Best Dog Dry Shampoos: Water Free Washing

Some dogs (and owners) hate bath times. Bathing a panicking dog in the shower is not fun!

Model
Features
Pet Head Dry Clean Waterless Spray Shampoo



  • Blueberry Muffin scented waterless spray shampoo - great for road trips or a quick freshen up between baths.
  • A convenient and fast way to clean your pet - this spray-on non-rinsing shampoo cleanses the coat without water.
  • Great to keep in the car for those unpleasant rolling moments!!
  • Will not harm your dog if licked or swallowed.
  • Fresh and unique fragrances ensure your pooch will smell great.

Wahl Smartgroom Shampoo


  • No-rinse foaming shampoo offers an alternative to bathing - ideal for colder months, and takes a fraction of the time.
  • Refreshes and revives your pets coat leaving it bright and lustrous - no water needed, no rinsing required.
  • Contains gentle but effective cleansers derived from coconut oil which quickly removes surface dirt and grime.
  • Also contains aloe vera, chamomile and tea tree to condition the coat, perfect for animals including dogs, cats, horses, cattle, goats, llama, alpaca, rabbits, ferrets.


Animology Dirty Dawg No Rinse Dog Shampoo



  • No-rinse shampoo dog spray - ideal as a 'spot cleaner' in between washes.
  • Simply spray it on your dogs coat and groom it through.
  • Keeps your dog's coat fresh, clean and healthy.
  • Built in conditioners and Pro-Vitamin B5 help improve the health, strength and condition of the coat.
  • Suitable for all breeds from the age of 6 weeks.

Pet Head Poof Magical Deodorising Spray



  • Yummy Orange scented deodorising spray - great for dog odour emergencies.
  • Neutralises and eliminates odours on contact, so spray on your pet in between baths or after play in the park to keep your best friend smelling fresh.
  • Keep a bottle in the car for dealing with that dreaded, smelly, roll-on experience.
  • Will not harm your dog if licked or swallowed.
  • Fresh and unique fragrances ensure your pooch will smell great.

Sharpless Waterless Dog Shampoo


  • Waterless Shampoo Coconut 250ml.
  • Easy to use spray contains natural cleansing, deodorizing, conditioning & detangling ingredients to keep your pet clean.

Thankfully, somebody invented a dog dry shampoo made especially for dogs. This product works like magic as a quick fix to clean and spruce up your dog’s fur and coat without having to go through the trauma of bath time in their dog bathtub or using the best dog shampoo. Despite that, dogs do need to be bathed at least once a month, properly, not with just dry shampoo, and so, if you are really having a difficult time, take a look at how to bathe your dog.

The Best Dog Dry Shampoos UK 2021

To help you choose which product is perfect for your dog, we have listed some of our reviews of the best dog dry shampoos available in today’s market. These are listed in no particular order.

Pet Head Dry Clean Waterless Spray Shampoo

If you’re looking for a convenient and fast way to clean your pet, the Pet Head Dry Clean Waterless Spray Shampoo is a spray-on that cleanses your dog’s coat without the need for water. No need for rinsing. With a blueberry muffin scent, you’re sure that your dog will smell nice just in time for your dinner guests’ arrival or that dog show that you’re participating in.

The smart design of this shampoo as a spray makes it great for keeping in the car during road trips when an unpleasant moment comes along. This dry shampoo is manufactured in the US and passed human quality standards. It is free from DEA and petroleum derivatives that will not harm your dog when swallowed or licked. Plus, they are pH balanced which makes this product perfectly designed for your dogs.

The Pet Head Dry Clean Waterless Spray Shampoo is hygienic, anti-allergic, non-irritating, anti-bacterial and deodorising which makes it one of the best dog dry shampoos available in the market. It can be used for both young and adult pets for daily challenges like rolling in unpleasant odours, coat shedding and muddy paws.

Wahl Smartgroom Shampoo

For an alternative to bath time, the Wahl Smartgroom Shampoo does a perfect job with its no-rinse foaming shampoo that’s perfect for the colder months. Without any need for rinsing, this shampoo revives and refreshes your dog’s coat making it lustrous and bright.

