Natural Ways to Help Your Dog's Dry Skin

Does your furry best friend suffer from dry, itchy skin? There are all types of environmental factors that can cause dog's skin dryness and itching; allergies, fleas, swimming, living outdoors. If your dog has a clean bill of health from your vet, you can start working to reducing his symptoms, and offer relief from the constant scratching. Below are some easy and natural tips that have been proven helpful.

Natural Ways to Help Your Dog's Dry Skin

There are many reasons why your dogs' skin

may become dry. For many of these reasons 

there are simple home treatments

that can really help!

1. The first way to treat your best friend's dry skin is to start at the foundation - your dog's food. Choosing a diet high in protein, Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids can help your buddy's fur grow beautifully, keeping skin moist and supple. Sometimes the cause of scratchy/ irritated skin can be an allergy to grains (fillers) which are usually found in lower-end dog foods. Try switching to a primarily meat-based food and see a difference.

2. To help heal your dog's dry skin, supplement your dog food with one to three tablespoons of Flaxseed oil daily for six weeks (amount varies with the size of your dog). If you see an improvements, cut this dosage down by a third. Many high-end dog foods already contain Flaxseed and work to improve your dog's coat. A less expensive alternative to Flaxseed oil is Salmon or Olive oil - use either of these as you would the Flaxseed oil. Another dry skin idea: once a week offer your dog a whole raw egg. Dog's love the taste and their coat's love the protein!

3. Do not over-bathe your dog. While our furry friends may get into something stinky once in a while, in general you should not bath him more than twice a month since bathing strips the fur of necessary oils. Make sure you use a moisturizing shampoo that contains proteins, Comfrey for irritation, and vitamins for moisturizing.

Dry skin has met its match with Dancing Dingo's Dog De-funkifier. Gently wash your dog, and after bathing, apply a tiny amount of olive oil over her fur then wrap her in a warm towel to make sure that the oil soaks in. Never rub your dog with the towel, only pat dry, since rubbing can further aggravate any dry skin irritation.

4. If your dog gets wet playing in the pool or getting caught in the rain, make sure you wipe him dry. Water evaporation from the dog's fur can cause further skin drying. With wintertime's indoor heat, make sure you put a humidifier in the room. Doing this allows moist air to circulate and helps prevents skin from drying out. This is important for dog and human skin alike!

5. To quickly soothe dry skin, try steeping a cup of chamomile tea, cooling it, then filling a spray bottle, spritz it all over your dog for a soothing effect. Remember to follow this up by rubbing dog's dry spots with some oil.

Dry skin can be very stressful for both dogs and the people who love them. It is also something that is relatively easy to treat at home. Remember that just as your skin needs healthy moisture, so does your dog's. Use a little oil high in Vitamin E and rub it in with some tender loving care today!
 

Always remember that if your dog's skin has open wounds he needs a visit to the vet. Home remedies are not a substitute for quality veterinary care!

Contact us if we can help!