Video:How to Care for a Dog's Coat

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Transcript:How to Care for a Dog's Coat

Hi, I'm Janet Tobiassen-Crosby, the Guide for veterinary medicine at About.com. Today I'm going to show you how to take care of a dog's coat.

Different Dog Coats

Dogs are unique in that they vary in sizes and various coat types. They have everything from wire, to hairless, to double coat to single coated. To get very specific advice, please check with a professional groomer for the best care for your dogs coat.

Poor Coat Condition

Today I am going to talk about coat care for all dogs in general, with proper nutrition and regular grooming. A dog with a poor coat condition will often show as dull, brittle, broken off hairs, or even bald spots, you may find fleas or ticks, itching scratching, redness, these are indications of poor coat health. It can be from nutrition or parasites, or just lack of cleanliness.

The first thing you need to do is check with your veterinarian. It may be a medical or parasite condition that needs to be treated first.

Healthy Dog Coats

The signs of a healthy coat are gloss and flowing, light, not matted, these are the things we are striving for, for proper care of our dogs. Keeping good care of your dogs coat enhances overall health.

Nutrition and Dog Fur

Good nutrition is very important for your dog's coat. Basically, you get what you pay for. So the best food you can afford to buy will be better in the long run for the overall health and for the condition of the dog's coat.

Shampooing a Dog's Coat

A good place to start is with a gentle dog approved shampoo. Shampooing for regular maintenance, unless directed by your veterinarian, should be about once a month. Any more than that will dry out your dogs skin and coat - same with flea shampoos and tick shampoos. They're incredibly drying, and more is not better.

Brushing a Dog's Coat

The type of coat your dog has will determine the kind of tools you need. A heavy coated dog may have two coats: an under coat and an outer coat. In that case, you'll need at least two brushes - one to pull out that under hair and one to slick the overcoat.

A shorter coated dog, such as a greyhound, will need just simple brushing kind of mitts to keep the coat slick.

The Importance of Brushing

Brushing in general for all coat types will stimulate the oil glands and add nice gloss to your dog's coat. It will also allow you to daily check your dog for any kind of parasite conditions, wounds, or skin conditions.

Dogs and Shedding

Dogs shed seasonally, especially the heavy coated breads. But like humans they're shedding hair all the time. Regular brushing will enhance your bond with your dog, will also keep the coat glossy, and prevent mats from forming.

Mats in Dog Fur

Mats can be a medical condition by themselves, causing skin irritation, sometimes even pain. So staying on top of grooming is very critical to the overall health of your dog.

Thanks for watching. To learn more please visit us on the web at about.com.