6 Best Dog Shampoos Old English Sheepdog Owners Recommend

There is no way to talk about Old English Sheepdogs without mentioning grooming. Old English Sheepdogs are affectionate, playful and fluffy dogs that are adored by many. It is not possible to go for a walk with your OES without someone wanting a picture or a hug. Having stuffed-animal looks make sheepies particularly attractive for children who run towards them wanting a huge hug.

Old English Sheepdogs require significant commitment to grooming, and one part of their grooming routine is bathing. If you do not leave bathing sessions to a professional groomer, you will need willpower, but also bathing products. Which product to use when you are first time owner is a significant decision, so we decided to assist OES owners in making an informative choice.

Certainly, when you seek any answers or information about your Old English Sheepdog’s health, behavior, appearance, or similar, you would like to get information from someone who has experience with sheepies.

1. 30.2% of OES owners recommend EZ Groom Crystal White Shampoo.
2. 20.3% of OES owners recommend Mane ‘n Tail Shampoo.
3. 18% of OES owners recommend Chris Christensen White on White Shampoo.
4. 14.1% of OES owners recommend Cowboy Magic Rosewater Shampoo.
5. 10.5% of OES owners recommend Earthbath Oatmeal & Aloe Shampoo.
6. 4.9% of OES owners recommend Isle of Dogs Shampoo: Coature collection.

The rest of the OES owners recommended other products, but the volume of recommendations was not significant enough to be included in the top recommended list. Some of the mentioned products we already used, while others we tested to find out what we liked about them and to confirm positives and negatives that Old English Sheepdog owners noticed.

What to Look For When Considering Dog Shampoos

Choosing a dog shampoo for your pooch is similar as choosing a shampoo for yourself. Old English Sheepdog owners search for natural ingredients, good whitening effect, shampoo with mild or no scent, minimal drying out effect for the coat, and maintaining fluffiness of the coat. Finding a good balance of these features for a fair price is a challenge. Always read the label of any product yourself and inquire with manufacturer if they use parabens, sulfates, mineral oils, artificial colorings, or phthalates, as they can cause skin issues and harm the health of your pooch.

It is imperative to consider the breed when selecting a dog shampoo. Old English Sheepdogs have double coats and they require appropriate products. OES owners like to preserve whiteness of their pooch’s white parts, so shampoos with whitening power and ability to clear stains is going to be on the top of their list.

Even though your pooch belongs to a specific breed, not all Old English Sheepdogs will react the same way to a specific shampoo. That is why you can notice that there is always a small percentage of users that have different experience than the majority. There is no way to know, but to test the product on your pooch. Always consult veterinarian or canine dermatologist if your sheepie has known allergies to get their recommended products.

As important is to find a proper product, it is equally important to know traits of your breed. Washing Old English Sheepdogs too often can remove their natural oils and cause dryness, dandruff or other skin conditions. Therefore consult with a professional groomer and your vet to check what is the recommended frequency for your pooch.

Bathing your sheepie is part of the grooming process and important for his or her health. However, before giving them a wash a thorough brushing is necessary to get rid of any mats and tangles. Bathing your Old English Sheepdog without brushing will cause mats to get stronger and there is a chance you will not be able to free them properly. This causes lack of breathing for the skin and will lead to trimming or even clipping your sheepie very short. After your pooch is mat-free, you can proceed with the bathing session, but make sure to rub in shampoo properly and scrub as much as you can, as the undercoat will sometimes prevent water reaching the skin. Once you rinse; rinse again to ensure there is no shampoo remaining in the coat.

Finally, you have to consider your sheepie’s age. If possible, try not to give full baths to puppies before their 8th week. This is to prevent hypothermia. You can use moist scent-free wipes, but most of the cleaning is done by their mum. After the 8th week you can give a bath to your little sheepies, but use gentle and natural shampoos until their 6th month, after which they can use regular adult and slightly more aggressive shampoos. In any case, whenever in doubt, consult with your primary veterinary practitioner who will provide you with good options for your pooch.

Top recommended dog shampoos Old English Sheepdog owners use

Top Recommended: EZ Groom Crystal White Shampoo

Over 30% of surveyed Old English Sheepdog owners have selected EZ Crystal White shampoo as their first choice. All of them claim that this is the only product that keeps the white parts of the coat white. It does have a specific instructions on how to use it, so it is recommended that you read instructions carefully. Some use this shampoo as their only shampoo, while others combine it with other products. It is necessary to leave this shampoo acting for some time before rinsing, and it must be said that you will probably need several washes for resistant stains to clear off. It is also recommended to heat this shampoo in the microwave for a short time to activate enzymes, so make sure to follow all recommended steps.

The biggest complaint we and other users have is that the shampoo does dry out the coat significantly and you will need a good quality conditioner. Other common complaint is that packaging often arrives damaged at the destination during shipping. The lid is open or damaged and often the products spills prior use. Larger packaging do not suffer from the same issue. It is necessary to state that some users did not follow instructions thoroughly, so they did not have same results like others that did. This product is enzyme activated and instructions have to be followed to have the desired result.

Second Top Recommended: Mane ‘n Tail Shampoo

Yes, Mane ‘n Tail shampoo is intended for horses. But what is so amazing about this product is that it is widely used on human and dog hair. This shampoo is very popular and tens of thousands of people use it exclusively for their hair and their pet’s coat.

20.3% of surveyed Old English Sheepdog owners have selected Mane ‘n Tail shampoo as their favorite. This shampoo keeps the natural shine of the coat, while keeping the hair as strong as possible. It works very well with stubborn dirt or mud; clears it well and makes the coat soft. Some OES owners reported that they use Mane ‘n Tail shampoo for over 20 years on themselves and that their long hair had consistently great feel. Users claim that the shampoo is bubbly and easy to rinse.

