If you want to know if your dog is healthy and strong, you need to check his coat. If it’s shiny and soft, without any knots, that means your furry friend is in good health. The question that comes naturally is: how do you make your dog’s hair shiny? We asked Luca, a groomer and owner of the Laval Dog Grooming Centre in Vicenza!
Each breed has a different type of coat. Some are long-haired, some are short-haired, some are smooth and some are curly. However, there are a few basic rules that always need to be followed if our goal is to ensure that our four-legged friend has a lovely, shiny coat.
1. Brush your dog’s coat
It’s no secret that, if you want your dog to have a wonderful coat, it’s essential to brush it frequently in order to remove excess hair and dirt and prevent unsightly knots from forming. If Fido has long hair, a double-sided brush is ideal, with hard stainless steel needles that have rounded tips on one side, which will not irritate the skin or cause your pet any discomfort, and polyamide bristles with restructuring qualities on the other, to make your dog’s coat shiny and soft. Short-haired dogs can be brushed every two days, with a simple bristle brush, like that of Ferplast’s new Grooming Premium range. The ergonomic rubber handle ensures a firm grip, so that even your children can help take care of your furry friend! With curly-haired dogs, a spray to untangle any knots can make the process gentler, as it will help bring any knots to the surface during brushing.
2. Diet
Nutrition plays a crucial role in the quality of your dog’s hair. His hair does not become shiny on its own but it is the result of small sebaceous secretions. Therefore, you need to provide your dog food that will stimulate the renewal of your his fur and especially the secretion of the glands attached to the hair bulb.
If, for example, your four-legged friend is missing the right amount of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, he will have dry, red and often scaly skin, and his hair will look unattractive. You can add a small amount of vegetable oil to your pet’s food or you can purchase special dry food. Always ask your vet for advice.
3. Washing
Washing your dog is a good idea, as it will make his coat shiny: the ideal washing frequency for large dogs with a smooth coat (Golden Retrievers, Labradors, German Shepherds and Shepherds in general) is once every two months if they live indoors or once per season if they live outside. Thorough drying is very important to prevent bad smells and to avoid fungus infections or other skin diseases. Washing may also be done on a weekly basis if your dog has some kind of skin disorder.
Specially developed products and shampoos for pets and for the different types of hair must be used. Remember not to wash your furry friend too often, otherwise you will be limiting the regeneration of sebum between one wash and the next, thus affecting the skin’s physiological balance. Also brush your dog well after washing, to remove any soap residue, which would make his coat look dull.