Dog shampoo for sensitive skin

How to recognise sensitive skin in a dog

Three signs can be spotted without being a vet. The dog scratches outside bath time. The skin reddens easily, especially on the belly, the armpits and between the pads. And dandruff appears in the days following a wash.

A fourth sign is quieter: the dog licks its paws repeatedly. It is often the first to appear and the last to be noticed.

A dog's skin is markedly thinner than ours and its pH is different. A product made for humans strips it, even when it is sold as gentle. That is the first thing to check before looking any further.

Which dog shampoo to choose for sensitive skin

The table below gives the product to choose based on what you observe, not on the breed. Prices and reviews appear on each product sheet, just above.

My dog scratches after the bath, why

In the vast majority of cases the shampoo is not to blame, the rinsing is. Product stays trapped at the base of the hair, dries against the skin and irritates it for several days.

Two other causes come up often. Water that is too hot, which dilates and dries out: lukewarm is always enough. And incomplete drying, which leaves a background dampness that invites irritation, especially in the folds.

If you have corrected these three points and the scratching persists, only then change to a treatment shampoo and space out the washes.

How often should you wash a dog with sensitive skin

Less often than you think. On sensitive skin every bath removes part of the protective film, and it is that film which does the work between two washes.

Allow six to eight weeks for routine care, and wash outside that rhythm only if the dog has genuinely got dirty. A dog that scratches after several closely spaced baths is telling you exactly that.

Brushing, on the other hand, can be done as often as you like. It removes dead hair and dust without touching the protective film, and it is the best way to space out baths.

Can you use a human shampoo on a dog

No, and it is a common mistake. Human skin has an acidic pH, a dog's is close to neutral. A human shampoo, even a baby one, even an organic one, unbalances that barrier and causes exactly the symptoms you are trying to avoid.

This is all the more true on skin that is already sensitive, where there is no margin at all. A shampoo formulated for dogs is not a sales argument, it is a matter of chemistry.

When to see a vet

A shampoo washes, it does not treat. If the skin stays red, crusty or weeping, if the dog loses hair in patches, or if the itching does not ease despite a suitable product and careful rinsing, book an appointment.

Some skin conditions look from a distance like simple sensitivity and have nothing to do with it. No grooming product replaces a diagnosis, and ours no more than any other.

The right shampoo for your dog's coat

Sensitive skin is found on every type of coat. Depending on your dog's hair, these pages give you the full selection, gentle shampoos included.

And for the whole range, browse all our dog shampoos, from the gentlest to the most technical.

Our other specific care products complete the wash: eye and ear cleaners, coat care and everyday hygiene products.

Ladybel products are made in France and formulated in the laboratory under the supervision of vets, ethologists and biochemists. They comply with the European and American pharmacopoeias.