Very common feedback is that coat feels soft and silky and that it is even better with the use of conditioner. Conditioner is recommended as many owners stated that Mane ‘n Tail, similarly like EZ-Grooming White on White, dries out the hair and requires something to feed the follicles. The biggest complaint about this product is again packaging, as some users received their shampoo bottles spilled out and damaged during shipping. Less than 1% of users reported that their Old English Sheepdogs experienced dandruff and itchy skin. Some users reported that this shampoo will fade colored hair faster. Users expected that this product will grow hair faster or make it fuller, but reportedly did not fulfill that expectation.

Third Top Recommended: Chris Christensen White on White Shampoo

On the third place of recommended shampoos we find Chris Christensen White on White shampoo with 18% of Old English Sheepdog owners selecting this shampoo as their top choice. What owners really loved about White on White is that it managed to clean and show whiteness of the coat. This shampoo accentuates white parts and gives fresh clean look. Many users did mention that the white parts are noticeably whiter and this is probably due to combination of shampoo active ingredients and some stubborn dirt and discoloration of the hair prior washing. Others mentioned that they did not notice whiter coat, but were still very happy with the shampoo and the way the white parts shines. Our experience was also that pee stains were not completely cleared, but the white was a brighter white.

Some owners reported that the coat of their sheepies did not turn white, but purple or gray. Other owners stated that the product itself is purple, so it has to be diluted prior use and not left too long to avoid purplish or grey hue of the coat. Similarly with other whitening products, White on White could leave your sheepie’s coat dry, so it is good to have a conditioner as well. While most of the owners reported that white parts of their Old English Sheepdog was whiter after use, many stated that stubborn stains are not going to be fully removed by using this shampoo only.

Fourth Top Recommended: Cowboy Magic Rosewater Shampoo

A little over 18% of Old English Sheepdog owners prefer to use Cowboy Magic Rosewater Shampoo on their sheepies. Most owners reported that the shampoo cleans and rinses out well. Most of the users stated that the shampoo smells wonderful, but few owners did state that the smell was not as pleasant as they expected, so it comes down to personal preference. Many users also reported that Cowboy Magic shampoo made coats of their OESs soft and silky. Majority of users reported that conditioner is not required for this shampoo, but they use detangler for their Old English Sheepdogs. As reported by OES owners, even dogs with itchy skin or dry hair can use Cowboy Magic shampoo.

By far the largest complaint from users are various damages that happened during shipping. It seems that the cap design is not sturdy enough to survive enthusiastic handling of delivery personnel. Only few owners reported that the Cowboy Magic Shampoo left their sheepie’s skin dry and that shampoo did not fulfill their expectations.

Fifth Top Recommended: Earthbath Oatmeal & Aloe Shampoo

Earthbath Oatmeal & Aloe Shampoo came fifth in the top list of recommended shampoos Old English Sheepdog owners use. It is very popular shampoo with other breeds as well. Most of the owners like natural and organic ingredients and that the shampoo is fragrance free. The product requires a thorough shake before use, as ingredients usually separate after longer shelf life. Most of the OES owners reported smooth and soft coat after wash and that Earthbath shampoo is gentle on their and pooch’s skins. The owners that decided to use scented versions were very happy with performance and smell of the shampoo.

The biggest complaint we noticed is that quite a number of Owners received watery shampoos. Owners who use this product for many years stated that sometimes they received shampoos that looked like someone was pouring water in the bottle and sell it like that. In case you receive product that is watery, return it back and replace with the different bottle of Earthbath Shampoo. Few owners reported that their pups developed itchy spots when using this shampoo, which is probably due to allergy on some of the ingredients, so they had to switch to another product. On the other hand, several owners reported that Earthbath shampoo worked great on their Old English Sheepdogs with known skin allergies.

Sixth Top Recommended: Isle of Dogs Shampoo: Coature collection

Just under 5% of Old English Sheepdog owners recommend Isle of Dogs Coature collection shampoos as their top picks. As Isle of Dogs have many different shampoos in their collection, you will probably need to test different types to find the one that fits the best to the purpose, but majority of OES owners use No. 33 or No. 35 shampoos on their pooches. Almost all owners mentioned that they loved the scent of the shampoo and the fact that the shampoo did not soften the coat, but allowed for natural “fluffiness”. Owners reported full body shiny coat after use. There are no residues and rinses easily.

Some of the owners reported that the Isle of Dogs shampoos dried out their pooches’ coats and that they needed to use conditioner. Another complaint was that the product is pricey for the size of Old English Sheepdogs. Finally, as it was the case with other shampoos on this list of recommendations, if your OES is allergic to some of the ingredients, you could notice dry skin or itchy spots. It affects a very small number of dogs, but if it does affect your sheepie, the best is to discontinue use and consult your veterinarian.

Finding the perfect shampoo that works for you and your Old English Sheepdog is not an easy task. With so many products available, it is difficult and expensive to just randomly chose and trial everything that appears good quality. This is the reason why we asked thousands of users that own or used to own sheepies to share their experience with other owners and potential Old English Sheepdog owners. It is evident that users value shampoos that are not irritant to their pooch’s skin, that white out whit parts of their coats, to clear stains, to wash well and keep the fluffiness. It is evident that for each recommended product there is small percentage of dogs that are allergic or have non-desirable effects, so regardless of the raving and overwhelming positive feedback, there is a chance you will have to deal with a specific case of intolerance and will have to find other shampoo that will be a perfect fit for your sheepie.