7 Assured Ways to Get Your Dog’s Hair Coat Healthy and Shiny
As a dog owner, you have probably found yourself covered in dog hair at some point. If you allow your pet to roam freely throughout your home, determining all the hair-laden areas that need attention can be overwhelming. Can you imagine your dog leaving a couple of scratches on your new leather couch, or worse on your baby?
As annoying as this can be, you still find it nice to cuddle with your pet and make memories. However, these memories could be bad ones if your dog is not well groomed. This is why you need to employ the use of dog clippers for grooming, among other grooming tools that will make sure you and your pet are good roommates.
Along with grooming tools, it is essential to buy some good pet vacuums that will remove all hair in an expert manner. See the review of pet vacuums here.
Did you know that each breed has different hair types? No matter how much you love your canine friend, if you do not know enough about him/her, it can be very frustrating to pet or enjoy the company he/she offers.
Without understanding this fact, there is so much that could go wrong with your grooming technique. Well, here are the different types of dog hair you need to know about:
Smooth Coat
If your dog has a smooth coat, you are in luck because this type of dog hair does not require much grooming, but their hair should be tended to regularly. The focus of this type of breed should be on quality when it comes to bathes and brushing.
Double Coat
These dogs may have short or long hair and therefore may demand a little love and care. When brushing this type of dog hair, use a slicker brush with a wide-toothed comb.
Long Coat
Most people would consider this breed of dogs with a long coat to be the cutest, especially among little girls. However, a dog with this type of hair demands a lot of grooming and attention than do other breeds.
If your dog happens to have a long coat for hair, determine a suitable brush as well as a detangling shampoo that will feature well with your dog.
Wire coat
Wire coats require consistent grooming and can be more susceptible to mats and tangles, which means the use of conditioners and detangling shampoos to properly groom them.
Curly Coat
The breed of dogs with the curly coat usually has thick and soft curls close to the body. They may require tender and keen care to get through to the curly hairs on the skin, which means employing the use of a soft slicker brush for grooming and extra care.
Keeping your dog’s fluffy coat sleek and shiny is extremely important for his overall health and wellbeing. With such insight that lets you know what type of hair your dog has, consider the following hair care tips to get your dog’s hair shiny and healthy:
Be keen on your dog’s food
Like you would a child, it is crucial to pay close attention to the eating habits of your dog, and keep tabs on the types of food he/she consumes. Your dog should be subjected to high-quality dog food that is properly balanced. For this reason, check the labels of your dog’s food to see which ingredients and how much omega-6 is included.
Make sure your dog’s food stays fresh, and avoid keeping your dog’s food open and around for too long.
Proper bathing routine and frequency
Only you understand the needs of your bet better than other people probably do, which is why you need to determine a proper bathing routine in accordance to the breed of your dog and the type of hair he/she has.
Depending on your dog’s breed, coat, activity level and any medical conditions, the bathing frequency should vary uniquely for your canine friend. Some breeds require frequent baths, but other can do well with one monthly bath.
Every once in a while, consider an oatmeal bath for your canine friend. Oatmeal soothes and moisturizes skin and can be especially helpful for dogs with allergies. You can buy oatmeal varieties of doggy shampoo, but doing a ‘Do It Yourself’ (DIY) oatmeal bath for your dog can help significantly with skin and hair health in an easy and cheap way.
Correct shampoo
Choose the correct shampoo for your dog, specific to the type of hair. If your dog has a dry skin, consider using shampoos with Aloe Vera or oatmeal in them. Remember to choose shampoos that your dog is not allergic to avoid skin reactions that might result in hair falling off.
Dry shampoos, in the form of powders or waterless sprays, are great for spot-cleaning and as an occasional substitute for a full bath.
Brush and de-shed
Whether your dog has long or short hair, most pups shed on a regular basis and have coats that are affected differently in different seasons. There is definitely need for you to regularly brush your pet and de-shed him/her if at all the hair will appealingly be healthy and shiny.
Use Coconut Oil supplements
A lot of the benefits that coconut oil has for human hair applies to dog hair too. For dogs, however, in addition to helping with digestive health and preventing infection, a regular addition of coconut oil supplements for your dog can help improve skin and coat health.
Use appropriate tools
When it comes to handling pet hair, having some tools that address the grooming menace can make quite a significant impact on the expected results. There are a number of brushes and combs on the market created specifically for home use on your pet.
Scissors with blunt or rounded ends are also handy grooming tools for trimming your dog’s hair, especially for the long-haired type of dogs.
You could also consider using grooming gloves for tackling pet fur, for instance, when giving him/her a bath or removing mats with the mat splitter tools.
Talk to your vet
There is only so much you can do for your pet, but sometimes, the reason behind the dull looking hair and the hair loss patches could be more than meets the eye. Let your vet recommend treatments for dry, itchy skin or even a change in diet to befit your pet’s situation.
Dogs are amazing creatures and it is only fair to show them as much love as possible. Ultimately, each dog is different so make sure you are doing what is best for yours as per the breed and hair type. Regardless of what hair-control strategies you decide to try, keep in mind that it might take your furry friend a little time to warm up to the routine. Pick up any of these tips, be patient as your dog adjusts and watch how quickly your dog’s hair responds!