The Wahl Smartgroom Shampoo contains a gentle cleanser made from coconut oil. It is perfect for quick removal of grime and dirt. Sometimes, your dog may need cleaning only in specific areas. The product cleans these specific dirty patches as well as does an allover cleaning if required. It is simple and easy to use just by massaging the shampoo into the coat for 15 seconds and then rub off using a towel.

Animology Dirty Dawg No Rinse Dog Shampoo

Another one of the best is the Animology Dirty Dawg No Rinse Dog Shampoo. It is an ideal spot cleaner with its spray bottle design. Just spray it on your dog’s coat, groom through it, and viola your dog’s coat is clean, fresh and healthy. This shampoo has Pro-Vitamin B5 and conditioners that are built in and to help improve the strength, health and condition of your pet’s fur. It is suitable for all breeds starting from 6 weeks of age.

Pet Head Poof Magical Deodorising Spray

Another pet product from Pet Head is the Poof Magical Deodorising Spray. For all stinky emergencies, this deodorising spray that has an orange scent does the trick. It is quick and easy to use by eliminating and neutralising odours on your dog upon contact.

Keep a bottle in your car and spray on your pooch just after a visit to the park to deal with the dreaded dog smell. You can also use it in between baths. The fresh and unique fragrance of the spray will leave your dog smelling fresh.

Sharpless Waterless Dog Shampoo

If you’re looking for a cheap and affordable dog dry shampoo, look no further! The Sharpless Waterless Dog Shampoo priced at £3.95. Just spray, brush and let the shampoo do its magic. It is formulated to be extra gentle for puppies with its vanilla coconut ingredient that deodorises, cleans and soothes your dog’s skin and coat.

Animology Mucky Pup No Rinse Shampoo

The Animology Mucky Pup No Rinse Shampoo does the whole trick. It is specially formulated to suit puppies from the age of 6 weeks old. This no-rinse shampoo boasts of a mild action that breaks down and loosens dirt making it easy for you to remove the dirt with a brush. It targets the source of the smelly odour without the need to strip your dog’s coat of its essential oils.

4 x It’s A Dog’s Life Dog Dry Shampoo

For a kind and gentle dry shampoo, the 4 x It’s A Dog’s Life Dog Dry Shampoo is perfect for the role. It is suitable for all coats with its chamomile flower extract that will leave your dog smelling fresh. The product is dog-friendly as it is dermatologically tested and has a balanced pH level. It is suitable for any pet parent for removing dirt and combat stinky situations.

What is Dry Dog Shampoo?

They are products known for being a waterless shampoo for dogs. This grooming product is a quick and easy alternative fix that absorbs particles like grease and dirt from a dog’s fur.

It works just like a dry shampoo for humans that you can use throughout the day instead of taking a bath or a shower.

While they won’t work as effective against a dirty or muddy dog, this act as a great solution to freshen your pooch, deodorise them and detangle their hair.

How Do You Use Dry Dog Shampoo?

They mostly come in forms of mousse, spray or powder. You only need to massage the product directly into your dog’s skin and coat, and then leave it to work for a short time. Afterwards, brush it out of the fur. There’s no need to rinse in the bath.

Benefits of Dog Dry Shampoo

Other than being more convenient to use than the regular dog shampoo, they also have some more advantages.

First off, in contrast to traditional baths, dog dry shampoos do not strip your dog’s coat of the natural oils. These elements serve to condition and protect your pet’s coat and skin. In simpler terms, it moisturises and keeps your dog’s hair and skin healthy.

Secondly, there is no unpleasant wet dog smell. In contrast, a dry shampoo leaves behind a great scent that will get you hooked in no time!

Compared to ordinary shampoos, dog dry shampoos are quicker to apply. It works great when you are in a hurry. Lastly, it is excellent for dogs that get anxious during bath time.

Keep in mind though that dry shampoo for dogs must never entirely replace bath times. It is recommended to bath dogs once every eight weeks and use the best dog dry shampoo in between to keep your dogs smelling and looking fresh.

