When you first thought of having a dog, you probably imagined hugging a furry pup with the silkiest coat ever. Although that’s possible, maintaining a dog’s coat will take more than the basic brushing and bathing. Many doggos suffer from poor coat due to a variety of reasons. As the pet owner, it’s your responsibility to know how to make dog coat shiny. One way to do that is to start looking for the best dog shampoo for shiny coat.
It’s very important that you pay attention to your dog’s coat. Aside from their diet and exercise, their fur plays a significant role in their body. It helps them maintain their internal temperature while dodging infections.
Here, I’ll discuss more about a dog’s coat, how it relates to their health, what you can do to maintain it, and the best products to consider.
Your dog’s coat is a reflection of his health
Every veterinarian will agree that your dog’s coat is the reflection of the pet’s health. If it’s duller than normal, something might be going on his system. It’s possible that the pooch is lacking on certain nutrients or the pooch has contracted a disease that causes the fur to shed or lose color.
Your dog may not have the ability to say what he feels, but his coat will speak a thousand words. Take note that each dog breed has its own type of fur. Some are wiry, curly, straight, and thick. But no matter what it is, the coat should stay healthy.
Although most of the signs you’ll see on your dog’s coat tells a general story of his health, it’s not bad for starters. A keen eye and a skeptic owner save a lot of dogs. A matted coat could be written off as a mere grooming gaffe, but you’ll never know when it will be a sign of a serious health condition.
Most of the time, the coat won’t lie if there’s an infection, much so an allergy or diet problems. Any adverse change on your dog’s physical condition should be a reason for a vet appointment.
Dog coat problems
If you’d own a few doggos before, you surely have a share of dog coat stories. As a dog parent myself, I’ve seen a lot of those daunting coat dilemmas: matting, balding, wounds, and a horrendous case of ticks. A lot of times, it’s curable. You only have to act early to prevent the condition from worsening.
Most dog coat problems develop into life-threatening cases when their owners fail to see what’s wrong after all. So to give you an idea, here are some of the common coat problems your dog might encounter:
⏩Matting
Matting happens when the fur of your dog develop snags. But setting the aesthetics aside, this coat condition might be a telltale sign of other serious health issues. Coat matting can simply be the result of your failure to brush your dog’s fur during shedding. The falling fur gets tangled with the intact strands. However, it can also be a sign of skin problems.
If your dog keeps scratching or licking a certain spot of his coat, it’s probably itchy and tattered with hot spots. The continuous scratching will cause little wounds to be infected, thus producing pus and wet substances. Mind you, this isn’t just ugly; it’s also painful for your pet.
⏩Balding
Shedding is normal (more on this later) but if your dog seems to shed heavily on one spot, it should cause worry on your part. Alopecia can happen to dogs due to a variety of reasons. It could be a simple hormonal imbalance or a life-threatening tumor. Allergies to food, environment, and products can be the culprits too.
At this point, the diagnosis of your vet matters the most on how to make dog coat shiny. Don’t administer any home remedy unless cleared by the veterinarian.
⏩Ticks and fleas
This is the most common of all coat problems seen in dogs. We love pertaining to ticks and fleas as the “unwanted guest”. These parasites feed on your dog’s blood, and as they bite to eat, your dog feels the itch. He will scratch and lick incessantly causing the fur to matt and to bald at the same time.
Ticks and fleas cause intense discomfort to your dog. It’s pressing to have this removed right away. More likely, your vet will recommend the best dog shampoo for shiny coat to kill the bugs.
⏩Hotspots and sores
Hotspots are the red and scaly lesions that may develop on a dog’s skin. It will cause their fur to fall off. And aside from being unsightly, a bad case of hotspots will have a foul odor. Some dogs will develop oozing scabs which will hurt more. Also, open skin is an invitation for infections to come in.
Hotspots may happen due to fleas and other insect bites. Other causes could be sharp objects and unnecessary skin licking and chewing to ease boredom.
⏩Dull coat
A few months ago, my Golden Retriever’s coat went dull. Its natural, light brownish color faded and the strand seems dry and brittle. So as panicky as I am, I drove straight to the vet. It turns out that my dog doesn’t get enough Omega fatty acids. Although I’m giving my pooch nutritious food, my vet said that not all dog food can supply this nutrient enough.
What causes poor coat
There are tons of reasons why a dog’s coat may start to lose its original beauty. But more often, the following are the notorious causes:
⏩Poor nutrition
In my case, it proved that the simple lack of nutrients can make a big impact on a dog’s coat. As you know, Omega fatty acids help in the production of new fur and in the maintenance if its health. But there’s another side of the coin here. Even if your dog is well-nourished, food allergies may sabotage his fur. This will be followed by gastrointestinal disturbances like vomiting, excessive drooling, and rashes.
⏩Infection
When ticks and fleas bite, it leaves tiny wounds on the dog’s skin. When left unnoticed, bacterial infections will happen. This is one the reason behind the hotspots and matting. It worsens as your dog scratches and licks the spot.
