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Quick Access To The Best Shampoos For Malteses ?
| Editors Pick | Brand |
| Best Overall | Earthbath Oatmeal & Aloe Dog Shampoo |
| Best Runner Up | Burt’s Bees For Dogs |
| Best Budget | PetAg Fresh ‘n Clean Shampoo |
| Best Under $6 | Oster Oatmeal Essentials Shed Control Dog Shampoo |
| Best Maltese Dog Shampoo And Conditioner | Buddy Wash |
| Best Maltese Secret Whitening Shampoo | Snow White Shampoo |
It’s that time again. Your cute pup is starting to look and smell like they need a bath. Let’s take a look at the most important part of a doggy bath, the shampoo! We made a simple list of the best shampoo products for a maltese doggo.
With so many darn products available online it can be a challenge to pick one and feel it’s the right choice. You want to make sure it’s a reputable company, safe for your pup, great smelling and makes their coat soft and cuddly.
We’re confident if you choose one of the shampoos we’ve listed below your pup will be squeaky clean and fresh smelling in no time.
We have more inexpensive options, a variety of different scents as well as ones made with different ingredients. We know that people’s preferences vary so we made sure that there was a pick below for everyone.
All the while maintaining the most important factor, your dogs safety.
Let’s dive in, shall we? Our first pick is what we’d call the best overall shampoo pick for a maltese.
Table of Contents
Top 10 Best Dog Shampoos For Malteses
Best Overall: Earthbath Oatmeal & Aloe Dog Shampoo
The Earthbath Oatmeal & Aloe Shampoo takes our best overall spot for shampoo for a maltese doggo. Earthbath shampoo offers a totally natural and soothing experience that’s safe for your pup and smells lovely.
This gentle shampoo is formulated so that it soothes dry and itchy skin to provide relief all the while managing the smell of ‘dog’. Which, I think we all know a little too well!
As the ingredients of the shampoo are all natural it adds moisture back into your doggo’s skin without causing any unnecessary irritation.
Perfect for dogs who have more sensitive skin and need a gentler touch.
Reviews from our source of testers shared that they really enjoyed the smell the shampoo left and how soft their pup was after their bath.
One person shared that some shampoo did end up getting in their pups eye but it didn’t bother them at all which is nice to know as accidents happen.
Some people shared that the shampoo didn’t provide any relief or help with their dogs dry skin but this was a considerably small percentage out of all the dog parents who’ve used the product.
Earthbath Oatmeal & Aloe Dog Shampoo Key Features:
- Gentle cleansing 100% biodegradable
- Vanilla and almond scent
- Paraben and phosphate-free
Best Runner Up: Burt’s Bees For Dogs
Our best runner up shampoo pick for a maltese is Burt’s Bees For Dogs. With the natural soothing that comes from honey, Burt’s Bees has been a favorite choice brand of humans for years. But, did you know they’ve become a favorite for doggos as well?
All of the natural ingredients in this oatmeal-based shampoo are no exception and great for a maltese. Of course, one of the main ingredients is honey, along with beeswax and colloidal oatmeal to help care for sensitive skinned doggos.
Honey is soothing to the skin and helps add shine to your pups coat. Keep your maltese clean while continuing to protect them from pests as this shampoo won’t wash away any topical flea or tick treatments they have.
Reviews from testers were quite simple. People really liked that the shampoo didn’t dry out their dogs skin, was gentle for those that had pups with sensitive skin and left a lovely scent.
However, no product goes without some unhappy customers it seems! Complaints for this shampoo focused on the size of the bottle where people expected a larger bottle size.
Burt’s Bees For Dogs Key Features:
- No sulfates or colorants
- pH Balanced to prevent dry skin
- Colloidal oat flour and honey moisturizes and prevents itchiness
Best Budget: PetAg Fresh ‘n Clean Shampoo
In a pinch but don’t want to sacrifice quality? The PetAg Fresh ‘n Clean shampoo has your back and is our best budget pick.
When they look healthy and clean, it’s so much more enjoyable to cuddle them! Give your dog relief while supporting the natural healing of fungal, yeast, or bacterial skin issues.
specially formulated shampoo is infused with Rooibos Tea extract to provide gentle, soothing relief to their skin and hair.
