I have a 2 year old silver chocolate lab who tends to get bad dandruff and dry skin when it starts getting cold. Right now it is summer so its not so bad but I wanted to see if there was something I could do or feed to prepare. Right now I feed nature's recipe healthy skin 2x's aday. On his dinner he gets a little olive oil and his favorite day is egg Friday, because that is when he gets his raw egg on his dry food. He gets a bath probrobly every other week in the summer, and maybe once a month in the winter.

I am open to any suggestions.

Promoting healthy skin in your dog can be accomplished by adding cooked veggies to his meal such as carrots, brocoli (the stalks cooked down) save them when you cook veggies. I save everything, carrot ends, brocolli ends, cabbage ends and tthrow them in a pot and cook till tender and add them a bit at a time to my dog's meal plus a tbs of veg oil. I have never seen any dandruff.

Your lab should not be displaying any dandruff and I think you are bathing too much. A good swim would be better for him so he can please you and display his prowess in the water. They love a good swim !

Tick

He gets plenty of fresh veggies like carrots, apples, cucumbers and tomatoes(most of which he picks from our garden when we are not looking) and as for the swimming he does a lot of that. But in the winter that is not possible, right now his skin is fine. Just trying to get some info before it turns cold.

Then,. he doesn't really need a bath once a month in the winter time. If you do, then make sure it's a well fortified doggy shampoo with conditioners. Or, take him to the groomer and tell them he has a dandruff problem so they use the proper shampoo.

Ideas okay then you got them.

Tick

Instead of olive oil, try a little fish oil. You may only need to give him a couple of sardines every other Friday instead of egg. Fish oils have worked for us for decades, and nothing shows dandruff like the short coat on a black Dobie.

Thanks catsmine, where can you get the fish oil and is there any special kind? This may sound weird, but when he gets wet, does the fish oil have a smell that will leach out through his skin?

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Originally Posted by 2labsmom

thanks catsmine, where can you get the fish oil and is there any special kind? this may sound weird, but when he gets wet, does the fish oil have a smell that will leach out through his skin?

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No smell, unless you do the sardines, then it's his breath. Doggy toothbrushes help, like milk bone or rawhide strips. Wet dog smell is not affected by anything, make that ANYTHING.

Fish oils are available in the Oriental foods section, at the health food store, or the pharmacy.

Hey there my chocolate lab used to get bad dandruff too, try getting some medicated shampoo from any good pet supply store, its not very expensive but can work a treat. I would suggest giving rawhide as I have found with most dogs it van give them terrible gas

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Originally Posted by little_n_lost

Hey there my chocolate lab used to get bad dandruff too, try getting some medicated shampoo from any good pet supply store, its not very expensive but can work a treat. I would suggest giving rawhide as i hav found with most dogs it van give them terrible gas

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Tried the medicated shampoo but it made him itch. And rawhides are a no no in our house since he choked on one as a puppy, but thank you

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Originally Posted by 2labsmom

tried the medicated shampoo but it made him itch. and rawhides are a no no in our house since he choked on one as a puppy, but thank you

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A good doggie treat/toothbrush:Peanut Butter Dog Treat Recipe Will Have Your Dog Smiling

Actually rawhide is vcery bad for dogs.
If they eat is too fast it can actually form a ball in the dogs stomach cauding blockages.

Rawhide treats should only ever be given in 5-10 minute sittings and always supervised to make sure they are only chewing on it and not eating large chunks.

Bathing a Lab once a month is far too much. If they have a good diet they should rarely if ever need bathing (unless they are actually dirty)
Just a good brush every day or even once a week will promote healthy skin as well as brush out any loose dirt and dust they have accumulated.

The biggest reason for the winter baths is that he jumps in the tub because he likes bath time, but I guess he'll just have to dream about it. (when he sleeps sometimes he starts moving his legs like he's dreaming he's swimming) soooo cute

Perhaps you could compromise with him...

Just fill the tub up about an inch or two with warm water, no shampoo and let him splash about.

Here I was expecting to get chewed on about milk bone and the rawhide gets all the flak. I use neither. I get (believe it or not) Hartz chew sticks. The pup loves them, they dissolve completely in the stomach, and they're only 5inches (11cm) long. They really do keep her teeth clean.