A dog bath runs on the dog's clock rather than yours. The time you have starts the moment the paws go in the water and ends the moment they decide they have had enough, so the useful question about a shampoo is how many steps it saves, not what the fragrance is called.

This one is sold as a 4 in 1: it cleans, conditions, moisturises and leaves a scent, which is the second bottle most people never quite get round to buying. It is pH balanced for dogs, rich lathering, vegan, made in the UK with water from the Lake District, and suitable for all coat types. Lavender and chamomile essential oils carry the scent. It can also be diluted at a ratio of 10:1, which is how a groomer would get through a bottle rather than how most owners use it.

• Cleans, conditions, moisturises and scents in one wash
• pH balanced and suitable for all coat types
• Lavender and chamomile essential oils
• Cleared for puppies over 8 weeks of age
• Can be diluted at a ratio of 10:1
• Vegan, made in the UK

On the calming claim. Bugalugs say the lavender and chamomile soothe irritated skin and calm anxious dogs. That is a scent, not a sedative, and a dog who hates being washed will hate this wash too. There is also no ingredient list published to us beyond those two oils, which matters if your dog has reacted to a scented product before, because essential oils are the usual suspect and your vet is the person to ask about it.

Who it's for: owners who want one bottle to do the whole bath, anyone washing a young puppy, and anyone whose dog comes out of a wash with a coat that feels dry and looks flat.