10 Best Detanglers for Shih Tzus in 2023: Reviews & Top Picks

Parenting a Shih Tzu is a lot of fun, but if you like yours to wear their coat nice and long, you may find maintenance a bit of a challenge. Though Shih Tzus aren’t big shedders, their long coats are prone to knots and tangles if they aren’t brushed through on a regular basis.

If brushing your Shih Tzu’s coat is causing both you and your Shih Tzu strife, a good detangling spray might be just what you need. Detangling sprays are a great supplement to your regular brushing routine as they make it easier to work through any knots or tangles and add a touch of shine.

If you’re ready to give detangling sprays a go, check out the reviews below to find out more about bestselling products and what customers have to say about them.

A Quick Look at Our Favorites in 2023

	Image	Product	Details
Best Overall		Chi Detangling Finishing Spray	Chi Detangling Finishing Spray No need to rinse Glowing reviews	Check Price
Best Value		Burt’s Bees Detangling Dog Spray	No harsh chemicals Suitable for both adults and puppies Doesn’t affect flea or tick treatments	Check Price
Premium Choice		Top Performance GloCoat Conditioner & Detangler	Fresh scent Adds shine Non-toxic and hypoallergenic	Check Price
Best for Puppies		Skout’s Honor Honeysuckle Probiotic Detangler	Free of harsh chemicals Pleasant honeysuckle scent Promotes healthy bacteria on the skin	Check Price
		TropiClean Tangle Remover Spray	Large bottle Reasonably priced for the size Suitable for both cats and dogs	Check Price

The 10 Best Detanglers for Shih Tzus

1. Chi Detangling Finishing Spray – Best Overall

Our choice for the best overall detangler for Shih Tzus is the Chi detangling finishing spray. This product is paraben and sulfate-free, cruelty-free, contains hydrolyzed silk, soy, and oat proteins, and is suitable for all dogs over 8 weeks old.

In addition to detangling, it also targets mats to make them easier to work out with the goal of making your dog’s coat smoother and more manageable. It has a light floral scent and there is no need to rinse after use.

A popular product, the Chi detangling spray has received several glowing reviews referencing how it’s light on the coat rather than oily, smells great, and simply gets the job done. On the other hand, the spray feature has been described as inconsistent, and some found the smell too strong.

2. Burt’s Bees Lemon & Linseed Detangling Dog Spray – Best Value

We consider Burt’s Bees lemon and linseed detangling spray to be the best detangler for Shih Tzus for the money thanks to its reasonable price tag and largely positive customer reviews. It’s cruelty-free, PH balanced to be gentle on the skin, and contains lemon and linseed oil and no harsh chemicals or fragrances. You can also use it in conjunction with flea and tick treatments, as it won’t wash these off.

According to user reviews, this spray is gentle on dogs’ skin and coats and does a great job helping you brush out tangles while helping you calm static in those fuzzy areas. In terms of cons, some have found the spray bottle frustrating to use. If you prefer more obvious scents, you might also want to go for another product.

3. Top Performance GloCoat Conditioner & Detangler – Premium Choice

The Top Performance GloCoat conditioner and detangler can be applied to a wet coat during bathing or used as a spray-on detangler for brushing. It’s formulated to repel dust, dirt, and urine and is non-toxic and hypoallergenic. It’s cruelty-free, has a fresh, light scent, and is suitable for all adult dog coats.

Positive reviews have praised how well this spray works for dogs with undercoats, how nice it smells, and how it adds shine to longer-haired dogs’ coats. On the other hand, some have mentioned that the bottle is leaky, which results in wasted product.

4. Skout’s Honor Honeysuckle Probiotic Detangler – Best for Puppies

The Skout’s Honor honeysuckle probiotic detangler is formulated with probiotics to maintain the skin’s natural bacterial balance, supporting the healthy bacteria that help protect the skin while keeping unhealthy bacteria at bay.

It leaves the coat softer, and more manageable, and is cruelty-free and completely free of any parabens, sulfates, added dyes, DEA, and other “nasties”, making it a gentle choice for all dogs over 8 weeks. Better yet, buying a bottle of this spray means one day’s worth of food is donated to a rescue animal.

According to user reviews, it’s great for sprucing up the coat between grooming sessions, has a pleasant scent, has a good consistency, and softens the coat. On the downside, it’s quite pricey for an 8 fl. oz. bottle, but the quality seems to be pretty high.

5. TropiClean Tangle Remover Spray

TropiClean’s tangle remover spray is a cruelty-free, alcohol-free, no-rinse, sweet pea-scented formula for dogs and cats older than 12 weeks. This makes it an option worth considering if you’re also a cat parent and don’t want to have to splash out on extra products. In addition to detangling, it targets loose hairs in the topcoat and undercoat, so it might also be perfect for double-coated dogs.

Those who rated this spray “excellent” have commented on its mat and tangle-removing power and how well it works for both cats and dogs. Some customers, however, have mentioned that the scent was too overpowering.

6. TrueBlue Easy Comb Detangling Spray

Vet-formulated TrueBlue Easy Comb detangling spray is an all-natural, cruelty-free, and tear-free formula made with lavender, aloe, olive extracts, and Pro-Vitamin B. It does not contain parabens, alcohol, or phosphates, and is lavender and aloe-scented. It was developed with vets and botanical experts, which is always reassuring!

Positive reviews mention how effectively the product works on knots and tangles and makes them easier to comb out without pulling. On the other hand, some have said that it doesn’t effectively tackle mats, so you might want to consider another option if your dog tends to get matted often.

7. John Paul Pet Lavender Mint Dog & Cat Detangling Spray

Another great cruelty-free choice for cat and dog parents, the John Paul Pet Lavender mint detangling spray is made with oat protein, sweet protein oil, aloe vera, and panthenol to strengthen the coat while hydrating and detangling. It also contains lavender, spearmint, and chamomile extracts. It’s a mild, gentle option, but it’s not made clear whether or not it would be suitable for puppies.

Happy customers consider this product to be effective at detangling and say that it works well on mats, too. It seems to be a good choice for long-haired cats and dogs. Users are divided on the fragrance, however. While some are satisfied with the scent and describe it as light and fresh, others say it’s too strong.

8. Best Shot Scentament Spa Exotic Island Deodorize & Detangle Spray

If your pooch is smelling a bit whiffy of late, now is a good time to think about acquiring a cruelty-free spray that both detangles and deodorizes, like the Scentament Spa Botanical Body Splash Exotic Island deodorizer. It’s a leave-in conditioner with a tropical papaya scent, and contains soothing ingredients like chamomile, rose hips, sage, and ginseng. It contains no alcohol.

Though there aren’t a great number of reviews for this product, those that we found were overwhelmingly positive and point to a product that’s effective, smells pleasant, and leaves the coat silky and shiny. On the downside, it has been mentioned that scent doesn’t last long, but this is a pretty minor gripe.

9. BarkLogic Calming Conditioner Lavender Spray

BarkLogic’s lavender-scented leave-in conditioning spray is vegan and cruelty-free and contains lavender essential oils for an aromatherapeutic effect. This may make it worth trying for nervous dogs that flee the room every time the brush comes out, though there’s no guarantee this product will be able to calm them down. It doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals and is safe for puppies as well as adult dogs.

Features that have proven popular with customers are the lavender scent and how soft this product makes the coat. On the flip side, it has been mentioned that the scent doesn’t seem to last very long.

10. Chi Small Dog Detangling Kit

If you’re looking for the whole package or need a gift idea for a dog parent friend, this cute little detangling kit contains a Chi detangling spray, a slicker brush to tackle loose hairs and knots, and a double-sided brush for going over the topcoat. We also think this might be a good choice if you want to try out a Chi detangling spray but would like something extra that you can use again and again.

User reviews are mostly positive, with most of the praise being for the compact kit size, smooth and effective brushes, and the brushes’ suitability for small dogs. On the other hand, they’re not the best for larger dogs, and the bottle is very small.

Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Detanglers for Shih Tzus

You’d think picking a detangling spray for your Shih Tzu would be easy, but there are always certain factors to consider before you buy.

Of course, the most important thing is to only choose detangling sprays that are pet-safe. It’s never a good idea to use human detanglers on dogs because the pH level of our skin is not the same as that of a dog, so using your own detangler could lead to skin irritation. It’s also best to go for products that are cruelty-free, like all of those featured in the above reviews.

Another thing to think about is whether or not you want something dual-purpose. For example, if your Shih Tzu is starting to smell worse than just the standard doggy smell, you might want to think about giving some detangling-deodorizing combos the once over.

Another example is if you plan to use the product on cats as well. Products made for dogs are not formulated for cats unless explicitly stated. Luckily, there are plenty of sprays out there that are suitable and safe for both dogs and cats.

Then, there’s the issue of scent. Not everyone is picky about this, but some scents can be quite strong, so if you’re sensitive to that, be sure to go for something that won’t gross you out while you’re pampering your pooch.

Conclusion

Our reviews have covered several bestselling detanglers, so here’s a quick review of our three favorites. For the best overall detangler, we chose the Chi detangling finishing spray, which received a haul of positive reviews for its detangling, de-knotting, and de-matting power.

For the best value, we’ve selected Burt’s Bees’ lemon and linseed detangling spray, which comes in at a great price and is pH-balanced to be gentle on the skin. Our premium pick is the Top Performance GloCoat conditioner and detangler, which is also formulated to keep dirt, debris, and urine at bay.

We hope you’ve found our reviews useful and are now ready to give your Shih Tzu the ultimate spa treatment!

Featured Image Credit: Africa Studio, Shutterstock

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