Do you find dog hair in your home all the time? Has your dog’s coat deteriorated in the past time? Or have you adopted a new dog whose coat doesn’t look nice? This blog article will find all the important information about coat care and how to promote coat growth in dogs.
Shortcut To Useful Tips
The functions of the dog’s coat
Similar to us humans, the hair of the dog requires care. Humans do not feel comfortable with unwashed hair and so do our dogs: a healthy coat is an important factor for a high level of well-being.
In addition to well-being, the dog’s coat also has other important functions: On the one hand, it prevents a rapid drop in body temperature. On the other hand, it protects against pathogens such as viruses or bacteria.
A dense coat, therefore, increases the well-being of your dog and, at the same time, protects him from diseases. That’s also the reason why this topic is such a hot topic among dog owners. But don’t worry: There are some tips and measures you can take to support your dog’s coat health.
The most important, in a nutshell
Healthy nutrition is the key to a strong and shiny coat. It’s the same with humans: if we eat fast food or lots of sweets for several days, we often notice the effects of blemished skin or hair problems.
So if you want to promote your dog’s health and coat growth, you should take a close look at the composition of the dog food and think about switching.
We have summarized the most common and best tips for coat care for you in an easy-to-read list:
- Brush your dog regularly: long-haired dogs daily, short-haired dogs once a week.
- Choose the right brush for your dog.
- For difficult coats, coat sprays can help with brushing and grooming
- Use high-quality shampoos for bathing
- Please do not overdo it with bathing; this can damage the coat
- Support your dog, especially in times of coat change
- Pay attention to high-quality nutrition
- Support with supplements or food additives
Grooming the Dog’s Coat
Regular brushing is especially important. On the one hand, it promotes blood circulation in the skin and removes dead hair and dandruff from your four-legged friend. This increases hygiene, is positive for the coat’s health and automatically makes the hair of your dog more beautiful.
The right brush can also depend on the dog’s breed and coat. Not every brush is equally suitable for all dog breeds. Especially with long-haired dogs, the brush may not glide smoothly through the coat. Special brushes for long-haired dogs are rounded at the tips, making this work easier for you and your dog.
Important nutrients for a healthy dog coat
Healthy skin and a shiny coat are best achieved with a high-quality diet. Coat problems are often directly related to diet, such as when cheap food is used or essential nutrients need to be in sufficient quantities.
Almost all dogs have coat problems, like a dull coat sometimes. Unfortunately, this is common, especially during times of coat change. You don’t have to worry about your dog’s health right away if the coat is not as shiny as usual during this time. However, if skin and coat problems occur more frequently, we recommend you visit your veterinarian. He knows your animal and can support you optimally and individually.
Numerous nutrients support your dog with skin and coat problems. We have compiled the most important ones for you and explain why these vitamins and trace elements are good for your dog’s coat growth. We also tell you which food sources you can find them.
Proteins
Hair consists almost exclusively of proteins. Therefore, you must offer high-quality dog proteins in the food. More than a quarter of the protein ingested is used to grow the dog’s coat. Proteins also have a positive effect on your dog’s skin. In addition to meat and fish, insects, algae and nuts are also protein-rich.
Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids
Essential omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids positively affect your dog’s coat. They support your dog’s skin cells and help in the healing process, such as following inflammations. You can find omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids in flaxseed, hemp or fatty fish such as herring, salmon or mackerel. A deficiency is not only reflected in dry fur but also severe itching, redness or hair loss.
B vitamins and biotin
B vitamins and biotin are also essential nutrients for a healthy coat in dogs. They have a particularly positive effect on the metabolism of your furry nose and, thus, coat and skin.
At the same time, biotin also protects the growth of claws.
A deficiency can be recognized by hair loss, gray hair or dandruff. Vitamin B deficiency is also noticeable in muscle weakness or frequent infections. You can find B vitamins in animal foods such as meat, fish or milk.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is also beneficial for your dog’s coat. It has an antioxidant effect and protects your dog and its cells. The dog’s skin and coat will suffer if there is a deficiency. If you want to promote the health and growth of your dog’s coat, you should ensure that your dog’s diet contains sufficient vitamin E. You can find vitamin E in good quality food.
You can find vitamin E in good oils such as linseed oil and cereal germ. In contrast, vitamin E is rarely found in animal products. By the way, you can reduce the vitamin E requirement by feeding high-quality food with good fats. If, on the other hand, you use low-quality food, your dog’s need for vitamin E will also increase.
Zinc
A lack of zinc can be seen in your dog’s dull coat or dullness. Hair loss and redness of the skin can also be common side effects. The problem with the trace element zinc is that your dog’s body cannot store it. As a result, regular intake is required.
