Your dog’s coat is very important to its overall health. Relate it to your hair—when you are healthy and happy your hair is glowing and shiny! So how do we try to keep his or her coat shiny and healthy? Read the tips below for inspiration and always consult your veterinarian before making drastic changes to your furry friends routine:
1. What is your dog eating?
Dogs need protein and making sure that they have the right quality of food is important. Low-quality commercial dog foods or homemade diets that aren’t properly balanced may not be getting the proper nutrients they need for a healthy and shiny coat. Low-fat diets may also cause an omega-6 deficit that in turn results in coarse, dry hair. Check the label of your dog food to see which ingredients and how much omega-6 is included. Grain- free is probably the way to go—our dogs are meant to eat meat so make sure you know what is going into your pooch.
2. Keep it fresh—the dog food that is!
To ensure that they are getting the correct nutrients you need to ensure that the food is fresh; fatty acids that are often included in complete and balanced kibble and are prone to oxidation when exposed to air.
3. Add Omega-3 fatty acids to your pup’s meals.
From salmon oil to flaxseed oil; oil supplements can help support a healthy skin and coat. Just make sure you know the right amount- typically over ingesting this stuff can cause some tummy upset.
4. It’ss bath time!
Based on your dog’s breed and outside routine, he or she may need more or fewer baths. Whatever the case, make sure it is a routine—skipping out on bath time could cause itching, scratching and affect your pup’s coat.
5. Choose the correct shampoo.
An important part of bath time is picking the right products that won’t affect your dog’s coat. If your dog has dry skin, use products with aloe vera or oatmeal in them. Shampoos with blueberry in them are also good for your dog’s skin and smell wonderful.
6. Brush brush brush!
This is often taken for granted by owners, since do’s naturally shed., but brushing your dog’s coat can really help the, shed appropriately and bring back the new soft hairs, making it nicer for your hands to touch! Additionally, it helps them maintain their temperatures in cold or hot weather!
7.More Supplements.
Coconut oil has wonderful benefits for puppies too! Incorporating this into their bath time can help improve skin and coat health, too.
8. Oatmeal baths.
Itchy mutt? Try oatmeal it soothes and moisturizes skin and can be especially helpful for dogs with allergies. There are plenty DIY routines so just google one or try this one that we scoped out for you:
9. Talk to your vet.
If itching persists—it’s important to check for flea and have a conversation with your vet, it could be allergies! Make sure you tell your vet your routine and your dog’s habits, he or she will recommend the best care for your pup.