⏩Parasites
Again, ticks and fleas are pesky bugs that will bite their way into your dog’s skin. A lot of dogs suffer from this, especially those that are constantly kept outdoors. The biting will cause discomfort and tiny wounds. As time goes by that this isn’t treated, the coat of the dog grows poorer and duller than usual. Knowing how to make dog coat shiny will be a difficult task.
⏩Autoimmune disorders
If your dog doesn’t have parasites or allergies but the wounds won’t heal, it’s safe to suspect that the pooch has an autoimmune disorder. This happens when the immune system of your dog which is supposed to protect against illnesses starts to attack its own body. Some of the autoimmune conditions dogs have are Pemphigus and Canine Lupus. If your dog is diagnosed with this condition, your vet will advise for a continuous treatment. The best dog shampoo for shiny coat may not work this time.
Now, let’s talk about shedding
I know you’ve been itching to see this topic on this post. To start with, shedding isn’t really a problem. It’s a normal process our dogs go through – even those believed to be hypoallergenic – so they can remove old fur and replace it with a new one. However, if it becomes excessive and your pooch is growing close to balding, that’s the time you should freak out. I don’t mean you have to shout and mutter Oh-Jesus-Christ-what’s-happening-to-my-dog. What you have to do is drive straight to the vet.
There’s no way you can prevent normal shedding, and I think there’s no need to. If you don’t want your furniture swathed with clumps of dog fur, you can get a dog that sheds less. The likes of Chihuahua, Shih Tzu, and Poodle are some of the so-called hypoallergenic dogs.
For so many years of parenting a Samoyed, I’ve learned that patience will be the only solution to the crazy shedding. Lint rollers, vacuuming, and brushing comes next.
Keeping the coat healthy
After all the coat problems you’ve read above, I know that you’re searching for solutions. Here are some of my personal suggestions:
⏩Always serve fresh dog food
Call me picky, but I never let my dogs eat stale kibble. The fatty acids on dog food will start to oxidize the moment it’s exposed to air. So the fresher the food is, the better it will be for your dog’s coat and tummy.
⏩Fatty acids supplement
How to make dog coat shiny? What I do is supplement my dog’s meal with fish oil packed with Omega-3. I just add a few drops on their kibble and it’s good to go. Aside from added nutrition, it also makes the kibble taste good (I prefer salmon fish oil).
⏩Brush, brush, brush
Regardless if your dog has thick or thin fur, it’s a must to brush him regularly. This will help prevent tangles and spot parasites and hotspots even before it worsens. If your dog is highly shedding, the more you should brush the pooch.
⏩Proper bathing schedule
Don’t just bathe your dog whenever he gets all muddy from running outdoors. Follow a bathing schedule that suits its breed. For my Samoyed and Goldie, I follow a once-a-month schedule unless I brought them to the groomer.
⏩Using the right shampoo
Take it from me. When I stick to the best dog shampoo for shiny coat, I started to see a big difference. My dog’s fur is fluffier and dead ticks drop during brushing.
⏩Getting the right coat shampoo
Each dog shampoo is made for a specific purpose. It’s important to get one that suits your dog’s condition. If the poor coat is caused by ticks, get a shampoo formulated specifically to kill the bugs. There are also generic pet washes that are best for maintenance.
You may want to consider the odor of your dog. Does that little guy always end up stinky? Then a deodorizing shampoo will be best. If shine is the problem, whitener or brightener shampoos would be advisable. For me, I always prefer specialty shampoos that suit my dog’s condition. Below are two of the shampoos I use when bathing my furry babies.
The best dog shampoo for shiny coat
Earthbath All Natural Pet Shampoo
If your pooch has itchy and sensitive skin, I recommend the Earthbath All Natural Shampoo. What I love here is the 100% organic ingredients with 3% oatmeal to help the coat achieve a better shine. This is soap-free and pH-balanced to help the dog’s coat recuperate from infections and dryness. Most of all, it’s cruelty-free.
I like the smell it gives after bathing my dog and it makes the coat softer, especially for breeds with wiry fur. But even if this is an organic shampoo, make sure that you won’t get this into the dog’s eyes.
Paws & Pals Natural Oatmeal Dog Shampoo
When my Goldie’s coat appeared brittle, I decided to use this shampoo from Paws & Pals. It has moisturizing ingredients like Aloe vera, rosemary, and oatmeal. This has essential oils as well to combat the dryness of the dog’s coat. And you know what I love the most? It’s a tear-free formula with no soap. If your dog loves playing with the suds, this will be a safe choice for him.
This is fully vegan and a one-stop shampoo for tangles, itching, brittleness, and bad odor. For best results, use warm water when bathing your dog with this. The nice smell also lasts long, best for dogs who like exploring the outdoors.
Knowing how to make dog coat shiny should include addressing the causes that come with it. Aside from being huggable, having a nice coat also secures the health of our pets. With the advice of your vet and the right products and tips, you’ll never go wrong.
Having a hard time giving your doggo a bath? Here, Renee Bloom from EHow demonstrates the right way of shampooing your pooch: