On any given day, your dog would happily smell like stale Fritos, and your cat would prefer you never come near them with water again. But every pet eventually needs a spruce, and the usual way to shop for grooming gear, scrolling a flat list of “best” everything, doesn’t help you much when you’re standing in a specific mess. So we flipped the format. Instead of an award-category parade, we grouped our tested favorites around the actual problem you’re trying to solve. Find your situation below, and skip the rest.
A note on how we chose: our editors and their own pets used these, and where a product had a working Amazon listing we linked it so you can compare specs and current prices yourself. Prices and stock move, so treat any figure as a ballpark.
If your pet hates the bath
This is the most common grooming problem, and there are two ways around it: make the bath less awful, or skip the water entirely.
For a cat (or a truly water-averse dog): Vet’s Best Waterless Bath. A no-rinse foam that conditions with aloe vera and vitamin E and freshens between real washes. This is the single most useful product for cat owners, since a wet cat is a losing battle for everyone. Comes in dog and cat versions. Check it on Amazon. Best for: cats, senior dogs, and anyone whose pet panics at the tub. Not a substitute for a real bath on a genuinely filthy dog.
For an anxious bather: Aquapaw shower attachment. It lets you wash and rinse with one hand while the other steadies (or treats) your dog, which cuts bath time and stress. Two pressure settings suit large, small, sensitive, and extra-muddy dogs, and it fits a shower spigot or a garden hose. Check it on Amazon. The single-hand control is the reason it earns its spot over a plain cup-and-pour.
For the dry-off: Pride and Groom drying towel. Many dogs fear the blow dryer more than the bath, so a fast, super-absorbent microfiber towel with hand pockets does the job without the noise. Check it on Amazon. Best for: noise-sensitive dogs. The hand pockets are what make it faster than a regular towel.
For a between-baths quick fix: Merci Collective refresher spray. A hypoallergenic, vet-approved body mist (Japanese cherry blossom scent) mild enough for a pet’s sensitive nose. It’s a stopgap, not a cleaner, ideal for freshening a dog between real washes.
If your pet has sensitive or itchy skin
Skin is where a wrong shampoo does real harm, so match the formula to the animal.
For puppies: Skout’s Honor Happy Puppy Shampoo + Conditioner. Gentle enough for sensitive puppy skin, from a California brand whose probiotic line uses a live kefir culture shown to help ease and prevent common skin problems in dogs and cats. Check it on Amazon. Best for: young or sensitive-skinned dogs. The probiotic angle is what sets it apart from a basic tearless puppy wash.
When you groom a puppy at home, get every supply within reach before the bath starts, so you’re not juggling while your dog is wet and acting like a loon. — Leila Torres, Pet Times grooming contributor
For dry paws and noses: Nonipup Boop Butter. A balm for paws and nose that removes crust and relieves dryness, useful for dogs logging hard miles on hot pavement or rugged trails.
Paw balms really matter for dogs covering a lot of territory, summer hikes, rough terrain, or heavy city pavement walking, because they keep thick pads from drying out or callusing. — Dr. Ravi Mehta, Pet Times veterinary advisor
For a calming wash: Nonipup Lavender Shampoo. Formulated with olive, jojoba, and coconut oils; the lavender is soothing and the brand’s lemongrass version adds outdoor-pest protection. Founder Leslie Mosier (of Doug the Pug) built the line after natural formulas improved her own dog’s skin, brand backstory worth knowing if ingredient sourcing matters to you.
If your pet sheds all over everything
Shedding is a two-front war: reduce it at the source, and remove what’s already loose.
At the source: South Bark’s Blue Shed shampoo. Uses anti-inflammatory actives like Manuka honey and argan oil to release the undercoat and curb shedding during the wash. Check it on Amazon. Per the American Kennel Club, long- and curly-coated breeds generally need bathing every four to six weeks with brushing in between; this pairs well with that rhythm.
For undercoat removal: FURminator deshedding tool. More than 30,000 five-star Amazon ratings for a reason. It reaches and ejects loose undercoat that ordinary brushing leaves behind, and there’s a cat version for heavy-shedding felines. Check it on Amazon. One reviewer with a heavy-shedding Great Dane: “normal brushing and bathing does not remove the hair adequately. This tool DOES work.” Use a light hand; over-raking can irritate skin.
For everyday tangles: Tiiiinyyy K Pro Slicker brush. Small, versatile soft-pin slicker that works across medium, long, and curly coats and is compact enough for a cat. Great for armpits, paws, and tight spots larger brushes miss. Our grooming contributor’s daily-driver pick.
For a fast wipe-down: Natural Rapport grooming wipes. Coconut water, aloe, and eucalyptus; hypoallergenic and free of parabens, sulfates, and alcohol. They cut dander and loose fluff on both dogs and cats between baths.
When in doubt, wash ‘em, even if that just means a wipe-down. If your dog is stinky or looks dirty, clean them up. — Leila Torres, Pet Times grooming contributor
If you’re finally tackling dental care
Periodontal disease is the most common disease in dogs, affecting a majority of dogs over age three, so this section matters more than owners think. Match the tool to how much your pet will tolerate.
For a cooperative pet: Vet’s Best Enzymatic toothpaste. Vet-formulated, freshens breath and reduces tartar and plaque with aloe, neem oil, grapefruit seed extract, baking soda, and enzymes. Check it on Amazon. Enzymatic is the key word; it keeps working chemically even where the brush misses.
The short answer to whether you need to brush your dog’s teeth is: only the ones you want to keep. Brush a few times a week, and always use an enzymatic toothpaste. — Dr. Priya Nair, Pet Times veterinary advisor
For a brush-refuser: Ark Naturals Breath Bursts. Textured dental chews with a cinnamon flavor that scrub grime while the dog chews, ideal for fearful rescues who won’t accept a toothbrush. Check it on Amazon. A chew won’t fully replace brushing, but for a dog who refuses one, it’s far better than nothing.
For a no-brush routine: Oxyfresh dental kit. A human-grade, flavor- and scent-free water additive and kit, vet-backed with hundreds of five-star reviews, so picky pups may not even notice it in the bowl. Check it on Amazon. Works for cats too, which are very prone to gingivitis and periodontitis.
If nail trims are the battle
For clippers: Gonicc clippers. Include a nail file and a safety guard to help prevent cutting into the quick, the pink, blood-filled cavity in the nail. Start young if you can, and with chronically overgrown nails trim small amounts often, because long nails grow long quicks.
For a lower-stress alternative: Dremel 7350 nail grinder. Grinders file the nail down instead of cutting, which reduces the odds of nicking the quick. The trade-off is noise and vibration, so introduce it slowly. Check it on Amazon.
The first few times you do your cat’s nails, you may only get a few before they’ve had enough, and that’s fine. Try a few more the next day. The same patience works for dogs. — Dr. Mara Chen, Pet Times veterinary advisor
If the litter box is the real problem
Cats are experts at hiding illness, and litter setup is where you can catch trouble early and control odor.
For an inviting box: Modkat XL Litter Box. Two entrances and a three-position lid (closed, half, open) that adapts to a cat’s preference; a certified climate-neutral company. Check it on Amazon. Easy access is not a nicety; a box that’s awkward to enter is a box cats start avoiding.
It’s very important for cats to have a box with an easy-to-access entrance. Think like a cat, if getting in feels awkward, they’ll start avoiding it. — Dr. Mara Chen, Pet Times veterinary advisor
For early health warnings: PrettyLitter. Color-changing silica crystals flag potential problems like UTIs; also low-dust, lightweight, and low-scoop. A monitoring tool as much as a litter.
For odor: Rocco & Roxie Litter Box Odor Eliminator. Corncob-granule, 100 percent plant-based deodorizer from a family-founded brand, safer than masking with perfumed litter (which cats reject anyway). Check it on Amazon.
If your cat is shredding the furniture
For big stretchers: Classic Sisal Scratching Post. Sturdy and 32 inches tall, enough for a large cat to fully stretch while it scratches. Check it on Amazon. A reviewer with a 15-pound cat: “very stable and doesn’t tip, wiggle, or rock at all.” Height and stability are the whole game; a short, wobbly post gets ignored.
For a design-conscious home: District 70 Sardine scratcher. Eco-friendly corrugated cardboard that doubles as a lounge, in a subtle style that fits a decorated room.
If cats get their claws stuck in a material it can turn them off that texture, and a caught claw can damage the nail. Bark and cardboard tend to be textures cats like. — Dr. Mara Chen, Pet Times veterinary advisor
If you want one kit that does it all
Pupwell Ultimate Grooming Kit. Fourteen coordinated tools (ears, dematting, nails, even a distraction licky mat) built with the beginner learning curve in mind, with specialty shears to graduate into. The catch is the roughly $450 price. Worth it only if you’re committed to full at-home grooming; for occasional touch-ups, the single tools above cost far less.
Eyes and ears, the easy-to-forget basics
For tear stains: Natural Rapport eye wipes. Human-grade, plant-based wipes safe around the eyes, nose, and mouth that lift buildup and tear staining. A little gray morning eye booger is normal, but green or yellow discharge means see your vet.
For monthly ear care: Skout’s Honor Probiotic Ear Cleaner. Non-medicated, uses aloe and probiotics to restore microbial balance and soothe waxy, irritated ears in dogs and cats. Check it on Amazon.
There’s no way to fully prevent an ear infection, but cleaning about once a month with an antibacterial or antifungal solution helps stave off mites, yeast, and bacteria. — Dr. Mara Chen, Pet Times veterinary advisor
Our editors and their pets picked these products. They were in stock when we published, but something can always sell out. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission.
