Burt’s Bees for Dogs Natural Oatmeal Shampoo

Burt’s Bees for Dogs Natural Oatmeal Shampoo is a gentle everyday shampoo made with colloidal oat flour and honey. Burt’s Bees says all its pet products are pH balanced for pets and made without parabens, phthalates, petrolatum, synthetic fragrances or SLS.

Who it suits

Healthy dogs that need a mild, low scent shampoo for regular baths, including puppies old enough for a bath. Dogs that get very smelly may need a stronger cleanser.

Key facts

• pH balanced for pets, 95% natural origin (Burt’s Bees)
• Made without parabens, phthalates, petrolatum, synthetic fragrances or SLS (Burt’s Bees)
• Low lather by design, because it has no SLS or harsh detergents (Burt’s Bees)
• Use a shampoo made for pets: human shampoo is more acidic than dog skin (VCA)

What reviewers say

A former NBC Select editor uses it on her maltese and poodle mix and says his fur always feels extra soft afterwards; NBC lists the low lather as the downside.

In a hands-on odor test, Whole Dog Journal found it lacked lather and took a lot of product to wash two medium dogs; it left their coats soft and clean but did not fight doggy odor as well as other shampoos. A vet technician writing for Whole Dog Journal calls it one of her favorites and has used it on dogs of all ages.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Gentle, pH balanced for pets (brand)
• Pro: No synthetic fragrance or SLS (brand)
• Pro: Left coats soft and clean in hands-on use
• Con: Little lather, so you use more
• Con: Not the best at removing strong doggy odor (Whole Dog Journal)
• Con: No product page on the brand’s own site

Cautions

• Keep shampoo out of your dog’s eyes, ears and nose, and rinse until no suds remain; leftover shampoo can irritate the skin, PetMD notes.
• This is an everyday cleansing shampoo, not a treatment. If your dog is itchy, has red, flaky or smelly skin, or the skin does not improve, see your vet, who may recommend a medicated shampoo.