Dogs are the owner's pride. People do stop and admire a dog whose coat looks and shiny. After all, who can resist a cute looking canine? It is therefore every owner's wish that their dogs have a healthy-looking coat.

A dog whose coat looks dry and matted usually signals that it is poorly fed and is lacking certain nutrients and vitamins. Such dogs are more vulnerable to suffer from skin allergies. Dogs who are not fed a proper diet are also more likely to have a dull coat and even experience hair loss. Therefore, it is important to carefully monitor your dog's diet.


Some owners usually feed their dogs the remnants from their lunch or dinner. Be reminded that excessive salt can cause liver, kidney, blood pressure problems as well as hair loss.

Other factors that lead to hair loss include (but not limited to) eczema, heat and fleas. It is advisable to keep your dogs in a shady area and if your dog's coat is thick, it is best to place them in an air-conditioned room to avoid eczema problems.


Here are some of the things you can do to improve the skin condition and coat of your dog naturally:

Feeding your dog
It is always best to feed your dogs with premium quality dog food that contains less salt. Also ensure that your dog's diet has all the necessary nutrients that it needs.

Many dogs are also sensitive to wheat. Double check if your dog is one of them. If you observe any allergy reaction whenever your dog consumes food containing wheat, avoid it at all cost. Such allergy reactions will usually manifest as rashes and also hair loss.

Some even suggest adding a tablespoon of sunflower oil in the dog food, which they believe can improve the shine of its coat. Instead of sunflower oil, another popular home remedy that dog owners usually resort to is a tablespoon of olive oil. The healthy fat found in olive oil does help make your dog's coat shine. However, one must be careful not to overfeed your dog with olive oil as this may result in diarrhoea. Just like humans, some dogs may be more sensitive than others. Should you observe any sign of diarrhoea, discontinue the feeding of olive oil.

Positive changes as to the texture of the dog coat can generally be observed within one week after feeding their dogs high quality dog food.



Moisturising your dog's coat
As much as it works for the human hair, applying olive oil on your dog's coat is also a great way to protect its skin and rehydrate your dog's coat.

If you notice any dry patches on your dog's skin, pour a drop of olive oil on a cotton ball and rub it on the affected area.

Applying olive oil to your dog's fur is also another excellent way to condition your its coat. Pour a little bit of olive oil onto your palms and rub both hands together. Smooth the oil on your dog's fur and brush its fur gently to distribute the oil evenly. Then, leave it as it is for 30 minutes before giving your dog a bath. Remember not to use too much olive oil as it can become too oily for you to remove the excess oil that has not been absorbed.



As recommended in the above, with a proper diet combined with the use of olive oil, your dog's coat is sure to shine in no time.



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Author: Genevieve Tan Shu Thung

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Holistic Living Annex (JULY 2012)