September 06, 2022
Written By: VetriScience
Hair-care routines aren't just for humans anymore!
Keep your dog looking and feeling their best from nose to tail by keeping their coat healthy, nourished, and well-groomed.
Want to learn how to improve your dog's coat at home? Here are 3 easy tips we recommend:
1. Brush often (and appropriately) for a healthy coat
Whether your dog’s coat is coarse, silky, or curly, grooming is important!
Not only can grooming be a rewarding bonding experience for you and your dog, regular brushing and combing helps distribute the natural oils on the skin throughout the fur and encourages growth.
Routine brushing and bathing also offers a great chance to check your dog for anything out of the ordinary: hot spots,
Build a coat-appropriate grooming kit
If you don't know where to start with breed- and coat-appropriate grooming, start to build your kit with a soft-bristle brush, a steel comb, and a pin or slicker brush. You may find that your dog prefers one of these over others, but these are a great way to help tease out tangles, distribute healthy oils, and keep their coat looking and feeling greatl
If your dog has a thick undercoat, invest in a good de-shedding tool or undercoat rake. The longer and thicker the coat, the more often they should receive a good brushing.
Commit to a consistent grooming routine
Some non-shedding breeds, like poodles and doodles, need to be brushed multiple times per week to help keep their hair from matting and clumping.
Giving them a thorough brushing once or twice a week, with shorter maintenance sessions in-between is one way to keep their coat looking great and in its best condition!
If your dog is nervous about grooming or struggles to relax, try giving them Calm & Confident about 30 minutes before you start to brush.
2. Feed nutritious foods and treats
Good food can go a long way! When shopping for treats, chews, and snacks for your dog, be sure to look for products with natural, healthy ingredients.
A dog’s skin is nourished by what they eat, so it’s important to know what their food and treats are made of.
Balanced, vet-recommended dog foods
Your vet will be able to recommend a nutritious, balanced diet for your dog, but many trusted dog food brands offer formulas specifically designed to support a strong, healthy coat.
Dog food with nutritious ingredients like fish oil, Omega-3 essential fatty acids, vitamins, and zinc—and without excess fillers and artificial colors and flavors—will help to keep their coat healthy and shining.
If you feed a homemade or prescription diet and are concerned about nutritional imbalances, consider adding a multivitamin for dogs to add a nutritious boost to their diet.
3. Use supplements for a healthy coat for dogs
Every year, thousands of dog owners bring their dog to the vet for concerns about skin health. Skin & coat supplements can be given daily to help support skin health and promote a full, shiny coat. Small, bite-sized chews are packed with quality ingredients to support normal shedding and coat’s natural sheen and luster.
Healthy Skin & Coat supports the health of both the skin and the fur and helps to reduce excessive shedding with quality ingredients including salmon oil, Vitamin E, and flaxseed meal. These tasty chews can help maintain the luster and sheen of your dog’s coat while supporting skin elasticity and resilience.
Extra Strength Healthy Skin & Coat is an advanced skin support formula, with added ingredients like zinc and biotin and higher active levels of Omegas 3, 6, and 9.
You can also add a probiotic supplement to your dog's routine to help support their gut health. So much of body health starts in the gut, and a balanced, strong GI system can help brighten up a dull, dry coat.
Topics: dogs, General Animal Health, Just for Fun
