The 9 Best Flea Shampoos for Dogs

Best Overall

Adams Plus Flea & Tick Shampoo

$19 $15 at Amazon $15 at Chewy $21 at Walmart

This is a popular and effective all-around flea and tick shampoo because it kills adult fleas as well as their eggs and larvae and is effective in getting rid of ticks and lice. The active ingredients are pyrethrins, which are pesticides found naturally in chrysanthemum flowers. The formula also contains aloe vera, lanolin, and oatmeal to help relieve and moisturize irritated, dry skin—all of which will leave your pet’s coat shiny and soft.

The long-lasting shampoo typically only has to be used about every 28 days. Thoroughly wet your pet, apply about 1 1/3 teaspoons for every 5 pounds of your pet’s weight, massage and work up a lather, let it sit for three to five minutes, then rinse well. The lather can be thick and can take a while to rinse out completely.

The shampoo has a fresh, light coconut scent. It comes in three sizes and can be used in dogs and puppies over 12 weeks old.

_{Active Ingredients: Pyrethrins | Life Stage: Over 12 weeks | Scents: Coconut | Sizes: 12 ounces, 24 ounces, 1 gallon}

Best Overall Runner-Up

Vet’s Best Advanced Strength Flea and Tick Shampoo

$14 at Amazon $14 at Chewy View on Petco

Vet’s Best offers a line of natural products from shampoos and supplements to home flea sprays and dental products, all without potentially harmful chemicals and added ingredients. This plant-based flea and tick shampoo features rosemary and peppermint as active ingredients. The shampoo kills adult fleas, eggs, and larvae, and also kills ticks on contact.

The manufacturer says this extra-strength formula is twice as strong on adult fleas as other plant-based flea shampoos and can safely be used on dogs and puppies that are at least 12 weeks old. Unlike some shampoos, it lathers well and rinses out easily. Although natural, the scent can be strongly herbal and somewhat medicinal.

_{Active Ingredients: Rosemary oil, peppermint oils | Life Stage: 12 weeks and up | Scents: Rosemary and peppermint | Sizes: 12 ounces}

Best With Essential Oils

TropiClean Maximum Strength Flea & Tick Dog Shampoo

$17 at Amazon $17 at Chewy $21 at Walmart

This lightly scented natural shampoo kills fleas and ticks on contact, then continues to repel fleas for as long as a week. The formula contains an essential oil blend of clove, lemongrass, cedarwood, sesame seed, and cinnamon working together to naturally fight pests. The shampoo also has cocoa butter to relieve and moisturize irritated skin.

The shampoo is safe to use on dogs and puppies that are at least 12 weeks old. To use, wet your pet’s coat thoroughly, work the shampoo into a deep lather, starting at your dog’s head and moving down their body, then leave it on for five to seven minutes before rinsing completely and towel-drying. Because it only repels fleas for a short time, it’s recommended to use it about every two weeks.

_{Active Ingredients: Clove, lemongrass, cedarwood, cinnamon, and sesame seed oils | Life Stage: 12 weeks and older | Scents: Citrus | Sizes: 20 ounces}

Best Budget

Sentry Pet Care Flea and Tick Shampoo With Oatmeal

$30 $23 at Amazon $12 at Chewy $20 at Walmart

This cost-effective mild shampoo contains oatmeal to soothe and condition skin that has been irritated by pests. It works to kill fleas, their eggs and larvae, and ticks on dogs and puppies from 12 weeks old and up. The formula is pH-balanced specifically for a dog’s skin and is designed to clean, deodorize, and condition your pet’s coat.

The shampoo kills fleas quickly and ticks within one or two days, but only works for about seven to 10 days, so you’ll need to bathe your dog regularly (perhaps as often as weekly) to get rid of all the fleas throughout their life cycle. The shampoo has a fresh ginger scent. It is not safe to use on cats and kittens.

_{Active Ingredient: Permethrin | Life Stage: 12 weeks and up | Scents: Ginger | Sizes: 18 ounces, 63.5 ounces}

Best Organic

4-Legger Revitalize Dog Shampoo

$24 at Amazon View on 4-legger.com

This USDA-certified organic shampoo contains all-natural ingredients like oatmeal, shea butter, and aloe to moisturize, soothe, and gently work together to calm itchiness and relieve dry skin. The active ingredient is organic neem oil. There are no preservatives, parabens, phthalates, or artificial colors and fragrances.

