🦴 Updated on July 16th, 2023
French Bulldog owners already know how fantastic this breed of dog is. Frenchies are playful, quirky, social, and loving, making them ideal pets for individuals, families, and homes with multiple animals.
One of the most appealing aspects of French Bulldogs is that they have short, easy-to-manage fur that comes with a moderate shedding level. But even though their coat doesn’t need much maintenance, Frenchies still require regular bathing to be in tip-top condition.
When it comes to this tiny breed, we love the Pets Are Kids Too Premium Pet Oatmeal Shampoo. This product is a 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner that’s easy on sensitive skin and leaves your pet smelling fresh and clean.
Every Frenchie has specific needs, so it’s important to shop around for the right product. Keep reading to find which is the best shampoo for French Bulldogs and what to consider when buying a product for your pooch.
The Best Shampoos for French Bulldogs Reviewed
First things first, let’s take a look at our top eight choices for the best shampoo for Frenchies.
Pets Are Kids Too – Our Top Pick
From the name alone, we can tell that Pets Are Kids Too truly values the importance of the pups in our lives. Their premium pet oatmeal shampoo demonstrates the company’s commitment to upholding only the highest standards for dogs.
This shampoo comes with a full lineup of anti-itch, naturally soothing ingredients, including coconut, oatmeal, and aloe vera. The gentle formula is ideal for any pup with sensitive, allergy-prone skin and can even help relieve existing conditions.
The shampoo has enhanced ingredients for relieving itching from allergies or dry skin, including oatmeal, aloe vera, and baking soda.
Besides being chemical-free, this product will leave your pup smelling fabulous. It has baking soda to eliminate tough smells, and the coconut and oatmeal offer a fresh, pleasant scent without any added fragrances.
We also love that this shampoo serves as a conditioner as well, making it an excellent 2-in-1 product.
Pros:
- Includes naturally soothing ingredients
- Shampoo-conditioner combination product
- No chemicals, detergents, or alcohol
- Fresh scent
- Lathers well
Cons:
- Won’t solve serious itch issues
Natural Dog – Best Hypoallergenic
Natural Dog Itchy Dog Shampoo is a highly-rated hypoallergenic shampoo that helps relieve dry, itchy skin.
This shampoo is all-natural, non-toxic, and paraben-free, making it clean for your dog while still good at cleaning your dog.
Natural Dog lives up to its name. It features a unique formula of jojoba oil, lavender oil, eucalyptus oil, and aloe vera—all of which clean the fur and soothe the skin. These natural ingredients are also excellent at ridding your dog of strong odors.
Best of all: you only need a small amount to lather up your pup.
Pros:
- All-natural ingredients
- Provides a deep clean
- Leaves coat soft and shiny
- Ideal for those who prefer scent-free
Cons:
- Lacks scent
Veterinary Formula – Best Clinical Care
Veterinary Formula Clinical Care Medicated Dog Shampoo is a top-of-the-line product that offers gentle healing through antiparasitic and antiseborrheic properties while offering clinical-level care without a trip to the vet.
This shampoo won't wash away topic flea or tick treatments, allowing it to heal your dog's skin without causing more unnecessary damage
This medicated shampoo is ideal for treating various skin issues with Frenchies, including greasy skin, skin rashes, flaky skin, mange, parasites, and infections.
It works by using only the best ingredients, such as salicylic acid, micronized sulfur, and coal tar. All these components act fast without the need to rely on dye, soaps, or parabens to relieve infections and other conditions.
Pros:
- Relieves various medical conditions of the skin
- Does not remove topical treatments
- Uses veterinary-grade ingredients
- Works quickly and gently
Cons:
- Not a pleasant smell
- High price point
Buddy Wash – Best Botanical Blend
If you are on the hunt for a safe, clean shampoo with plenty of scent options, then Buddy Wash is the right company for you.
The Buddy Wash Shampoo and Conditioner is a 2-in-1 product that easily cleans your pup and nourishes their fur and skin.
