Healthy Food, Healthy Fur

The starting point for your dog to have a beautiful, shiny coat is the diet. You want to be sure to feed your dog a good, quality food. This is the building block for a healthy looking dog. It should have a good amount of protein and a balance of vitamins and minerals. You can also give your dog Omega 3 fatty acid supplements to boost a shiny coat. Eggs are also a good source of protein for your dog. Be careful when feeding raw food. It can contain salmonella. Make sure your dog has fresh water whenever they want. Exercise is also important for your dog’s healthy, shiny coat. With these recommendations, you will have a healthy dog and that’s going to lead to a clean, shiny coat.

Brushing Your Dog

Once you’ve covered the dog on the inside, you can groom the outside. It’s a good idea to brush your dog frequently. Some experts recommend brushing your dog three times a week but it won’t hurt to do it every day. It is the most intensive part of grooming. This is a good way to interact with your dog, as well. It makes your dog feel good and helps remove dead hair and skin. There are a few different brushes you can use. Be sure to use the correct brush for the length of your dog’s hair. A wire pin brush is best for medium to long hair dogs. You want to be sure not to push too hard. You don’t want to scratch your dog’s skin. A slicker brush is recommended for removing mats and tangles. To tackle the mats and tangles, hold it close to the skin, insert the end tooth of the brush into the mat, and work loose. If you are unable to work the mat loose, you may want to consider cutting it out. Once the mat is free, you can comb down to the skin. The bristle brush is used last, after all the other brushes. It is the only brush you want to use for your short hair dog. This brush stimulates the skin in small dogs and dogs with sensitive skin. It helps make the coat nice and shiny. It is important to always brush against the lay of the fur.

Tips for Bath Time 

Once your dog is brushed, it’s time for the bath. It is a good idea to give your dog a bath. You want to bathe the dog every two weeks to once a month. The best place to give your dog is outdoors in warm weather. You never want to use human shampoo. It may make the dog’s skin dry and irritated. Use a mild dog shampoo. Start by washing the dog’s body and legs thoroughly. When you wash the dogs head, be careful not to get soap in the eyes, ears, or nose. Leave the soap on for three or four minutes. Rinse thoroughly. This is extremely important. If you choose to blow dry your dog, focus on one area at a time and don’t move around a lot. Make sure to move the dog’s fur so you can dry the skin. Dogs tend to be afraid of loud noises so you may not be able to blow-dry the dog. If your dog is one of these, towel-dry the dog by blotting and pressing a towel against the coat. You also want to dry the paws. When you are done drying, brush the dogs coat again. You definitely don’t want to bathe your dog too much. It will dry the dog’s skin and it will get itchy and irritated.

Don't Forget: Teeth, Ears, and Nails

Finally, you want to be sure to clean your dog’s teeth and ears. For the ears, you will want to ask your vet for a recommended ear drops. Wipe out with a clean cloth or cotton balls. The ears should be cleaned once a week to avoid infections. The dog’s teeth can be brushed with a small toothbrush with soft bristles. Use toothpaste for dogs and brush back to front, then rinse. Now, when it comes to your dog’s nails, they can be tricky. You have to be sure not to cut the dog’s nails quick. You can see the quick in light colored nails. It’s harder to see in dogs with black nails. If this gets cut, it will bleed and hurt the dog. You can use a Trimmer/Dremel tool or clippers. Just use small clips.