I have recently acquired a dog with a very poor coat how can i repair it?

Question

I recently acquired an obviously neglected dog he is a yorkie crossed with a lhasa apso I am told, I am also told he is only about 6 - 9 months old he was wormed and treated for fleas both of which he had severly. Anyways with his two breeds I would think he would have a beautiful coat but it is short and very thin and almost wirey. I am looking for any suggestions on how to help him out, seeing him the way he is (way under nourished) breaks my heart.

Answer 1

A dog who is under nourished, has had fleas and worms cannot be expected to have a beautiful coat.

As his health and nutrition improve so will the coat.

Go the the link below to learn the basics of dog nutrition.

http://www.dogster.com/dog-food/how-to-choose-a-healthy-dog-food

Feed raw, home cooked or select a 5 or 6 star food at

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/

Groom at home several times per week.

Bathe no more than once a month. Less if not needed.

Use a shampoo with natural ingredients.

Chemicals and additives increase the likelihood of skin reactions, allergies and possibly cancer later in life.

Nupro is a good supplement for coat improvement.

Grizzly salmon oil is also good because most dry dog food does not contain enough omega 3.

The improvement you see in a few months is an indication that he is healthier on the inside too.

Answer 2

Launi, have I mentioned I love your thought-inducing questions? Anyway... As someone has already stated, a dog can have the *desire* to go after a ball, but not be crazy and *have* to go get the ball (or rabbit/bird/cat/other dog). For instance, my dog has an extremely high, HIGH, prey drive. Although he can easily ignore a ball if I say "leave it", I would NEVER chance him leaving a cat alone if it was right there in front of him. A stupid cat walking right in front of him? Are you kidding? He wouldn't miss out on that sort of opportunity. Needless to say, he would never be a good working dog without using harsher methods than I use (as you know, I'm not fond of electric collars or sort of prong/choke collar, and the only time I ever need to get physical is if he's completely wound up, which would be my fault for allowing him to get so high-strung in the first place) Looking at his genetics, I would definitely assume that his drive cannot be *trained* out of him completely. But, as I've said before, he's good at ignoring rabbits, other dogs, squirrels, tennis balls, food... for whatever reason, he seems to ignore me completely if there's a cat. Hence why I'm very vigilant when we're on walks and I make sure he never comes across a cat. Now, I'm a very big on the idea that you can train a dog that was genetically designed to attack and kill, to then ignore them. For instance, dogs who were bred for fighting in the pits. If you have the time, money, and resources, it's possible. That being said, I'm not ignorant enough to believe that you could ever trust them alone. Any dog that was raised to fight should never be in a household with other pets or small children, even if they've gone through time-consuming training. That's just putting too much pressure on both the humans and the dog. Why do I always get off-track? Argh... What I'm basically saying is, no, genetic drive cannot be suppressed forever, 100%. Maybe you can train the dog 80%, 90%, 95%, but if it's in the dog's DNA, you can't CHANGE it, you can only try to show the dog that the behavior is undesirable. And, again using fighting dogs as example, not all of them can be re-trained. Some of them truly are lost causes, and there's just no chance in hell, heaven, earth, whatever you wanna believe in, that the dog will ever be able to ignore something it wants. Like Lobo and cats. I've accepted that, and so, I just keep him away from cats. I think it would be possible to train the dog to fetch again, obviously by rewarding any time the dog went out to get the ball/toy and brought it back again. That would tell the dog that the behavior is desirable, so he/she would be more likely to do it again. But, he may/may not be happy about it. xo VIE xo

Answer 3

Take it to the vet in case there are any genuine skin problems or diseases, and then feed the dog high quality food and be patient. I have a dog who came to me with skin in appalling condition with sores and mange and some hair loss, even a few bald patches. It took about a year altogether but with proper care his coat grew in thick and fluffy and his skin is now in perfect condition. Some gentle grooming a few times a week is good too, give him a bath with a good dog shampoo but don't bathe too often. Once a month is more than enough for most dogs. Food allergies are a possibility with skin and coat problems so to be on the safe side, choose a hypoallergenic food. Mine get a fish and potato based dry food with a bit of canned salmon, occasionally some olive oil, and they both have beautiful coats.

