Puppies are adorable, but they can get flea infestations just like full grown dogs. For puppies over 12 weeks of age I like this oatmeal shampoo by SENTRY (paid link) the best.
The reason that I like this shampoo and think it’s the best flea shampoo for puppies is that the oatmeal makes it easy on puppies delicate skin.
Puppies often have sensitive skin compared to grown dogs and you want to make sure that what you are using to kill fleas and ticks doesn’t end up giving them further irritation.
Unfortunately, a lot of flea and tick shampoos can be pretty harsh, but this one isn’t harsh and it gets rave reviews for giving dogs relief from the welts that fleas and ticks can cause.
Customers also often comment on how soft it makes their dogs fur – which is especially important for puppies that still have baby fine fur!
This shampoo by SENTRY kills fleas and ticks on your puppy for up to 10 days.
The reason I like the longer flea kill period of a medicated shampoo like this is because it gives you a chance to also remediate fleas in your home so that you limit the chances of reinfection.
If your dog has fleas, then your house might have fleas as well and you need to be able to treat both.
The Sentry shampoo smells good with what they call a “Hawaiian Ginger Scent,” Reviews mention how good this product smells quite frequently. It’s a big selling point for customers.
And the wonderful smell is great news for dogs that can get kind of stinky!
This product also comes in a very nice large pump bottle. It’s 64 ounces (a full half gallon) and the pump is nice and big and easy to use.
When I’m washing my dog, I find the pump bottle to be particularly useful while holding a wiggly squiggly dog. It makes it way easier to dispense the product.
Because this is a BIG bottle at 64 ounces it’s also good to know that this SENTRY flea shampoo can be used on full grown dogs as well. You’ll probably have some left over!
Here’s an overview of the features I really like:
- Gentle on puppy’s delicate skin
- Kills fleas and ticks for up to 10 days
- Smells great!
- Nice quality pump mechanism
- Full half gallon of product
For me, this Sentry Flea & Tick Shampoo (paid link) with oatmeal is the best flea shampoo for puppies.
When Can You Use Flea Shampoo on Puppies?
I want to make sure that I make a note in this article that you shouldn’t use most flea shampoos on puppies until they are 12 weeks old. The chemicals in these shampoos aren’t safe for very young puppies.
The best flea shampoos for puppies under 12 weeks old tend to be shampoos that don’t have any of the chemicals in them that kill fleas, but use more natural methods.
You can combine one of these natural shampoos with a flea comb for very young puppies and that can be an effective solution – although it is more labor intensive then a medicated flea shampoo.
What is the best flea shampoo for your dog? Click here to learn more.
What Flea Shampoo is Safe for Puppies?
Once a puppy reaches 12 weeks old you can use almost any flea or tick shampoo on them safely. The shampoo bottles will be labeled with what age of dogs they will work the best for.
But even though you can use most flea and tick shampoos on puppies that are over 12 weeks old, puppies often have sensitive skin, which is why I favor formulations specifically made for sensitive skin.
How Often Can I Bathe My Puppy with Flea Shampoo?
Puppies that are over 12 weeks can be bathed with flea shampoo every week to 10 days. That’s frequent enough to kill any new flea and tick infestations.
But for some puppies bathing this often may dry their skin out. So you need to be careful.
The general rule of thumb for most puppies and dogs is to bathe them once a month. But your flea shampoo isn’t likely to last that long.
If your puppy is getting regular flea infestations then you may want to go with a longer term treatment like a flea collar or flea drops. You can also get pills from your veterinarian to help combat the fleas.
If flea infestations are happening often also be sure to treat your house and yard for fleas.
The Bottom Line on Flea Shampoo for Puppies
You can use most medicated flea shampoos on puppies that are over 12 weeks of age. But you need to be careful about skin sensitivity. That’s why the best flea shampoo for puppies will have ingredients like oatmeal or aloe to soothe the skin and reduce harshness.
You also want to be careful about bathing your puppy too often as it can lead to skin dryness.
My pick for the best flea shampoo for puppies is Sentry Oatmeal Flea and Tick Shampoo for Dogs. (paid link) because it’s good at protecting sensitive puppy skin, it smells great, and it has a nice pump bottle that makes bathing dogs easier.
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