Try 5 easy ways to keep your dog’s fur soft and shiny

Keeping your dog clean is a challenge for every dog owner. But if you own a fluffy dog with an undercoat, it’s even trickier.

If you have a dog with a double coat, think Golden or Labrador Retrievers, German or Australian Shepherds, Siberian Huskies, Pembroke Welsh Corgies, Border Collies, Pomeranians, or Shih Tzus, you have a dog who sheds. 

Even if your dog rarely sheds, chances are good you’ll have to cope with a wet dog occasionally.

Whether it’s because you took your dog for a walk in the rain or the dog jumped in the pool, or you needed to bathe your pup, you’ll want to get your dog dry fast. And towels and air drying won’t be good enough. 

To protect your dog’s skin and coat, you need to use a dog hair dryer to speed up the drying time. 

Using a pet hair dryer is one of our five tips for how you can keep your fluffy dog’s coat smooth and shiny. Read on to learn more.

Brush regularly

First, with a fluffy dog, it’s crucial to brush your dog’s fur regularly. In addition to keeping your dog’s skin and coat healthy, it also helps reduce odor and keep your dog clean.

Regular brushing and an undercoat rake help remove loose hair and eliminate other things like dirt, grass, twigs, or leaves that might stick to your dog’s coat. 

Brushing also stimulates your dog’s skin surface and helps distribute natural oils to your dog’s skin and hair. That helps reduce the risk of itchy dry patches and hair snarls or tangles.

Routine brushing lets you inspect your dog for any bumps, bruises, or injuries. When you know your dog’s body, you’ll be more likely to spot any abnormalities, which can help you get a diagnosis early if you spot a problem.

Choose the right shampoo

Most dogs need a bath every six to eight weeks. Some can go longer, while others who spend more time outdoors may need baths more often. 

No matter how often you bathe your dog, you want to choose a shampoo that won’t irritate or dry out your dog’s skin. 

Because their noses are so powerful, most dogs dislike strongly scented products, so choose something either scent-free or with limited scent. 

Even if you only need to bathe your dog every three months, you want to choose a gentle shampoo. If you have a dog with dry skin, consider using a shampoo that includes any of these ingredients: oatmeal, vitamin E, aloe, coconut oil, jojoba oil, basil, turmeric, or tea tree oil.

Whatever you do, don’t use human shampoo or body wash on your pup. Be sure to buy products formulated for dogs. 

Use a dog blow dryer

Air drying your dog can take hours. Not only is that wet dog smell annoying, but leaving your dog’s hair wet for extended periods can be dangerous.

Air drying can let fungus grow between paw pads, cause skin hot spots, or cause the hair to get matted or even dirty if you have to let a wet dog outside to go potty. Dogs don’t like to be damp and may be unable to resist rolling in the grass. If that happens, you just eliminated any bath benefits.

Drying your dog using a dog dryer like the Uahpet Fluffy-1 Dog Hair Dryer speeds drying time and helps keep your fluffy dog’s coat smooth and soft. 

Reduce drying time

Using pet hair dryers dramatically reduces drying time. Air drying your dog can take hours. But using a Uahpet Fluffy-1 Dog Hair Dryer can cut drying time to 15 to 20 minutes for small and medium dogs with long hair or large dogs with long hair. For large dogs with long hair, the dog dryer’s powerful airflow can dry a big, long-haired dog in 25 to 40 minutes. 

The Uahpet Fluffy-1 Dog Hair Dryer not only dries dog hair quickly, but the dog blow dryer also gives you three-speed settings to provide the right amount of heat and airflow to protect your dog’s sensitive skin. The dryer uses intelligent temperature control to switch between hot and cold air every three seconds to maintain a pet-friendly temperature of about 100 degrees. It is warm but not so hot it will burn or irritate your dog’s skin.

Quiet enough for timid dogs

Unlike the noise a human hair dryer makes, which dogs like about as much as they like to hear the vacuum or lawn mower, the Uahpet dryer is quiet. With a straight duct design, the high-velocity dog dryer is quieter than a typical dog dryer or a human hair dryer. You can use the low-speed setting to dry even timid or apprehensive pets. 

When in use, the puff and fluff pet dryer releases high-concentration negative ions that remove static electricity and make your dog’s hair fluffier, smoother, and shinier.

Styling options

The dryer’s three nozzles give you styling options. You can use the concentrate nozzle to focus airflow on a specific area, while the wide-tooth comb nozzle helps remove knots, tangles, or snarls. The styling nozzle helps spread the negative ions further into your’s fur to make it feel smoother and softer. 

