Shampoo/conditioner/treatment Recs For Coarse Coat?

[Georgie-boy]

Hi all.

My boy is 4 1/2 years old and has a rather difficult coat to maintain. It has, over the years, become a lot thicker and coarser than it used to be - he does naturally have a rather thick coat though. It also has flyaway bits and is just generally a bit of a mess. I have tried a few of the commercial brands of shampoos and conditioners in the hope that one might be suitable but unfortunately, to date, nothing has had much success.

I have tried:

* Aloveen both the shampoo and conditioner and the conditioner as both leave in and wash out.

* Squirt sensitive skin shampoo & conditioner.

* Squirt leave in detangler.

* Dermcare Natural shampoo.

* PAW sensitive skin shampoo.

* PAW sensitive coat treatment.

* Dermaleen.

* Fidos - can't recall which one specifically.

He also has seasonal skin issues which I manage without medication, so I try to buy only shampoos and conditioners that are suitable for sensitive skins.

My question is - is there a particular shampoo, conditioner and/or leave in treatment/spray that you would recommend to help make his coat less harsh?? There are so many "show quality" ones around that I am loathe to just start buying them and experimenting and I get confused reading about them. Some advice from people who have actually used them would be nice.

I am not expecting miracle results and nor do I think his coat will ever be as it was but I would like to be able to groom him without him hating it - he used to love it.

Thanks in advance.

[royalla]

you could try this i use it on my dogs all the time and it makes their coats very soft, it is a natural flea repelant but i use it more as a conditioner.

add two tablespoons of dried mint and one tablespoon of dried rosemary to 2 litres of water and bring to boil let cool over night then add one more lite of water strain into milk bottles to store. now wash your dog in a safe dog shampoo as normal but while he is still wet add about 1 litre of mint wash to a bucket and use a rag or sponge to sponge mint wash all over dog do not rinse of but leave him to dry naturaly and his coat will be very soft and shiney. now i use this on my shi tzu and on my koolies, but pleased be warned have a block of choolate or a roast lamb ready for you to eat after as the smell of the mint will cause cravings lol

you can store left over mint wash up to four weeks in a dark cool place or in your fridge just remember if stored in fridge please take out the day before you plan to wash your dog.

Hi all.

My boy is 4 1/2 years old and has a rather difficult coat to maintain. It has, over the years, become a lot thicker and coarser than it used to be - he does naturally have a rather thick coat though. It also has flyaway bits and is just generally a bit of a mess. I have tried a few of the commercial brands of shampoos and conditioners in the hope that one might be suitable but unfortunately, to date, nothing has had much success.

I have tried:

* Aloveen both the shampoo and conditioner and the conditioner as both leave in and wash out.

* Squirt sensitive skin shampoo & conditioner.

* Squirt leave in detangler.

* Dermcare Natural shampoo.

* PAW sensitive skin shampoo.

* PAW sensitive coat treatment.

* Dermaleen.

* Fidos - can't recall which one specifically.

He also has seasonal skin issues which I manage without medication, so I try to buy only shampoos and conditioners that are suitable for sensitive skins.

My question is - is there a particular shampoo, conditioner and/or leave in treatment/spray that you would recommend to help make his coat less harsh?? There are so many "show quality" ones around that I am loathe to just start buying them and experimenting and I get confused reading about them. Some advice from people who have actually used them would be nice.

I am not expecting miracle results and nor do I think his coat will ever be as it was but I would like to be able to groom him without him hating it - he used to love it.

Thanks in advance.

[oakway]

What do you feed your dog ?. Sometimes coat problems can come from what you feed.

Make sure the dog is getting all the omega oils. A vitamin supplement might help also.

[poodlefan]

Quite a few DOLers have been recommending the Evening Primrose Oil Shampoo from here for dryer coats/itchy skin.

I would also recommend you review your dog's diet to ensure he's getting plenty of Omega oils.

Has he been clipped?

Edited September 15, 2008 by poodlefan

[Georgie-boy]

Quite a few DOLers have been recommending the Evening Primrose Oil Shampoo from here for dryer coats/itchy skin.

