Is your dog's coat dry and matted/knotted? There are many ways to solve this problem, including using natural ingredients. Dogs that lack certain nutrients and vitamins will more likely have skin issues and even skin allergies. They can also experience hair loss and also a dull coat. Here are some ways to improve the condition of your dog's coat and skin:
- Using a conditioner - there are many dog shampoos on the market that also include a conditioner that de-matts and makes the dog's coat silky and soft. There are also products that can be applied by spraying them on the dog's coat after a bath to make the coat shiny and soft. Note: Bathing your dog too many times can damage the coat making it dull and dry since the shampoo can wash off the natural skin/hair oils.
- Carefully picking your dog's food - dogs that are known to have skin or coat problems should be fed with a different diet, especially one that contains fish as the main ingredient. Some dogs may even be allergic to certain kibble brands, so you need to experiment with the food until you find what works for your dog and his skin and coat.
- Adding fish oil to your dog's diet - fish oils from salmon, sardines, and anchovies are great for your dog's coat. You can add some fish oil to your dog's food that is either sold in a bottle or in capsules that can be opened and put the oil on his food.
- Raw eggs - raw eggs can help make the coat shiny and soft but should not be given often - maybe twice a week. The best thing would be if you can just give the yolk part and remove the egg white since too many raw egg whites by themselves can cause your dog to suffer from a biotin deficiency. Salmonella is another concern of raw eggs, but the probability that an egg is contaminated with Salmonella is 0.000033% (basically 1 in 30,000 eggs).
- Olive oil - a great way to rehydrate your dog's coat and protect his skin is to use olive oil. Wet your dog's hair and then rub it with olive oil. Let it sit for about 20-30 minutes, and then give your dog his usual bath to remove any excess oil that was not absorbed by the hair and skin. This method also works for human hair!