With its nearly 6-foot cord, it’s easy to move around your dog to dry hair quickly.

Bonus, unlike other dryers that look more like a shop-vac, Uahpet’s dryer is small and portable, so you can take it along when traveling with your pet. You can pop it in your backpack or suitcase so you can dry your dog after a swim in a lake or creek. 

Create a healthy diet

To keep your fluffy dog happy and healthy, choose a dog food that includes Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids to reduce or eliminate the risk of itchy skin and dry hair. 

You can also add some human foods to your dog’s diet to help keep its hair smooth and shiny.

Carob

Although carob tastes like chocolate, it doesn’t contain theobromine, which is toxic for dogs. The vitamin E in carob supports skin health. It’s also high in protein and provides antiviral and antibacterial properties. Because carob is bitter, bake it into a homemade dog cake or biscuit. 

Chia

Chia seeds contain a plant-based form of Omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, antioxidants, and other minerals that help keep your dog’s skin healthy. Mix with your dog’s food or add it to any recipe for homemade dog treats.

Coconut

Sprinkle unsweetened coconut on your dog’s food or use it if you bake your dog treats. Coconut contains saturated fats that provide anti-inflammatory benefits and can inhibit bacterial growth.

Cranberries

Cranberries are high in vitamin C and E, plus antioxidants that reduce inflammation. Raw cranberries are so tart most dogs won’t eat them. But you can give your dog a few dried cranberries. Just read the label first to ensure the cranberries don’t include artificial sweeteners like birch sugars or xylitol, which are toxic for dogs. 

Eggs

Just like for humans, eggs help keep skin healthy and hair shiny. Eggs also contain lutein, zinc, and A and B vitamins, which can help repair cell damage and treat allergic reactions and dry skin problems.

Just don’t feed your dog raw eggs. Dogs also can contract salmonella. Instead, scramble an egg (skip the butter and cheese) and add it to your dog’s food.  

Liver

Feeding your dog liver from grass-fed animals like chickens can enhance skin health. High in protein and iron, liver also provides calcium, zinc, and vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, and E. It’s also a good source of folic acid and both Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.

Give your dog raw liver to get the maximum nutritional benefit. Start with small slices to ensure your dog can tolerate it.

Oats

Oats contain calcium, B vitamins, and iron to support healthy skin and hair. Feeding your dog oats helps remove toxins from the gastrointestinal system.

Raw oats can be difficult for dogs to digest, so consider cooking them or adding them to homemade treats.

Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes contain high levels of vitamins A and E and beta-carotene, which help accelerate healing and support collagen production, which helps improve your dog’s skin.

Dogs love sweet potatoes. Some will gnaw on a slice of raw sweet potato, but mix a little baked sweet potato into your dog’s food for a real treat. You can also make sweet potato chips by slicing them into thin pieces, then dry them in your food processor or bake them slowly for a couple of hours on low heat.

Wild salmon

Cooked wild salmon is an excellent source of Omega-3s. It also provides protein and amino acids. You can buy dog food and treats made with salmon or cook some for yourself and give your dog a few bites. 

Add supplements to your dog’s diet

Another option to boost your dog’s diet is adding flaxseed or fish oil to give your dog more omega-3 fatty acids. 

Those acids help relieve itchy or inflamed skin. You can feed your dog capsules or drizzle a little oil on your dog’s food daily. 

Another option if your dog suffers from dry skin, try massaging your dog with coconut oil. 

Keep your fluffy dog’s fur smooth and shiny

Keeping your dog clean and healthy doesn’t have to be complicated. 

Follow our five tips:

• Brush your dog’s coat.
• Bathe it using a gentle shampoo.
• Dry your dog’s fur with a pet hair dryer.
• Boost your dog’s diet with healthy human foods and supplements like fish oil or flaxseed oil.

 And enjoy a dog that smells good and feels soft and smooth.

Sara B. Hansen has spent 20-plus years as a professional editor and writer. She’s also the author of The Complete Guide to Cocker Spaniels. She decided to create her dream job by launching DogsBestLife.com in 2011. Sara grew up with family dogs, and since she bought her first house, she’s had a furry companion or two to help make it a home. She shares her heart and home with Nutmeg, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi. Her previous dogs: Sydney (September 2008-April 2020), Finley (November 1993-January 2008), and Browning (May 1993-November 2007). You can reach Sara @ editor@dogsbestlife.com.