Even if your dog doesn’t have any skin issues, this shampoo helps provide a great general purpose cleaning that’ll have them smelling fresh in no time.
The shampoo uses a mild, soap-free formula that does not contain harmful parabens or dyes. It’is suitable for even the most sensitive skin. It also adds antioxidants to fight inflammation.
PetAg Fresh ‘n Clean Shampoo Key Features:
- Prevents and soothes skin irritation
- Supports natural healing for fungal, yeast, and bacterial growth
- Moisturizes with olive oil, glycerin, and Vitamin E
Best Under $6: Oster Oatmeal Essentials Shed Control Dog Shampoo
The Oster Oatmeal Essentials Shed Control Dog Shampoo is our pick for the best shampoo under $6 for a maltese.
This shampoo is made with oatmeal, vitamin B5 and safflower lipids. These ingredients, aside from oatmeal, are quite unique when it comes to dog shampoo.
They help enhance your pup’s coat by using essential fatty acids. Plant lipids are compared to healthy fats but for hair.
They nourish your pups skin which in turn makes their coat healthier, softer and even more cuddlable (if that’s possible).
The shampoo is considerably gentle on your dog’s skin as it doesn’t include any harsh or harmful chemicals in it’s ingredients.
While shed control is in its name, it’s great for a general purpose shampoo as well even if you don’t have to worry too much about shedding.
It’s also made in the USA and won’t remove any topical flea treatment which is a nice bonus.
Reviews from testers shared mostly positive experiences. From loving the way it smells to how gentle it was on their pups skin, people have seemed to really enjoy using this shampoo.
Oster Oatmeal Essentials Shed Control Dog Shampoo Key Features:
- Repairs and enhances fur
- Contains no dyes, alcohol or parabens making it gentle on skin
- Made in the USA
Best Maltese Dog Shampoo And Conditioner: Buddy Wash
Buddy Wash offers a two-in-one conditioning shampoo that is made with aloe vera, sage, rosemary, green tea, and chamomile to help soothe irritated skin. All these ingredients are considerably gentle on your dog’s skin while making their coat extra soft!
This shampoo is packed with natural and healthy ingredients. The fresh lavender and mint scent are wonderfully refreshing. The shampoo is a treat for their skin and the light fresh scent is a treat for you and your family.
It’s formulated with a coconut base liquid that makes it completely alcohol-free as well as a wheat protein that acts as a natural deodorizer.
This naturally formulated shampoo is gentle enough to be used on dogs of all ages, from puppy, teens all the way up to adults!
Reviews from our source of testers shared that they really liked the scent this shampoo gives off and how gentle it is on their pups skin. Some people liked that it wasn’t oatmeal based as their pup was allergic to oatmeal.
The very few negative comments that were shared were mostly about the smell. Some scents are wonderful to certain people while giving a headache to others, and vice versa!
Buddy Wash Key Features:
- Gentle for dogs of all ages
- Made with pure botanical extracts
- Natural deodorizer
Best Maltese Secret Whitening Shampoo: Snow White Shampoo
Looking for a secret weapon to help bring back that white shine your pup used to have? The Snow White Shampoo is to the rescue.
Keep your maltese’s white fur looking vibrant and bright as opposed to dingy/yellow without using harmful chemicals like bleach or peroxide. Safely remove stains from their hair without irritating or harming their skin.
This shampoo gently cleans and deodorizes even the most yellow or dingiest coat. The ingredients are natural with green tea extract, Vitamin E, and pH balanced optical brighteners.
You’ll also enjoy the pleasant, long-lasting scent with a hint of blue coral and citrus.
Reviews from the majority of testers simply adored this shampoo’s whitening qualities. As the shampoo promised, it was able to brighten their dog’s coat without causing them any harm.
However, some people found it didn’t whiten as much as they wanted. Again, many more people were satisfied with the shampoos result than people who weren’t which is why this shampoo is still a top recommendation.