It is challenging to recognize a deficiency externally because the clinical picture overlaps strongly with other complaints. For example, hair loss and skin redness can be caused by a lack of zinc. You can find zinc, for example, in liver, flaxseed or beef.
Copper
Copper is also an important trace element for a healthy coat in dogs. This trace element has a positive effect on the metabolism.
A deficiency can be recognized by anemia or color changes in the coat. Just like zinc, copper can also be found in the liver. You can also use dried liver snacks.
Important ingredients for a healthy dog coat at a glance
| Ingredients | Supports | Deficiency symptoms | Food Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| proteins | skin, coat | weak hair growth | meat,fish,algae, nuts |
| omega 3 omega6 | positive effect on coat, healing processes skin | dry coat, itching, hair loss | flaxseed, hemp, oily fish |
| biotin, B-Vitamins | improves metabolism, fur&skin, claws | Gray hair, dandruff, muscle weakness | meat,fish,milk,cheese |
| Vitamin E | antioxidant, coat growth | bad skin, bad coat | healthy fats, linseed oil, cereal germs |
| zink | hair, skin, claws | dull coat, hair loss, redness of the skin | liver, flaxseed, beef |
| copper | good for metabolism | anemia, discoloration of the coat | liver |
Important: You should check with your veterinarian if you want to correct a deficiency via food additives and supplements.
Just as a possible deficiency can be harmful to your dog, the careless addition of supplements is problematic. Please make sure you are doing something good for your four-legged friend.
Coat change in dogs
Twice a year, your dog changes his coat. In spring and autumn, the coat of dogs changes. This has quite banal and simple reasons: Dogs adapt to different temperatures. While a long coat is advantageous in the cold months, they have a shorter coat in the warm months.
The coat change is a demanding physical process that requires additional nutrients compared to the rest of the year. Therefore, it would be best if you placed particular attention on high-quality food, especially during these periods of the year. When feeding, pay attention to essential vitamins and trace elements and provide your dog with high-quality protein.
At the same time, coat care via brushing is even more critical because dead hairs are more often found in the dog’s coat. By the way, clipping the coat can also have negative consequences, especially in the summer months.
For example, the top coat can be damaged. Then too much heat reaches the dog’s skin, and the hair roots’ supply is disturbed. This can lead to the fact that the fur only grows again in some places as desired. This effect can also occur after operations if your dog’s coat has to be shaved.
Dandruff due to the change of coat in dogs
During the change of coat, various accompanying symptoms can occur. Some dogs get flaky skin, which can be accompanied by itching. But don’t worry: dandruff is a normal side effect of the coat change, as this process is stressful for the skin as well as for the dog’s body in general.
The coat color may also change slightly temporarily. Often the falling-out hairs in black dogs shimmer a little reddish. However, if dandruff on your dog is still very present after the coat change and skin redness occurs or your darling scratches himself particularly often, you should go with him to the vet.
As a rule, however, there are no problems with the change of coat. And with a mixture of coat care and a healthy diet, it will be easy for your pet to get a new coat.
Itching during the coat change: What can you do if your dog is constantly itching and scratching?
Unfortunately, parasites like fleas, mites and ticks are the simplest and most common explanation for your dog’s itching. But a food allergy can also cause scratching. Therefore, we recommend you first get to the bottom of the cause and act accordingly.
Only some dogs go through the change of coat without problems. Unfortunately, some dogs suffer from severe itching and scratch incessantly. The best way to curb your dog’s itching during the coat change is to brush him regularly and remove loose fur immediately.
But it would help if you also consider humidity. Especially in the cold months, the rooms are dry due to our heaters, which promotes itching. You can counteract this with a bowl of water on the radiator. A moisturizing shampoo can also help to reduce itching after bathing, as it nourishes your dog’s skin and keeps it moist.
Last but not least, nutrition always plays an important role. The dog food of your four-legged friend should provide him with essential fatty acids and vitamin H. The fatty acids are effective against dandruff. The fatty acids counteract the formation of dandruff and itching, while biotin has a positive effect on the skin, hair and claws of your furry nose.
Conclusion
If you want to promote coat health and growth in your dog, the first thing you should pay attention to is diet. The origin of skin and coat problems often lies in a diet consisting of poor protein sources, low-quality fats or insufficient essential vitamins or trace elements.
However, in addition to taking action on a diet, we’ve included other tips for you in this blog post. For example, some dog owners bathe their dogs too often – you should bathe your dog, especially when it is dirty. Using the wrong brushes or inadequate grooming can also have a negative impact.
If you are worried about your pet’s health, you should always talk to your vet about the problem.
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