How To Keep A Dogs Coat Soft And Shiny

[whitka]

Would like to know what others give/feed there dogs to make there coats soft and shiny. I dont know if its becuase he's getting older but Toby's coat just doesnt stay nice as it used to/

[BMAK]

what breed do you own and how old

Depending on the breed, the coat will change as they mature and get older which is natural espessially for short double coated breeds, but regular brushing that will part and remove any dead hairs or hair that are loose.

i would choose a furminator for that job and a good comb or rake for long thicker coated dogs first.

I think a wire hair breeds there owners will strip the coat by hand to get the daker fresher new coat also depending on the type of terrier and markings and the amount of time etc.

A healthy diet can play a part and exercise i feel and people also add certain foods and oils to there dogs meal and coats, such as flax seed oil and cottage cheese added into there food.

and bathing only when needed, if you have to bath regular for certain reasons find a shampoo that is easy on the coat so it won't strip the oils.

and if your dog is one that needs to be groomed you can ask your groomer for tips.

hope this helps but people on DOL are very handy when it comes to health nutrition and grooming so i am sure you will find more answers here.

ETA; spelling mistakes

Edited May 3, 2011 by BMAK

[whitka]

Thanks for the info He's a Golden Retriever and nearly 8 years old, ill be looking at changeing his diet first and see if that makes a difference.

[Polgara's Shadow]

I use Vet's All Natural Omega Blend..very happy with the results!

[Guest Panzer Attack!]

Dogs will generally lose quality of coat the older they get. Don't bathe too often, use conditioner, brush and/or massage often and consider feeding more RMB and fishies or add a little oil to his food.

[Pretty Miss Emma]

My dogs always get complimented on how beautiful their coats are (1.5 and 12.5 years old). I think fish is the key!! They oftten get sardines with their dinner, and Emma (12.5yrs) also gets a fish oil capsule every night - theoretically also good for joints, brain function and general body maintainence! They have beautiful soft, shinny, glossy coats!!

But don't forget to take into consideration other health issues where you might see an impact on coat if your dog is older.

[ozjen]

Try adding a fish oil capsule or two to his daily diet, I am alway getting told how shiny and soft my dogs coats are in fact at the Royal people can't get over how my girls coat feels and looks (haven't the heart to tell them that it is probabaly actually too soft for the breed standard on these occassions) I also feed raw too though and do on occassion add other oils. If you find the fish oil does the trick for you it is a good idea to also give natural Vitimin E as well if you are going to use it long term(I do at least a couple of times a week). Fish oil capsules can also be beneficial for the aches and pains that come with age. Hydrating the coat with a spray bottle(fine mist) of water daily can help too and if you want to improve it even more add a little Sea Breeze oil to the water. Livamol is apparently very good for the coat too (sprinkled on the dogs food) but have only just bought this to try so have no experience with it although show friends recommended it to me. It cost me just over $6 a kg at a stockfeed store.

I changed my old dog over to raw when he was around 7 and it gave him a new lease on life in fact I had been told by the vet that he would be dead within a year without daily medication for a heart condition. He was on the medication for a few weeks but was becoming terrified of me because of it so I decided quality of life was more important than quantity and stopped the medication not long after changing his diet. That was more than 6 years ago and while I count each day as a blessing he has been remarkably well for the most part and even survived a dog attack four years ago that required surgery.

What works well for one dog may not work well for another so it pays to experiment a bit, you should get results fairly quickly but I would try any given treatment for at least a month to assess its results and suitability for your dog. Take a photo of the dog before treatment and possiabliy a small sample of hair and compare it with others as you go along although you should be able to notice the difference regardless.

I always like to compare results as I try different products as I do conformation showing so what might work for the home dog might not be suitable for the showdog or different breeds, ie might not want a soft coat on a dog that is mean't to have a coarser texture, might want something that intensifies the colour etc.

[luvsdogs]

As well as the oils mentioned above I've heard that whole raw eggs make the coat shine. Someone once told oh that he could tell that our dogs were fed raw eggs by their shiny coats.

[Guest english.ivy]

My Belgian [black] has a very shiny coat in the dim light, plus of course in sunshine!

She gets Black Hawk dry, plus RMB. She also gets raw egg when I think about it, at least once a week. Oh and sardines once a week.

[Pretty Miss Emma]

As well as the oils mentioned above I've heard that whole raw eggs make the coat shine. Someone once told oh that he could tell that our dogs were fed raw eggs by their shiny coats.

Aha, yes I've also been told this!! It's the egg yolk that does it and has to be raw. (You've reminded me that's one of the reason my girls get raw eggs every so often!!!).

[SwaY]

I Love shiny dogs !!

They call me the "Grooming Nazi"

Good diet, I also hand strip my dogs coats.

Smoka aged 7

Shimmer aged 3

Edited May 5, 2011 by SwaY

[Andisa]

I like shiny coats too - not bad for a 6 yo bitch. I credit raw feeding for this girls condition - she was actually dirty but can't really tell.

[Sheridan]

Grumpy is nearly 15 and a half and his coat still shines. Miss Mini also shines at nine.

[poodlefan]

Thanks for the info He's a Golden Retriever and nearly 8 years old, ill be looking at changeing his diet first and see if that makes a difference.

I'd be doing a thyroid panel. In a breed prone to thyroid issues and a with a change in coat condition, IMO I reckon there's probably more going on than just diet.

[Guest english.ivy]

I Love shiny dogs !!

They call me the "Grooming Nazi"

Good diet, I also hand strip my dogs coats.

Smoka aged 7

Shimmer aged 3

It's a shame all the Danes I see these days don't look at stunning at these two!

[Dagmar]

Would like to know what others give/feed there dogs to make there coats soft and shiny. I dont know if its becuase he's getting older but Toby's coat just doesnt stay nice as it used to/

I am having the best results with the Budwig diet: http://animalconnection.com.au/index.php/tips-and-tricks/52-the-budwig-diet.html

It is easy, natural, tastes good (yes, you can eat it as well LOL) and has a lot of health benefits.

I hope that helps.

Dagmar