How To Look After Dogs With Dry Skin
Just like human skin, a dog’s skin can be prone to dryness. There are a range of factors which can cause this to occur such as changes to the environment, food and allergies. Dogs with dry skin may have a dull coat with flaky skin present. If your dog’s skin shows signs of crusting, hair loss or odour, you should seek advice from a vet.
A dog’s grooming routine can help to improve the symptoms of dry or flaky skin, if the correct products are used.
Use a moisturising shampoo and conditioner
It’s important to use a dog-friendly shampoo that’s gentle and provides moisture to their skin and coat, as this can help to reduce the flakiness. The
Wahl Oatmeal Essence Shampoo contains oat proteins to soothe and reduce irritation in the skin, as well as natural coconut extract and almond oil to help keep moisturise in and condition hair. This gentle shampoo removes dirt, grease and odour from the coat and is suitable for all hair types. This comes in a concentrated formula, so be sure to follow the instructions to dilute.
We recommend following up with a conditioner for added moisture and protection. The
Wahl Easy Groom Conditioner is a ready to use product and contains a range of specifically formulated ingredients to leave your dog’s coat smooth and shiny without any grease or sticky residue. It has a deep nourishing formula that controls static as it smooths and detangles. The unique formula contains vitamin E to enrich, moisturise and protect. After bathing, you should towel dry your dog’s coat. It’s important that you don’t use a hairdryer on them.
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Easy Groom Conditioner[/caption]
Avoid unnecessary bathing
No matter how sensitive and gentle a shampoo you use on your dog, if they are experiencing dry and itchy skin you should try to avoid bathing them too often. Just like with our own skin and hair, this can cause it to dry out more and over-shampooing can strip the coat of natural oils. If you’re dog’s odour is an issue, instead of bathing them you can use a spray or cologne such as the
Wahl Pear Professional Pet Cologne. This contains Aloe Vera Extract, perfect for sensitive or dry skin. If your dog requires a quick clean-up, such as muddy paws or face, you can use
Wahl Coconut Lime Verbena Dog Cleaning Wipes. They’re made from natural plant derived cleansers, with a gentle alcohol-free formula.
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Professional Pet Cologne - Pear[/caption]
Brush them regularly
To prevent a build-up of dead skin cells, you should brush your dog’s coat regularly. The best type of brush to use will depend on the coat type and thickness. A thick or long coat may require a comb or brush with longer teeth. The
Wahl Grooming Comb has fine, stainless steel teeth that reach to the root of your dog’s coat to comb out any mats, tangles and debris. For shorter, finer coats we would recommend the
Wahl Double Sided Soft Brush. One side has ball point bristles, which are gentle on the skin and provides a soothing massage as it works through the coat to remove and dirt and loose hair. On the other side, the brush has soft nylon bristles that will remove finer dirt and flakes.
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Double Sided Soft Brush[/caption]