Buddy Wash uses a blend of hydrating oils to keep your dog looking, feeling, and smelling great. There are three options to choose from: lavender and mint, rosemary and mint, or green tea and bergamot.
Each formula uses all-natural botanicals that hydrate and soothe sensitive skin. Even frequent use won’t dry out your dog’s skin. The coconut, aloe vera, and vitamin E base hold it all together.
Pros:
- Gentle formula
- Soothing and hydrating base
- Great-smelling botanical blends
- Leaves fur soft
- A little goes a long way
Cons:
- Gallon price is high
TropiClean Dog Shampoo – Best Range of Products
If your Frenchie has some specific needs that you’re concerned about, you should take a look at TropiClean’s line of dog shampoo products. Chances are, the all-natural brand has a product for your pup that’s soap and paraben-free.
TropiClean dog shampoo washes off dirt and eliminates odors but doesn’t affect topical treatments your dog might need to keep healthy, like flea and tick prevention.
TropiClean uses a healthy blend of papaya, mango, kiwi, pomegranate, aloe, chamomile, and more to gently clean and nourish the skin and fur.
These shampoos have no dyes, no chemicals, and are cruelty-free. You can choose from several specialized formulas, including medicated itch relief, shed control, flea bite relief, deep cleansing, and more.
Pros:
- Great scent
- Specialty options available
- Works well on sensitive or itchy skin
- Long-lasting clean
- Lathers nicely
Cons:
- The scent doesn’t last long
Healthy Breeds – Best Puppy Shampoo
It’s important to remember that even within the French Bulldog breed, puppies need different shampoos than adults. Healthy Breeds Tearless Puppy Shampoo is a 2-in-1 perfect for sensitive skin.
This shampoo-conditioner combo is gentle and mild, ideal for use on puppies, and even safe to use on their faces. It’s free of irritants and doesn’t strip the skin of natural oils.
Not only that, but this brand makes formulas for different breeds, including one optimized for French Bulldogs.
Healthy Breeds uses aloe vera, lanolin, and proteins.
Pros:
- Breed-specific formulas
- Leaves a nice scent
- Lathers nicely
- Gentle on skin and eyes
- Makes fur soft and shiny
Cons:
- Contains a sulfate and chemicals
Earthbath – Best Environmentally Friendly
Earthbath is a brand that cares about your dog as well as the environment around him. Earthbath Pet Shampoo is a plant-based product that’s 100 percent cruelty-free, soap-free, and biodegradable.
You can take heart to knowing that this clean brand is free from chemicals, dyes, parabens, gluten, and phthalates. What’s more, it smells great and cleans well, and you can feel good knowing you’re helping the environment, too.
Its formula includes oatmeal and aloe vera, both of which are ideal for soothing sensitive, itchy skin and promoting healing and moisturizing. It’s safe for puppies over 6 weeks old as well as adults and leaves their fur feeling soft, clean, and shiny.
Pros:
- Hypoallergenic and recommended by vets for skin issues
- 100 percent natural ingredients
- Refreshing almond and vanilla scent
- Very gentle and soothing
- Environmentally friendly
Cons:
- The product can separate, requires shaking
- Very thick
4Legger – Best Organic
4Legger Dog Shampoo is a USDA-certified organic product that replaces synthetic, harmful chemicals with all-natural ingredients. It combines hydrating coconut with soothing natural products like aloe vera and lemongrass oil.
We love that 4Legger is eco-friendly. In particular, they use sustainably sourced ingredients compared to many big brand products that have dangerous chemicals and irritants.
These same components are also excellent in combating dry, itchy, irritated skin. It relieves skin issues without stripping natural oils and can even resolve doggy dandruff. Your French Bulldog is left with soft, shiny, and clean fur that isn’t weighed down with thickeners.
