Before you change anything, give your dog a bath with a decent shampoo and conditioner, wait 24 hours, brush them, and take a picture of them in the sun. Now you have a starting point so when you feel the pinch of the expensive “prescription” dog food that your vet said would help, you can repeat the above steps and then compare pictures and know for sure if the change in diet is making a difference. Brushing your dog’s hair daily and giving him a bath is something you should be doing regularly and will help to maintain a healthy and shiny coat. The frequency depends on your dog’s breed and how much time your dog spends outside rolling in the dirt. For my German Shepherd I brushed him once every day or two and bathed him about once every 6 weeks in the winter and once every 2 weeks in the summer. If you think your dog’s coat still looks dull, your dog sheds excessively, or its skin looks flaky and dry, check to make sure it’s getting the omega 3 fatty acids appropriate for its weight. Check with heck with your veterinarian to determine the best dosage and then consider gradually switching food (see “What’s the Best Food for My Dog?”) or add fish oil to your dog’s diet. In addition to helping to make your dog’s coat look shiny and feel soft, fish oil has many other benefits. Just take note that not all fish oil formulas are the same. Many are rich in omega 6 instead of omega 3, so be careful about the one you select and consider using a human grade product. Odds are good you’ll pay less for it too. I’ve included this informative link about fish oil from the VCA Hospitals.
