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Everything You Need to Know About Healthy Dog Skin and Coat
Everything You Need to Know About Healthy Dog Skin and Coat

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Everything You Need to Know About Healthy Dog Skin and Coat

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Some of the best indicators of your dog's health are its skin and coat conditions. A healthy dog coat should be shiny and smooth, not rough or brittle. When it comes to healthy skin, your dog's skin should be soft and smooth, not greasy or flaky. Good nutrition is one of the main factors in maintaining your dog’s health in terms of a luscious coat and soft skin. Apart from that, your dog’s coat and skin can also be taken care of through regular grooming and skincare routines that will help keep its hair free of tangles and its skin free of any irritation.

 

If you think that achieving healthy skin and healthy coat in dogs is difficult, it’s time for you to learn more about dog health and grooming. Let’s explore more about how you can achieve a healthy dog coat and skin for your floof. 

 

How do nutrients help my dog’s skin and coat health?

The first thing that any pet parent thinks of when it comes to maintaining their dog’s skin and coat health is grooming. While grooming plays a significant role in making sure that your dog has a shiny coat and soft skin, health plays a bigger part in ensuring your floof’s appearance.

 

If you have been grooming your dog well and are still wondering why its coat and skin are not appearing the way they should, chances are that there is an internal issue. A shiny coat and supple skin on the outside start with a healthy dog on the inside. If your dog has flaky, bumpy, dull, or dry skin/coat, it could be an indicator that something is wrong. The first thing you need to do is book an appointment with your vet and cross out any underlying issues.

 

The skin is the largest organ of any animal's body. For dogs, most of their skin is covered with hair that sheds regularly or is constantly growing, in non-shedding breeds. Just like how we require a balanced diet full of high-quality digest table food types to keep our skin and hair in a healthy state, dogs also need to maintain their diet and make sure that their body is receiving the right amount of calories each day to maintain energy levels. If a dog is not eating well or is eating poor-quality food, its body will take longer to eliminate the waste products and cause the kidneys and liver to work twice as hard.

 

That being said, good nutrition is key to a healthy dog coat and skin. A dog that meets its dietary needs every day will boast soft, supple skin, and luscious, glowing hair. 

 

Tips to help maintain healthy dog skin and coat

Many pet parents struggle with maintaining their dog's skin and find it to be one of the most difficult tasks. In reality, achieving goals as such is fairly easy, provided you feed your dog the right nutrients and make sure that its diet meets its bodily requirements. Here are a few things you can do to maintain a healthy dog coat and skin: 

  • Balanced diet

Your dog needs to maintain a complete and balanced diet to achieve healthy skin and a glossy coat. Proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins need to be fed to your dog in balanced ratios. It is very important for dogs to meet their daily calorie intake so that they have enough energy to facilitate new hair growth and skin cell turnover. If your dog's diet is not easily digestible or contains poor-quality ingredients, it may not be able to create enough energy through its diet. Make sure that everything you feed your dog contains high-quality ingredients and does not pose a risk to your dog's health.

  • Supplements

There are so many supplements available in the market today. While you may get confused between jars and bags of supplements promoted for healthy coat growth in dogs, the majority of these products contain a source of omega-3 fatty acids combined with a range of other ingredients. Omega-3 fatty acids have scientifically proven to be one of the most beneficial supplements that you can give your dog for a glossy coat and smooth skin. Omega-3 fatty acids are not just effective anti-inflammatory agents but are also capable of bulking up your dog’s skin’s natural fatty acid barrier to add that extra shine. 

  • Bath time routine

Bathing your dog is extremely important as it will remove any dust, debris, dirt, and odour from its skin and coat. If there are any allergens on your dog's skin, a good bath is the solution to this irritating problem. Generally, dogs should be bathed every 2 to 4 weeks depending on their breed's needs. If your vet has advised a different routine, make sure you follow that. It is best not to bathe your dog too much because that can result in flaky skin and can dry out your dog's coat. If your dog has any allergies or does not react well to a dog shampoo or soap, consult your vet and find the right products for your floof.

  • Allergies and parasite prevention

Dogs that suffer from allergies experience inflammation in their skin that can cause redness and itchiness. This makes them itch and scratch which ruptures their skin barrier, allowing other infections to enter your floof’s body. Unfortunately, allergies cannot be cured and can only be treated. For this reason, it’s important to know how to manage your dog's allergies by consulting a wet.

 

Fleas and ticks are the most common parasite irritants that will affect your dog's skin at some point in its life. These parasites can cause intense scratching, chewing, and biting of the skin. These acts of self-inflicted trauma can lead to tears in the skin barrier, leaving your dog with crusty, irritable, and red skin. Additionally, some fleas and ticks carry illnesses that can be fatal. It is best to keep your dogs protected against these parasites all around by consulting a vet and doing the needful.