Pros:
- USDA certified organic
- All-natural ingredients and a pleasant smell
- Soothing aloe and lemongrass
- Highly concentrated to make a little go a long way
Cons:
- Slightly higher cost
Frenchie Shampoos Buying Guide
It’s not enough to be handed a list of products. Ultimately, you also need to know about your French Bulldog’s needs and what they require for optimum care and maintenance. Knowledge is power, and knowing more can help you make the best decision possible.
Our buying guide addresses a few common questions about shampoo for French Bulldogs and will help you navigate the process of choosing the best shampoo for your pup.
Finding the Best Shampoo for French Bulldogs With Skin Allergies
French Bulldogs are known for having many allergies and skin problems, so it’s crucial that owners get the right kind of shampoo. Indeed, Frenchies are genetically susceptible to both food and environmental allergies, which can cause excessive itching and licking and even skin rash.
Likewise, Frenchies have tons of wrinkles and folds in their skin, meaning they are more prone to skin fold dermatitis. This condition can cause redness and sores around the neck, armpits, and vulva.
Finally, French Bulldogs are also known for getting bacterial skin infections called pyoderma. These infections can happen in the folds of a dog’s skin and occur when your dog gets a cut within a wrinkle.
Because of this breed’s predisposition to skin issues, it’s a good idea to use shampoos that are gentle and contain all-natural, soothing ingredients like:
- Oatmeal
- Buttermilk
- Honey
- Aloe Vera
- Shea Butter
- Safflower Seed Oil
- Coconut Oil
It’s also best to look for a reliable brand that is up-front about its ingredients. Be sure to check the labels for harsh chemicals like sulfates, phthalates, parabens, and artificial dyes and fragrances, as all of these can irritate a Frenchie’s sensitive skin.
Finding the Best Shampoo for a Frenchie Puppy
With any breed of puppy, it’s important to use a puppy-specific formula. Puppies have fresh, delicate skin, and it can take a while before they develop all of their adult coat. Given that, they are more susceptible to irritation, so they would benefit from a product that’s gentler on their skin.
The best puppy shampoos use little to no fragrance, relying instead on natural scents over artificial fragrances. Of course, the best shampoo for Frenchies puppies may still have many of the same ingredients as an adult shampoo. After all, adult Frenchies also require the same soothing, gentle features.
FAQs
If you still have questions about French Bulldog shampoos and taking care of your Frenchie’s hygiene, check out the FAQs below.
How often should I bathe my French Bulldog?
Most experts recommend bathing a French Bulldog no more than five times per year due to their sensitive skin. Overwashing can lead to dried-out, itchy skin.
However, the real answer depends on your Frenchie’s activity level and how dirty he gets. If your Frenchie rolls around in the mud, you will need to bathe them regardless of his bath count for the year.
If you have a highly active Frenchie who plays outside a lot, you may find it necessary to bathe them more often, about once per month.
Is it safe to let my Frenchie air dry?
Because French Bulldogs have just one layer of short fur, it’s generally safe to let them air dry after a bath. When you’ve finished rinsing them off, dry them off as much as you can with a towel and let the rest air dry.
If you’re concerned about your little dog getting too cold, you can use a hairdryer on its lowest setting to help speed up the drying process and keep him warm.
So What Is The Best Shampoo for French Bulldogs?
We’ve covered a lot of useful information here and offered several different top-notch options for the best shampoo for French Bulldogs. However, we have one product that stood out among the rest: the Pets Are Kids Too.
The shampoo has enhanced ingredients for relieving itching from allergies or dry skin, including oatmeal, aloe vera, and baking soda.
This pet shampoo impressed us with its anti-itch formula, which includes important ingredients like aloe vera, oatmeal, and coconut. This chemical-free shampoo is ideal for breeds like Frenchies who can struggle with skin allergies and sensitivity.
The plant-based ingredients are awesome, and we love the addition of baking soda, which helps eliminate odor. In the end, you’re left with a fresh oatmeal scent and a happy dog. So, if you want only the best shampoo for your Frenchie, consider it to ensure your pup’s skin gets the treatment it deserves.