Snow White Shampoo Key Features:
- Gentle cleaning and deodorizing
- No bleach or peroxide
- Pleasant long-lasting scent
Other Top-Rated Picks
4-Legger USDA Certified Organic Dog Shampoo
If organic products are important for you and your family, the 4-Legger USDA Certified Organic Dog Shampoo could be a great option for you.
This hypoallergenic shampoo is made with completely natural ingredients like, organic coconut oil, organic lemongrass essential oil, and aloe vera. It’s well known in the industry and used by vets as well as holistic groomers.
People use this shampoo for it’s natural ingredients and it’s capabilities to relieve dry, itchy skin while being gentle for dogs with sensitive skin. It also leaves behind a nice light scent that many owners love.
Considering this shampoo is USDA certified you can be confident that what you’re buying is truly organic. The company that makes this shampoo is so confident that you’ll love it, they offer a 30-day money back guarantee.
You can use it, bring it to your vet or groomer to get their opinions and if you decide not to use the product you can get a 100% refund.
We love to see money back guarantees because it shows that the company stands behind their work.
4-Legger USDA Certified Organic Dog Shampoo Key Features:
- USDA certified as truly organic shampoo
- Hypoallergenic
- 30-Day money back guarantee
Fresh Pet Shampoo
While having a professional groom your pup is recommended, in between you want your furry friend to look and smell their best. The Fresh Pet Shampoo has a formula designed to help nourish your dog’s skin while providing a lovely scent.
This shampoo is vet-backed and comes with a lifetime warranty. Whether you buy it and wash your pup right away or wait a few months, if you’re not happy with it you are able to request a full refund.
Again, that’s the kind of confidence we like to see in a top dog shampoo.
The specially formulated shampoo works with your dog’s skin oils and helps maintain their natural pH balance.
It’s important that a shampoo cleans but also doesn’t strip your doggo of their natural skin oils and this shampoo’s formula is gentle enough to achieve that.
It leaves behind a shiny, bright, soft, and smooth coat with a fresh scent that lasts for weeks. The ingredients are all natural and derived from coconut oil!
Fresh Pet Shampoo Key Features:
- Gently formulated pH balance
- Fresh scent for weeks
- Comprehensive anti-itch formula
Nature’s Miracle Supreme Odor Control Shampoo
For an extra stinky maltese, a shampoo superhero is on the way. This shampoo has been designed to tackle the strongest of smells. Don’t let an unwanted stench stand between you and cuddle time with your pup.
The Nature’s Miracle Supreme Odor Control Shampoo neutralizes and deodorizes the super strong odors that other shampoos may not have been able to get rid of.
Say good-bye to a smelly doggo and hello to fresh scented cuddles again!
After bath time with this shampoo you’re left with a clean pup and a honey sage scent. It also helps soothe any irritations that they may have on their skin. No smell, no sting, no problem!
An added benefit is that it will help control static as well. Not only will your dog smell better, but their fur will smooth out nicer when it’s time for a brushing. And an easier brushing is better for you and your pup!
Nature’s Miracle Supreme Odor Control Shampoo Key Features:
- Eliminate static electricity
- Controls heavy odors
- Hair stays cleaner longer
Isle of Dogs Tearless Puppy Shampoo
When it’s time for a bath, you want to set the stage for it as a happy, pleasant experience. Not a time they feel like they’re being punished. And let’s be honest, some dogs really feel like a bath is punishment the little weirdos!
Thankfully, someone thought of your small pup and formulated a Tearless Puppy Shampoo.
It offers a soothing formula with nice cotton and a fresh orchid scent. Don’t worry about the ingredients harming your doggo as it’s sulfate and paraben-free.
Get your maltese looking shiny and clean after a bath with this shampoo without having to worry about causing discomfort to their eyes or skin.
An added bonus is that this shampoo is made in the USA. Shop local!
Isle of Dogs Tearless Puppy Shampoo Key Features:
- Gentle, tearless formula
- Formulated for sensitive skin
- Pleasant, long-lasting scent
Tips On Effectively Bathing Your Maltese
First and foremost, before even getting them in the tub there are a few things that should be done.
One, let the water run to get the temperature to a comfortable temperature. Not too hot, not too cold, but just right (who remembers where that’s from? Haha).