The shampoo is concentrated, so you don’t need to use a lot, but because it has no sulfates, it can be watery and difficult to work up a sudsy lather. The scent is citrus, but it can seem a bit strong to some people. 4-Legger focuses on creating products with only clean ingredients that are made with real plants, sustainably sourced, and cruelty-free.

_{Active Ingredient: Neem oil | Life Stage: All | Scents: Orange | Sizes: 8 ounces, 16 ounces}

Best Anti-Itch Treatment

Vet's Best Flea Itch Relief Shampoo

$50 at Amazon $14 at Walmart View on Healthypets.com

Flea bites can make your pup’s skin very itchy and can cause them to scratch and scratch as they try desperately to get some relief. Vet's Best Flea Itch Relief Dog Shampoo doesn’t kill or repel fleas, but it helps soothe irritated skin caused by annoying pests. Natural ingredients include oatmeal and neem oil, which help ease the itchiness.

Because the shampoo doesn’t affect fleas, it’s best to use this in conjunction with monthly flea preventatives (topical or oral) or consider alternating with another flea-killing shampoo. This has no added chemicals or fragrances. It lathers and rinses easily and leaves your dog’s fur very soft.

_{Active Ingredients: Oatmeal, neem oil, citrus oils | Life Stage: 12 weeks and up | Scents: Citrus | Sizes: 8 ounces, 16 ounces}

Best Concentrated

Bio-Groom Flea & Tick Dog Shampoo

$62 at Amazon $62 at Chewy $49 at Walmart

If you have a lot of dogs or give a lot of flea baths, Bio-Groom Flea & Tick Dog Shampoo can help you save space and money. The shampoo concentrate contains pyrethrins that kill fleas at all stages including eggs and larvae along with lice and ticks.

The formula can be used right from the bottle, or mix up one part shampoo to four parts water in another container, then shake well before each use. Rinse your pet, getting their coat thoroughly wet before shampooing, then lather them up thoroughly with the product, making sure to include areas like paws. Wait 10 minutes before rinsing well.

The shampoo is made with coconut oil, so it helps to condition and nourish your dog's coat while killing any pests on contact. Bio-Groom Flea & Tick Dog Shampoo can be used on dogs and cats, but should not be used on puppies and kittens unless they are over 12 weeks of age.

_{Active Ingredients: Pyrethrins, piperonyl butoxide technical, n-octyl bicycloheptene dicarboximide | Life Stage: 12 weeks and up | Scents: Coconut | Sizes: 8 ounces, 12 ounces, 32 ounces, 1 gallon, 2.5 gallons, 5 gallons}

Best Natural

kin+kind Flea and Tick Relief Shampoo

$19 at Amazon $19 at Chewy View on Grove.co

Kin+kind focuses on natural and organic pet grooming and wellness products, using plant-based clean ingredients with no sulfates, parabens, or artificial fragrances. The active ingredients in this flea and tick shampoo are peppermint, rosemary, and cedarwood oils. The shampoo is made in the United States in a USDA-certified organic facility and is certified cruelty-free.

To use, apply shampoo throughout your dog’s coat; starting at the head, massage it in deeply; let sit for about two minutes; and then rinse well. It should kill fleas within two minutes or less and kill ticks within four to 24 hours. The scent is natural lavender with peppermint but can be heavily floral.

_{Active Ingredients: Peppermint, rosemary, and cedarwood oils | Life Stage: 12 weeks and up | Scents: Lavender | Sizes: 12 ounces}

Best for Prevention

Skout's Honor Flea + Tick Shampoo

$20 at Amazon $20 at Chewy $23 $20 at Petco

Skout's Honor Flea + Tick Shampoo is formulated to kill fleas of every life stage and ticks, as well as repel mosquitos so it's ideal if you're tackling pests from various fronts, particularly if you live in or frequent wooded areas. Some pet parents rely on it as their main preventive, while others use this shampoo as an extra layer of protection on top of another preventive such as Frontline. It's paraben- and cruelty-free, eco-friendly, and safe to use on dogs older than 12 weeks—though not safe for cats.

The shampoo relies on a combination of sodium lauryl sulfate, cedarwood and peppermint oils, and eugenol (the main component in clove oil), which has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. For optimum results, allow the shampoo to sit on your dog for five to seven minutes after gently massaging it in—from ears to tail—before rinsing out completely and towel-drying. Repeat the process every two weeks. It leaves behind a pleasantly mild peppermint scent that doesn't linger.

_{Active Ingredients: Sodium lauryl sulfate, cedarwood oil, peppermint oil, eugenol | Life Stage: 12 weeks and up | Scents: Peppermint and cedar | Sizes: 16 ounces}