Emersyn has recently developed dandruff and I wanted to see what you all have done to manage this, if you've experienced it. I don't bathe her frequently, but she has had 3 baths since I got her last month. We've played in the mud a bit, which required a bath after. She sticks her head in the shower every time I am in there, but not her entire body. I do use the heat in my apartment and it has been very cold outside. I just started using coconut oil in her food. I use it on myself and found that it is also great for pups and their coat. I did switch her food per my Vet's suggestion. She is now (past 3 days) eating Performatrin Ultra Grain Free Large Breed Puppy formula. The dandruff started showing about a week ago. I am open to suggestions!
I'd probably stop the bathing and only do it if she's rolled in something awful Three baths in one month is quite a lot. Having the heating on is no doubt a factor too if it's drying out the air a bit but you can't do much about that (other than getting a humidifier or something...). No point in freezing! Having enough fat in the diet helps I think. We use fish oil in the form of sardines and we feed raw meaty bones which have a bit of fat in them. Does she have the dandruff continuously or does it appear only in some situations? Some dogs suddenly show dandruff in new or stressful environments.
I don't bath my pup even when she's rolled in something horrible. I don't know the facts but I think bathing can harm their natural oils. My pup rolled in something the other day and I just cleaned and then brushed the area affected, rather than her whole body. Stank for a day and now is fine. I guess heating doesn't help but, like Rachael says, you need to keep warm. I too feed sardines at mealtimes. Do you think some brushing/grooming would help?
I don't know how it would work for a puppy, but for my adult dog a combo of sardines and a oil (olive/flax seed/omega 3) seemed to do the trick. Adding oil (like you've already done with coconut oil) does take a bit of time to help with winter dandruff, so you may yet see improvement from that if you've just started it. I gave my dog more baths than seems to be popular here on the Forum and his skin/coat seemed healthier with regular bathing, but he was also a different breed. It may be that Labs are more sensitive to frequent bathing. Or that Rottweilers are just stinkier.
The vets in my area advise bathing for itchy skin. One vet said they've changed their opinion, that itchy skin has higher fungal load and bathing with the appropriate shampoo reduces the fungal load and removes environmental allergens. I know with Snowie, after a bath, he is relaxed and less itchy. He doesn't have dandruff (gets oils added to his raw diet - salmon oil, coconut, butter) but unfortunately is itchy. I must confess I don't bath him as often as I'd like to cos he's a pain to bath, not cooperative! But he does dip in the pool twice a day (fresh pond water, no chlorine).
No baths, ever. They strip the natural oils, which keep the dogs skin supple and stinkyness away. We get mud off by hosing them down and use Cowboy Magic for any stinky smells they roll in. Guide Dogs ask us not to bath their dogs at all - the only exception being if they have been given special shampoo by the vets for a specific condition. We give ours salmon oil - a little on each meal.
Salmon oil user here, too. Willow can suffer from flaky skin, and a good old glug of salmon oil once a day stopped it completely, except for when she gets stressed or with changes of environment, such as coming home to Andorra, where it's high altitude and low humidity, after being in the UK for two months (sea level, high humidity). She's also on a salmon-based food. Look up the dosages because there is a maximum amount that a dog can have.
I have an almost 11 year old and a 6 year old and neither has ever had a bath! A good drop of rain or a dip in a pond is sufficient and a brush and comb twice a week or more or less. Mine have Yemaga Oil from Lintbells and have glossy coats.
I think dogs get smelly when they chew themselves. If they don't chew, I don't notice a smell. If Snowie is particularly itchy and chewy then the only remedy is a shampoo; no amount of swimming will do the trick unfortunately. But I must say that when he has been in a mountain pool (and hasn't been chewing himself) - fresh sparkling mountain water - he comes out whiter than white and his fur feels marvelous.
My dogs have never had a bath in their lives. If they're really muddy they get a rinse down with water and a quick rub dry. They have 15ml ofor salmon oil added to their dinner to help maintain a nice glossy coat.
@Jyssica if you're interested in the Fish4Dogs Salmon Oil it is usually cheaper direct from the manufacturer rather than from Amazon who also stock it or Pets at Home who also stock on their website
I don't enjoy the natural "lab" smell like some others & Duncan isn't allowed in our bed, but he is allowed on our couches so when he smells... our furniture starts smelling too and I am a clean freak so there is nothing worse to me than walking into our condo and having it smell like dog The vets here have all advised me it is fine to bathe him (especially when he has allergies in the spring and summer) but to try not to do it more than one time per month or once every 6 weeks -- he smells great for about a week or so after we bathe him and then he starts to get the stinky boy lab smell again!! haha Sooo we don't bathe him more than once a month/6weeks but in between baths we use a dry shampoo/puppy deodorizer spray that the vet showed me and brush him & we give him salmon oil that is in a pump bottle and put it into one meal per day and his skin and coat is super shiny and gorgeous!! He swims frequently in the spring and summer in the lake and gets allergies so he feels much better after being bathed and I haven't noticed it effecting his skin or coat at all bathing him once every 4-6 weeks - Do also make sure you are using dog shampoo and not just anything to wash him!
Charlie has never had a bath and he is 6 years old, he gets a spot wash with Animalogic Fox Poo Shampoo if he does a roll in something yukky but that's it. My dogs get a tin each of sardines in olive oil 2/3 times a week, also raw meaty bones, chicken wings etc. Over bathing a dog is bad for it's skin and will only make the smell and flaky skin worse as you are stripping their natural oils. If possible a good dip in a river helps and also I find getting soaked in a good down pour of rain does wonder for their coats making them very soft
Does anyone know if this is a Lab thing not bathing your dog or just something that I'm behind the times on? I can't imagine never bathing my dog, but I'm really intrigued that so many people here don't and get along just fine. I used to give Brogan a bath every Saturday morning like clockwork. I was taught in service dog school that 's just what you do - if you are going to take your dog in to a grocery store or other places where dogs usually aren't allowed, your SD dog should be clean and that meant bathing. When we started traveling full time together I stopped the weekly baths, mainly because we were in places that weren't easy to bathe him in (flats with tiny showers, for example). It could have been for other environmental reasons, but he definitely had more skin issues when the weekly baths became more rare. My German vet told me to bath him 1-2 times a week during allergy season and it did seem to help clear up irritations faster and make him more comfortable with the allergy itchiness.
