Healthy skin with a shiny coat is not a matter of course for dogs, because both short-haired and long-haired dogs need regular care. Unfortunately, some dog owners still make the mistake of washing the dog’s fur with shampoos that are actually intended for humans. This can have a very negative effect on the health of the fur and the skin, because the shampoos for humans are often far too aggressive and of course don’t smell at all in the sense of the dog, which of course doesn’t make the fur nose happy. Below are a few tips for successful dog grooming.
A healthy diet is important for a beautiful coat
Dog food does not always contain everything that the dog actually needs in terms of nutrients. A cheap discounter feed in particular can often not offer such good quality, but even with an expensive complete feed, the price is not necessarily a guarantee for high-quality ingredients. It is good to read the declaration carefully. It is important to ensure that no aroma additives, cereals, artificial vitamins, sugar and acrylamide are included and that the protein content is high enough.
Here is an example of a balanced proportion of ingredients:
- Crude ash: at least 2%
- Crude fibre: max. 5%
- Protein: at least 22%
- Fat: at least 5%
- Carbohydrates: max. 50%
Of course, the age of the dog also plays a role in the choice of food. Older dogs in particular need a special senior food that is easier to digest and does not put additional strain on the gastrointestinal tract.
Unfortunately only a few complete feeds contain high-quality omega-3 fatty acids, or if they do, then often in far too small a proportion.
Why are omega fatty acids so important? If the skin is overloaded, skin irritation or inflammation can quickly occur, which can also be accompanied by itching and dandruff, especially if the dog has a thick undercoat. As the dog ages, their metabolism and grooming efforts will also change, which will also affect coat quality. The coat becomes dull, greasy and the undercoat begins to smell. A correspondingly high dosage of omega 3-6-9 fatty acids can ensure that this does not happen in the first place. Because a grease-free and shiny coat is not just about external care, it also reflects the overall state of health. Just as unhealthy food leads to oily skin, stringy hair, etc. in humans, it is the same with dogs. You have to pay attention to the quality of the diet so that the coat can shine beautifully. This speaks in favor of using a high-quality feed supplement. Wait a minute, I can wash my dog with a dog shampoo, some might think. We’ll come back to that in more detail later, don’t worry.
The fur should be brushed regularly
Regular grooming not only has a very positive effect on the health of the fur, it also promotes social contact between dog and owner very well. Above all, brushing the fur, once a week for short-haired breeds, possibly more often for long-haired breeds, is very important for the social interaction between owner and animal. A soft natural bristle brush or a dog brush with rubber nubs is recommended for brushing. Loose hair can be removed very well with a so-called Furminator. Brushing should always be done gently against the grain and removing hair with a Furminator should always be done with the grain. The advantage of brushing is that the animal’s skin is also massaged well and blood circulation is stimulated, which is why dogs usually find brushing their fur very pleasant. Dogs with a pronounced undercoat need to be brushed extra carefully, also to allow the skin to breathe. For the bottom ll there are also special brushes. If you notice, often with older fur noses whose metabolism changes, that the undercoat begins to become greasy and even smell, action is required. Brushing, washing, grooming, usually a change in feed and the administration of a feed supplement are necessary to get things under control again.
But not only the coat should be cared for
If long, dense fur and especially a pronounced undercoat gets wet, it often doesn’t dry properly or fast enough, depending on the season. The humidity makes it easier for skin infections to occur, but a build-up of temperature also increases the risk of bacterial or yeast infections. You can tell by the unpleasant smell, reddening or scratching of the animal. The coat should therefore be trimmed, the undercoat combed out regularly and the animal should be dried thoroughly after every bath, whether in the lake, river or at home. A regular bath in the tub is not necessary, but of course bathing the dog cannot be avoided entirely, especially if the four-legged friend has once again enjoyed rolling around in something that humans do not find particularly fragrant.
So and now we come to the topic of shampoo. Bathing at home, especially with short-haired breeds, should not be carried out too often and in general the owner is only allowed to bring the dog with him a special dog shampoo, since the skin of the four-legged friend has a different pH value than that of humans. Too frequent bathing and the wrong shampoo dry out the dog’s skin, which can also have a negative effect on the health of the coat. And again, human shampoos are taboo for the dog! If, despite regular care, the dog’s coat shows sparse patches or other unusual visual characteristics, the dog lover should check his animal for parasites and, if necessary, take it to the vet for further health tests.
Even with good care, not every disease or parasite can be prevented
Unfortunately, despite all care, it is not possible to prevent so-called ectoparasites from thriving in the fur of dogs and cats. These are mainly ticks, lice, mites and fleas. Ticks can transmit various diseases, but vaccination is controversial. If you come across one of these animals while searching the fur, you have to use the tick tweezers and carefully remove the tick with a twisting motion. If the head gets stuck in the skin, please don’t start fiddling with it, if you can’t get it out straight away, it’s better to go to the vet. The other troublemakers usually cause an itch, so check carefully, sometimes a doctor’s visit is necessary. However, it is best to prevent as much as possible. Protective preparations come in different forms, such as tablets, drops, shampoo or necklaces. Unfortunately, such agents often contain a lot of chemicals, and in our opinion they are not recommended. Have you ever tried coconut oil? It’s worth a try, it works very well on our dogs! One or two hazelnut-sized amounts first in the hands and then rubbed into the fur, very quickly drives away one or the other nuisance. Nice side effect: the dog smells better. It is still important: Fleas are intermediate stations for tapeworms, which is why infested animals must also be dewormed.
A feed supplement for skin and hair is also useful
With some dogs, especially older ones, not only the change of coat is visibly difficult. The fact that the metabolism has also changed over the years is often first seen in older dogs by their fur. The undercoat becomes greasy, the hair on the head becomes dull, dull and brittle. This is where the omega-3-6-9 fatty acids come into play again, which are particularly important for skin and hair. Our recommendation is the product DOG FIT by PreThis® SHINE. The 100% natural product has proven to be a useful addition to good food and can be returned to the dog in a beautiful and shiny coat, without itching and dandruff. The SHINE product supplies the body with valuable unsaturated fatty acids, all of which come from sustainable production. These improve the elasticity and resistance of the skin and hair cells and the omega-3 fatty acids in particular protect and support inflammatory skin diseases, as well as itching and dandruff. But omega fatty acids can do even more! They improve the flow properties of the blood, inhibit blood clotting, are anti-inflammatory and have a positive effect on the immune system and metabolism. Important to know: The organism cannot produce omega 3 itself.
The application
The application of DOG FIT by PreThis® SHINE is easy! Give 1 capsule per day with the food or wrapped in a treat. As with almost all natural products, the effect takes some time. But after only 2 to 3 weeks, a healthier appearance can be seen in the dog through the targeted supply of important nutrients for skin and hair. Of course, this does not mean that the normal care, as described above, can be dispensed with. There is also nothing wrong with administering SHINE permanently in order to maintain the elasticity and resistance of the skin and hair cells and to do something good for the dog’s overall health. We think every dog deserves that, right?
SHINE is used by many veterinarians, animal naturopaths Ramona Houscht & Franziska Herre from the Martin Rütter DOGS dog schools in Heidelberg / Mosbach and Erfurt / Weimar, gladly recommended.
DOG FIT by PreThis® SHINE usually costs 24.50 euros (RRP). For a short time it is available for only 20.95 euros in our original DOG FIT shop.
Every day we experience the wonders of nature with our dogs. This inspiration is the basis for our lives and our products. In our magazine we share with you our passion for these wonderful animals. Visit our socials and become part of the DOG FIT community.
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