I would also recommend you review your dog's diet to ensure he's getting plenty of Omega oils.

Has he been clipped?

Thanks! IMO his diet is not the issue - having a dog with ongoing skin issues, I am aware of his triggers and the need for supplements etc and he does get enough Omega 3, 6 & 9's plus raw food etc. I know diet can play a huge part but my girl, who is on the exact same diet has not got the same problems.

Yep he has been clipped - at least twice and both times I specifically requested them NOT to clip him. I was not impressed and TBH I believe that it was after the 2nd clip that his coat really deteriorated.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions so far - much appreciated.

[poodlefan]

Quite a few DOLers have been recommending the Evening Primrose Oil Shampoo from here for dryer coats/itchy skin.

I would also recommend you review your dog's diet to ensure he's getting plenty of Omega oils.

Has he been clipped?

Thanks! IMO his diet is not the issue - having a dog with ongoing skin issues, I am aware of his triggers and the need for supplements etc and he does get enough Omega 3, 6 & 9's plus raw food etc. I know diet can play a huge part but my girl, who is on the exact same diet has not got the same problems.

Yep he has been clipped - at least twice and both times I specifically requested them NOT to clip him. I was not impressed and TBH I believe that it was after the 2nd clip that his coat really deteriorated.

Diet can be a very individual thing.. dogs don't have the same allergies. Does his diet currently contain gluten? If it does, I'd suggest ditching it.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions so far - much appreciated.

I think the clipping is at the root of the problem.. I suggest you consider investing in a Coat King to strip out some of the hair.. it should make the coat lie much flatter.

Any reason why you can't groom him yourself? Sure beats groomers buggering up your dog's coat.

Dogs don't necessarily all do well on the same diet. He may have food sensitivities that your girl doesn't have. If there is any gluten in his diet, I'd be suggesting you eliminate it to see if that makes any difference.

Edited September 15, 2008 by poodlefan

[Georgie-boy]

I think the clipping is at the root of the problem.. I suggest you consider investing in a Coat King to strip out some of the hair.. it should make the coat lie much flatter.

Any reason why you can't groom him yourself? Sure beats groomers buggering up your dog's coat.

Dogs don't necessarily all do well on the same diet. He may have food sensitivities that your girl doesn't have. If there is any gluten in his diet, I'd be suggesting you eliminate it to see if that makes any difference.

I do groom them both myself - the 2 times he went to the groomer (2 different groomers I might add) was when I had a knee operation and was out of action for a while. I much prefer doing them myself for the exact reason you mentioned.

I have a Coat King and a Furminator (which I don't like) and at the moment I am using the CK every fortnight to get rid of some of the winter undercoat. My one problem with that is when do you stop? I can go for ages and still have more to come...

I understand that each dog metabolises differently - I have done the no gluten, no carbs, protein specific etc etc diet - his diet was the first thing I looked at when the skin issues began. I appreciate your advice though.

[Dogsfevr]

cavies coat shed all the time so you never stop & if the coat has been clipped then you would have more undercoat than normal.Dont over do the CK though as it can cut the coat when done too much.

We use heads & shoulders for humans with great results

[Clyde]

Plush Puppy Blow Dry cream

[Crisovar]

PP Silk Protein Conditioner is good too!

[puggy_puggy]

When I was feeding dry food my boy pug had terrible skin and a short dry coarse hair, my pug girl however was fine.

I changed to BARF feeding and my boys horrible yeasty itchie skin is nearly completely back to normal and his hair has changed to be much softer and longer.

Maybe you should try cutting all grains out of his food and see if this makes a difference.

I also use the EPO shampoo as listed above.

[westiemum]

Yep another EPO Shampoo fan here - used it with my foster and his terrible coat earlier in the year and it made a huge difference. Still use it with my westies.

Good luck.

Cheers,

Westiemum

[Georgie-boy]

Sincere thanks to everyone! I'll definately be looking into those products mentioned. I have heard of the Plush Puppy brand before but didn't know anyone that used it so was a little hesitant to buy it. Really appreciate you all taking the time!