Hi there! I’m Goldie, and I’m a cocker spaniel. My breed is notorious for our beautiful, long, shiny coats that we have even when we’re puppies. But don’t think that it’s easy to be this beautiful, it takes a lot of care to look this good!
Today, I’m going to give you some tips on how to take care of puppy hair so that your young pup will grow up with a beautiful, shiny puppy coat.
Tips for Taking Care of Puppy Hair
An important part of being a dog owner is keeping your puppy’s coat not only looking and feeling good, but also healthy. There is more that goes into keeping up a puppy’s coat than brushing it and making sure that they bathe from time to time. Puppy fur will also reflect the dog’s overall health, so you have to make sure that your pet is in good shape at all times.
A dog’s health can easily be seen just by looking at its coat, which should always be shiny and clean. To help you out, I’ve detailed some ways to keep your dog’s coat looking groomed and healthy.
Bathe Your Dog
This is the most obvious tip, but also one of the most important one to make sure your puppy’s hair remains neat and shiny. Puppies love playing outside, and with that comes a messy puppy coat.
Now, this doesn’t mean you should bathe your puppy every day, and I’m not saying this because I’m not a fan of bath time. Bathing us too often can actually damage our dog’s coat because it would remove the skin’s natural oils that are essential to our signature sheen.
Bathing once or twice a month should be enough, especially for dogs like me who are homebodies and spend most of our time indoors.
If you want to kick bath time up a notch, try giving your pup an oatmeal bath. An oatmeal bath will not only soothe your puppy’s skin, but it will also maintain his coat’s glow. Dog oatmeal shampoo is generally cheap, and it’s especially good if your dog is scratching himself because of allergies, as the shampoo will relax them and ease the itchiness.
Brushing
We may not need to be bathed every day, but you should try and brush us every day, regardless of your dog’s fur type. There’s a brush out there for every dog breed, so find one that suits your puppy’s hair and make time during the day for a good brush session. I personally love when my owner uses this slicker brush on my long coat.
If your puppy sheds puppy hair a lot, you should also get a deshedding brush to ensure that your dog’s fur doesn’t get matted and always looks well-groomed.
Quality Food
The secret to great puppy hair starts from within. If you want your puppy’s fur to be strong and healthy, make sure that you provide him with a nutritious diet. This means buying good-quality dog food.
When buying dog food for your pup, pay close attention to the ingredients. Here’s a little trick that my owner does: add a teaspoon of vegetable oil to your puppy’s food to give his fur some extra glow.
Both Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids are good for puppy hair and have other great benefits for your dog, so it is great if you can find dog food that has these nutrients. Omega-6 can help fight different types of infections, while Omega-3 can ease any pain they may feel from arthritis and boost your dog’s mood. Omega-3 and Omega-6 should both be given fresh in order to be as effective as possible.
It’s also a good idea to give your puppy some healthy treats. Veggies may not be our favorite, but carrots are healthy and good for your dog’s teeth.
Use Oil Externally
Feeding your dog with a small amount of oil is great for his puppy hair, but you can also use oil externally as well. Coconut is a great oil to use to moisturize your dog’s skin and make your puppy’s coat shinier.
You can add a few drops to our shampoo or use my favorite method and massage your puppy with a small amount every few days. I promise you that he will love you for it.
Supplements
Herbal supplements can soften your dog’s fur and improve the health of his skin. Horsetail and spirulina are really good for us and our coat, but there are other supplements that your dog may benefit from.
If you give your dog supplements such as Omega acid, make sure that you don’t go overboard with the doses, as it could upset your dog’s stomach. Make sure you consult the vet on dosage before giving your puppy any supplements.
Talk to Your Vet
Most of the time, I’m not a big fan of vets, but I will admit that sometimes they give good advice for humans taking care of us dogs, especially if there’s a problem in our health.
If you notice drastic changes in your dog’s adult fur, such as dryness or more shedding than usual, take him to the vet to make sure that everything is OK.
If you notice that your dog is scratching a lot, it could be because of allergies. You want to talk to your vet to find out what the right treatment could be.
Wrap up: Maintain Your Puppy’s Hair
Well, human, I hope you learned everything you need to know about maintaining puppy hair so that your dog can have a coat as beautiful as mine! With proper upkeep through bathing, brushing, a nutritious diet, and supplements as needed, your dog’s impeccable health will be clear through how shiny, long, and soft their coat is, and they will thank you for it!
