5 Easy Tips to Creating a Shiny Coat for Dogs
Brittleness and coarseness in your pup’s coat that doesn’t go away can be frustrating.
Despite your tireless efforts to take good care of your canine companion, a dull coat gives the impression of an unhealthy, tired, and possibly unhappy dog.
The good news is that turning around the poor condition of your dog’s coat and skin is easy.
You need a holistic approach.
This means influencing the appearance of your dog’s coat from the inside through health and nutrition, and the outside through a proper coat care routine.
There are five changes you can make to your daily pet care routine to make and keep your dog’s coat appearance enviable.
Provide Your Dog With the Right Diet
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The journey towards a silky smooth, lustrous dog coat begins with proper nutrition. It creates the right foundation for growing hair, creating a glossy coat.
You want to give your pooch a properly balanced diet containing high-quality and digestible nutrients.
There are three essential nutrients for healthy coats in dogs.
Protein
The hair structure of dogs is about 95% protein. Any protein deficiency in their diet will be manifested as dry and brittle hair, patches of hair loss, and hair depigmentation. The skin also becomes thin and less capable of healing wounds.
Ensure that the first ingredient in your pet food is an animal-based protein, which contains all the necessary amino acids.
Omega Fatty Acids
Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids are essential for a shiny coat.
They have anti-inflammatory properties and will prevent dry skin and irritation, hair loss, and other skin problems. Omega fatty acids help your dog create the natural oils necessary to restore their coat’s glow.
Dog food with omega 6 fatty acids will contain vegetable oils like sunflower oil and safflower oil. Omega 3 fatty acids are in things like fish, fish oil, and flaxseed oil.
Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamins and minerals are also essential to adding shine to your dog’s coat. They
- Help with skin repair and repairing damaged hair follicles
- Stimulate hair growth
- Prevent oxidative damage
- Aid in metabolizing fat and protein
Go for dog food rich in vitamin A, E, C, and B. For minerals, you want to check for Copper and Zinc.
Ensure that the food you purchase contains all the nutrients your pup needs by checking for the phrase “complete and balanced” on the packaging label. This statement assures pet owners that the food has met AAFCO’s nutritional recommendations.
Add a Boost of Nutrients
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If the diet provides nutrients in inadequate proportions, you are likely to still have a dull and dry coat problem.
You can boost your dog’s intake of the right nutrients using natural and organic supplements made from high-quality ingredients. They can take the form of tasty chews and treats most dogs love, or oil and powder you can add to the dog food.
Our natural skin and coat supplements aren’t formulated to only support soft and shiny fur, but they will improve your dog’s overall health as well.
Omega 6 and 3 supplements like our Paws & Pals Salmon Oil Chews and Pet Parents Omega 3 for Dogs Supplement will promote healthy and gleaming fur in your pup while boosting their immunity.
Another often-overlooked supplement is black seed oil. It is pressed from black cumin seeds and is a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.
Adding Nutrani 100% Pure Black Seed Oil to your dog’s diet will also redeem a dull coat and tired skin, while also promoting gut health.
Coconut oil is another great addition that:
- Promotes shiny and beautiful skin and coats
- Relieves itchy skin
- Eliminates fleas and ticks
Go for certified organic coconut oil like our Wholistic Coconut Oil™.
You can check with a vet on the best supplements to add to your dog’s diet based on their age and health.
Practice Proper Grooming
Whether your dog is a low or high shedder, or has short or long hair, regular brushing results in the head-turning coat you crave for your dog.
Brushing your dog every few days will:
- Stimulate the blood circulation on the skin, promoting adequate oxygen supply
- Get rid of dead hair and skin
- Stimulate the skin and hair follicles, increasing the production of natural skin oils and distributing them along the hair shafts
- Help you check for parasites such as ticks and fleas that can affect the dog’s fur and overall health
Be sure to use a dog brush or comb that is high-quality and designed for your dog’s fur type.
Brushing in the direction of your dog’s hair distributes natural oils through the fur and removes dead skin cells.
Applying too much pressure will hurt your dog’s skin. Instead, brush using firm strokes to remove dead hair without causing more damage.
For dogs that play in the woods or grass, it’s best to brush their hair after their little adventure. Check for burr and twigs that could potentially cause injury and irritation on the skin.
You could also give your dog The Nutrani Anti Tick Snack, a parasite repellent that will prevent ticks and other parasites from damaging your dog’s fur.
Get Bath Time Right
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Most dogs don’t like baths but it is one of the best ways dog owners can promote a silky smooth coat.
On the other hand, you could be tempted to bathe the dog too frequently in a bid to make the coat shiny. But this only makes it dull and dry by stripping away the skin’s natural oils.
Bathe your dog once a month, and any other time they get their fur dirty or develop a doggy odor.
What Is the Right Way to Bathe Your Lovely Pooch?
It‘s important to ensure that the room is warm. Bathing in a cold environment can cause the dog’s temperature to drop.
Replace the blow dryer with a dry towel. The blow dryer can terrify the dog and make them dislike bath time more. It could also cause them to overheat.
Use a moisturizing shampoo formulated for dogs, particularly your dog’s skin and coat. It should be natural, unscented, and hypoallergenic. Human shampoo will be too harsh on their skin because a dog’s skin has a different thickness and acidity (pH) from humans.
For better results, use a natural conditioner afterward that contains vitamin E and coconut oil to restore moisture on the skin and minimize dandruff.
If the need for bath time occurs too frequently, such as dogs that like to have a good time rolling in dirt, it’s best to get your vet to recommend a shampoo that will prevent any skin problems resulting from the repeated baths.
Always rinse the dog thoroughly. Shampoo residue on the fur could cause skin irritation.
If your fluffy friend’s skin is itchy or extremely dull, treat them to an oatmeal bath to soothe the skin and replenish lost nutrients. It will give their coat a natural glow.
Here is a simple oatmeal bath guide:
- Grind some oatmeal in a blender or food processor and add to warm bathwater. If you’ve added enough oatmeal, the water will turn cloudy.
- Put your dog in the oatmeal water and massage it on their fur for about ten minutes.
- Rinse them off thoroughly and towel-dry for a soft coat.
Give Your Dog Proper Veterinarian Care
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Sometimes, stress and underlying health problems could be the cause of your dog’s dull coat.
Some common health problems that affect the shine and texture of a dog’s coat include:
- Hormonal imbalances such as hypothyroidism cause dry, dull, and sparse fur. The dog will also be prone to skin infections and have a reduced ability to heal wounds.
- Internal parasites that steal the nutrients your dog needs for a healthy coat and external parasites make your dog scratch and bite their skin, causing damage.
- Skin diseases like atopic dermatitis make your pup scratch excessively, and Seborrhea causes white flakes.
A visit to the vet will help pin down and control any underlying illness causing your dog coat problems. They can also provide a personalized care routine to keep your dog’s coat gorgeous.
Ready to Make Your Dog’s Coat Shiny?
Most dog foods help your dog develop normally. But the nutrients they provide aren’t always adequate in providing the high level of health needed to promote a stunning coat.
To be on the safe side, replace unhealthy treats with tasty nutrient-filled skin and coat supplements.
If you want to go for complete nutritional support, our NaturVet All-In-One Dog Supplement is veterinarian formulated and contains all essential vitamins and minerals.
Keep your dog’s coat shiny with proper grooming sessions and adequate health care and their shiny and healthy coat is sure to be the talk of the neighborhood.
Featured Image: Unsplash by Abbie Love
