. Combination Coat: Brittanys, Golden Retrievers & Border Collies
4. Double-Coated: German Shepherds, Siberian Huskies & Akitas
5. Heavy-Coated: Newfoundlands, Chow Chows & Pekingese
6. Silky-Coated: Cocker Spaniels, English Springers and all Setters
7. Natural Long-Hair: Lhasa Apsos, Yorkshire Terriers and Maltese
8. Curly and Wavy Coated: Poodles, Bichon Frises and Old English Sheep Dogs
9. Wire-Coated: Irish Wolfhounds, Schnauzers & most Terriers
10. Corded: Pulis, Komondors & Poodles

Beyond the Coat

Once you have identified your dog’s coat type, you will also want to consider factors like the color of their coat, lifestyle, allergies, skin conditions and diet before selecting appropriate products to cleanse and enhance their natural beauty.  (Not to mention both of your personal preferences.) 

Although it sounds like a lot to consider, each of these factors will help you identify the beauty products to keep your dog looking and feeling her best.  The good news: once you find those magic beauty solutions, you never have to re-find them!

HELP!

We know, we know.  You are officially overwhelmed with information on something you once thought was simple.  Isle of Dogs to the rescue!  We have created an easy fool-proof system to help you find the perfect products for your dog’s specific needs: The Coat Check.  Simply fill out this brief questionnaire to receive a customized selection of cleansing solutions that you and your dog will love!  Have 5 dogs?  No problem, just fill out a form for each pup and you will receive 5 different customized product selections from our experts!