What to Look For

Quality

The most important thing to consider when buying the best dog dry shampoo for your dog is the quality. Only get the highest quality products especially when for stuff that you apply directly to your dog’s skin and coat.

A low quality and cheap dog dry shampoo may cause irritations and allergies for your dog. This situation is something that you definitely should avoid. It will only lead to more expenses and unwanted costs.

Ingredients

Check the product’s ingredients first before buying. Ideally, you should get a product that’s as natural as possible. Natural ingredients are gentler on your dog’s skin and hair. They also double as useful cleansers.

Fragrance

It goes without saying that you should make sure the product you choose has a nice fragrance. It shouldn’t be too strong, but it needs to be powerful enough to keep your four-legged friend smelling great throughout the day. There is really no point in switching from a smelly dog to a pungent one.

Ease of Application

Finally, don’t forget to read reviews on the product. Check how other users found the product’s ease of application and brushing out. If it takes you around 30 minutes to completely remove the product from your pooch’s coat, then you might as well have bathed them.

There is a difference between the skin ph. of dogs and humans. The skin ph. of a dog is a lot more delicate and dog dry shampoo is designed for dog skin ph. (between 6 to 8.5, on the ph. scale from 0 to 14), which is more neutral than a human’s which is 5.5. This could cause damage if you use a human dry shampoo that does not take into consideration a dog’s sensitive skin. It is best just to use dog shampoo to avoid any damage to your dog’s skin.

Dog DIY Shampoo

If you do not like the idea of not knowing what is in your dog’s shampoo, or you want to make sure that it will suit your dog sensitive skin. Dry shampoo is a lot cheaper too. When choosing your ingredients, you need to bear in mind the fact that your dog has a Ph. Every dog has a different ph., and most dog’s ph. is 6 to 8.5. 7 is neutral on the ph. scale, anything lower than seven is acid, and anything higher than seven is alkaline.

If your dog shampoo is too acidic it could cause irritation, skin itching, burning, skin rash and flaking on him. So, when using the shampoo, watch your dog closely after using so you know it is not too acidic because you will not know in advance what your dog’s ph. is. Being a bit too alkaline is not too bad. When making your dry homemade dog shampoo, make sure to balance acid and alkaline ingredients.

Just try to arrive at near-neutral to ensure it is not too acidic.

Does Dog Dry Shampoo Work as Well as Wet Shampoo?

Dry shampoo will loosen any dog dirt in your dog’s fur and make him smelling nice and fresh. However, it does not clean all of the dirt. As we said before, a dog will still need to be bathed once every eight weeks. The purpose of dry shampoo is to clean the dog to a certain degree and keep him smelling nice, in case you do not have the time to give a dog a full bath.

On short breaks and holidays, when you need to leave your dog behind, the dog will stay nice and clean if they avoid rolling in something very smelly or very dirty and you use some dry shampoo beforehand. If you are expecting guests soon and do not have time to bathe your dog before they arrive, you can spray some dry shampoo keeping him fresh smelling and presentable in front of your guest.

Also, if you want to keep your dog fresh between bath times, you can use this. When you are short of time, you can use dry shampoo, but it does not work as well as wet shampoo because wet shampoo will give the dog a thorough clean.

How Often Can You Give Waterless Shampoo to Your Dog?

You can’t give dry or waterless shampoo too regularly because it will clog the follicles of the dog hair, cause the hair growth to be stunted and create a build-up of environmental toxins. The fur will be stripped of the necessary oils, and the antibacterial barrier will be destroyed leading to skin conditions and ailments.

You should only use dry shampoo in between bath times, so every couple of weeks when your dog is smelly and you need to give him a quick touch up, you should use this, but waterless shampoo is not for everyday use.

Conclusion

Well, there you have it! Those are our picks on the best dog dry shampoo on the market. We have tried to provide you with a great selection to choose from. But before you use any product, always read the warning labels and instructions that come from the manufacturer, to make sure it is not going to cause your dog any health issues or irritation. We sincerely hope this guide is helpful to you and your canine buddy.

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