  • Overall health

Maintaining overall health for your dog to achieve a shiny coat and soft skin is extremely important. Make sure your dog is being fed a balanced diet and the right nutrients. it is also important for your dog to have a good exercise routine so that it is just not lazing around the house. A dog that is well rested, well fed, and receiving the right nutrients is set to flaunt healthy dog skin and coat. 

 

It is imperative that pet parents keep good food for dog skin in mind and also administer nutrients that aid in a shiny, glossy coat. Now that you know what you need to do as a responsible pet parent, you are all set to give your floof its best life.

Frequently asked questions

  1. What are the signs of a healthy coat on a dog?
  2. A healthy dog coat is shiny, luscious, and soft. If your dog has a rough coat with coarse hair, it is time to adapt a routine to change the condition of your floof’s coat. 

  3. What are the signs of healthy skin in dogs? 
  4. Healthy dog skin is soft and supple, free of any irritation. If your dog has irritated, red, bumpy, or flaky skin, it is time to see a vet and figure out the best plan of action.

  5. What vitamin is good for dog skin and fur?
  6. Vitamins and minerals such as vitamin E, vitamin C, Biotin, and omega-3 fatty acids aid in healthy dog skin and fur.

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    How to House Train a Puppy

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    Having a puppy in your household never lets a dull day knock on your door. What could be more exciting than having a fur baby live with you? For some of you, it may also be a lifelong dream finally coming true. While everything about sharing your space with a pup sounds delightful, it starts going south when an untrained puppy takes over the house. 
     

    Procrastinating the process of house training a puppy can drive your pooch to eliminate in your house and ruin carpets and furniture. This is not a pretty scenario in the long run because not being able to control your little pup can put you and your family into distress. And most first-time pet parents are clueless regarding how to handle and control their furry companion. If you are one of them, here’s everything you need to do to house train your puppy.

    • Let the preparations begin

    This is not something that you take lightly. You need to be determined and consistent with the process if you want this to stay with your pup forever. House training a dog requires patience and perseverance. Create a puppy house training schedule and stick to it. Try to get your puppy used to walking on leash before you start potty training.
     

    Note: You need to know that your dog is new to your house, it will need time to adjust in the brand-new environment. So, make sure that you do not develop a plan that is too overwhelming for your pet.

    • A routine goes a long way

    A routine always helps in the long run, whether it is for us or for our dogs, establishing a routine will help your dog to understand that there is a specific time to eat, play, sleep, or potty. So, with this, your dog will know that there is a particular time to poop as well. It is better to have a dog with a routine than the one who defecates anytime, anywhere. 
     

    Taking your puppy out at appropriate times is non-negotiable. Take it out for a walk right after it wakes up, during its play time, and after it eats or drinks because these are the times when dogs are most likely to want to go. Hence, keep a good gap between meals and water, and bedtime, so your pup does not have to hold their business in for too long.
     

    As a dog parent, you must know that for every month of age, puppies can control its bladder for an hour! So, if your pup is 2 months old, it can hold its bladder for 2 hours. However, 6 hours is the limit. Dogs cannot control their bladder for more than 6 hours.

    • Use a command

    Commands can help pet parents in communicating with their pooch. If you use a command repeatedly for a certain action, your dog will begin to pick up on the relation between your words and the act. For example, if you keep using the phrase ‘go fetch’ while you throw a toy or a stick, your pet will start understanding that it needs to go and retrieve the object. Similarly, when you take your dog out on a leash and want them to defecate, use the phrase ‘go potty’ and point to a particular spot. This will help them realise that they need to go.

    • Good behaviour calls for rewards

    Rewards can help establish a healthy relationship between you and your four-legged friend. These rewards can be in the form of treats or playtime with its favourite toy. It will help you teach new commands while also encouraging good behaviour. Make sure you are not showering treats on your pup before the task or action is complete. For example, give your pooch a treat after it has finished its potty round and not when it is in middle of it. Wondering why? Because then, your pup might not finish what it’s doing and have an accident later inside the house. 
     

    Note: If you feel that there's little to no progress, consult your veterinarian to rule out medical issues like bladder infections.
     

    Things you should know while potty training a puppy

    Now that you know how to house train a dog, you must understand that it is a time-consuming process. Your pup might take time to learn, however, with consistent practice, your dog will be obedient. Here are a few things you must know before you two get down to training:

    • Do not punish your dog if you catch it pooping anywhere other than the chosen spot. It will only ignite fear.
    • If your dog poops at the right spot, praise it. Wait until your pooch is done pooping and give it a treat.
    • Stay outside with your puppy if it is taking longer to poop; do not force your furry friend to make it quick.

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