Think of the temperature you’d wash a baby in. Warm enough so they aren’t shivering but not too hot where it would be uncomfortable.
Two, give them a good brushing! You’ll want to make sure you get rid of any tangles or matted areas before getting them in the tub.
This is because it becomes even more difficult to get rid of these after they’re damp. So brushing them after their bath will be more work than if you had done it before.
The last point isn’t required but definitely recommended.
Tire them out! Take them for a nice long walk or a run in the park to help them get rid of their pent up energy. This will make it so they have less energy to be a pain in the bum during their bath which makes your job as the bather, just a little bit easier.
Now let’s look at tips for during bathtime.
Not every dog enjoys bath time, so be prepared for a possible struggle. Go ahead and grab three towels:
- If your maltese is small enough, you can bath them in the sink which makes it a little easier on your back. However, if you don’t want to use your sink a traditional bathtub is perfect as well. Whether you’re using your sink or your bathtub, be sure to have a towel on your countertop or on the floor to prevent slipping when it’s time to get out.
- Keep your dog from shaking water everywhere and drenching you by draping the second towel over them when they’re wet between rinses.
- Use the third towel for drying.
Follow these helpful tips for the easiest and best way to wash your dog:
- Make sure the shampoo you’re using is pH formulated for your dog and not for humans.
- Stock a bathing station with shampoo, towels, and everything else you may use during the bath.
- *Optional* Place a piece of cotton in each of your dog’s ears to keep water from getting in.
- Brush your dog before the bath to work out mats and tangles before water mats it down worse.
- Put a piece of steel wool in the drain hole to catch excess dog hair before it clogs your drain.
- If your dog tends to wiggle too much or dart away, use their leash.
- Let the water run to get warm but not too hot. Think of a temperature that you’d wash a baby in, warm enough so they aren’t freezing but not too hot where it’s uncomfortable.
- Wet your dog thoroughly, all the way down to the skin.
- Begin shampooing starting at their neck and gently work your way down their entire dog body including the tail and paws.
- Lather up suds around the base of the dog’s skull to keep fleas or ticks from running into the ears.
- Rinse and dry thoroughly. (very important that you’ve rinsed all the shampoo off)
- Move your doggo out of the tub and onto the towel you’ve placed on the floor to dry them off completely. Using a hair dryer is optional.
- Clean up by unplugging the drain and taking out the cotton from your dog’s ears.
And voila! You have a clean, lovely smelling pooch again!
FAQ
What’s The Best Brush For A Maltese?
We’d recommend two types of brushes to give your maltese the best brushing possible. Those are a pin brush and a slicker brush.
The reason being is because they serve different purposes. A pin brush will do a better job at gently getting rid of tangles from their hair and then a slicker brush will do the trick to smooth out their entire coat.
You can only use a slicker brush but you have to be more gentle with it until their tangles are gone to continue brushing the rest of their body.
We wrote a post recently about the top 28 best brushes that covered pin and slicker brushes. If you’d like to see some of our recommendations you can check out that post by clicking here.
What’s The Best Shampoo For A Maltipoo?
The best shampoo for a maltipoo won’t be much different than one for a maltese. Going with our best overall option, Earthbath Oatmeal & Aloe Dog Shampoo, will be a great option for a maltipoo as well.
How To Make My Maltese Hair Silky?
The same thing we’d do to make our hair silky smooth you can do with your maltese. Using a conditioner will help your pup get that soft, silky smooth hair that you’re after.
You can use a shampoo & conditioner combo like Buddy Wash which we recommended above or another great alternative would be a leave-in conditioner that you can apply to your doggo without having to give them a bath.
The best leave-in conditioner in our opinion is Warren London Hydrating Butter.
Final Thoughts
And that concludes our list of the top 10 best shampoo products for a maltese! We hope that after checking out our list you were able to find a shampoo that will be perfect for your pup.
We know when there are too many options available it can be easy to have ‘analysis paralysis’ and never end up making a choice.
Hopefully this shortlist of the best of the best was useful helping you make a choice so your maltese can have their bath as soon as possible.
Happy bathing!
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