Answer 4

I cannot recommend feeding any of the commercial varieties of meat-flavored baked paste with chemicals added. Instead, why not feed your dog actual food? The dog’s natural diet is raw meat on the bone. Try it. The dog will love it, the diet will help him teethe properly as a pup, satisfy his lifelong need to chew, keep his teeth clean and his feces innocuous.



http://www.rawmeatybones.com

http://www.rawfed.com

http://www.rawfeddogs.net

http://www.rawfeeding.net

http://www.barxx.com

http://www.rawlearning.com

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/groups.rawfeeding/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stZCSUJa4EU&NR=1/





The basic idea is to approximate a wild diet as closely as possible; raw meat on the bone and small amounts of organ meat [liver is most important, but also kidneys, pancreas, spleen, lungs and what is called green tripe]. Amount to feed is calculated as 2-3% of the dog's ideal adult body weight. Your veterinarian can help you estimate that; then you just do the math. You don’t have to be exact; all amounts are to be averaged over a week or two. Dogs [not toys or puppies] that get big, complicated meals sometimes will eat for two days and then not again for five. All perfectly normal.



Most raw feeders that I've read have started their dogs on chicken: it is readily available and inexpensive, plus it is antibiotic- and hormone-free. The fat content is easy to control.



No grain, vegetable or fruit is a significant part of a grey wolf's diet. Dogs are genetically grey wolves.





Also, note that Lhasa Apso is not supposed to have a soft and silky coat: it's supposed to be harsh to the touch. Since your pup is a mix, you can't predict which breeds' coat he'll get.

Answer 5

don't feed a raw egg more than once a week. A good quality food is your best bet. Look for one that has no wheat, no corn, and no by-product meal. You can buy oil supplements to put on the dogs food as well. Bio-fat I think is the one for skin and coat. A raw diet is your best bet, which is what i feed, but you do need to do your research. That being said, your dog sounds pretty small, and wouldn't require much food if fed raw. you could probably afford the pre-made raw patties which are nutritionally balanced, without too much strain on your pocket book. Nature's Variety and Urban Carnivore are a couple of examples of this type of raw food. If you're going to prepare your own food, it is vital you do your research to ensure that you are providing the correct ratio of meat, bone, organ meat and veggies.



good luck!

Answer 6

Go to a reputable dog place that sells high grade food. Consult with him/her and they will tell you what would be appropriate since they are the experts. Good nutrition is very important not only for your dogs coat but overall well being. The dog will have smaller stools because the food is absorbed and not just "crapped" out. You will have smaller vet bills because it has been proven a better diet is healthier more ways than you can imagine. My dog is from a shelter and about 4 yrs old but he love Canidae no grain food and his all time favorite is Instinct no grain rabbit. Good luck I am sure you and your dog will be best friends.

Answer 7

Coat factor is hereditary. Feeding good quality food will give him a better looking coat and may repair the damage poor feeding and fleas have done but it won't change the length. Try some fish oil in the food like Salmon oil or olive oil on the food.

Answer 8

Since he's a mixed breed, he could have another terrier other than yorkshire terrier in his heritage. Cairns, westies, jacks, and dachshunds can all have wirehaired coats, with coarse hairs. Since he's young and possibly malnourished, he wouldn't have a full coat yet anyway. Even thin, underweight puppies have a fluffy, lightweight "fresh" coat, not short or thin, that doesn't yet have an undercoat. I'd consider he may have other breeds in his blood that are contributing to his coat type.



Omega 3 fatty acids, B vitamins, and protein are all big factors in coat and skin health. Additionally, these are major contributors to appropriate growth and development as well. You can supplement his diet with fish oil capsules to ensure he gets enough DHA and EPA, the essential omega 3 f.a.'s, unless you feed a diet already rich in these essential fatty acids. Ensure his diet is high in protein and fat and low in carbohydrate. Natura's EVO is formulated for adults and puppies, and meets the criteria for a growing puppy. Poultry, fish and red meat options are available as dry diet, as well as canned meat sources that are 95% meat, such as the beef, chicken/turkey, venison, or duck.



Natura was first to recognize the high protein needs of our carnivorous pets, and EVO was the first low/no grain diet available to pet owners. Natura safely manufactures their diets to high standards of quality control and doesn't over-bake and destroy nutrients. EVO has the highest calories per cup, so less is fed and the diet is more cost effective than the competing high protein diets, such as Diamond's Taste of the Wild, Merrick's Before Grain, and Champion Pet Foods' Orijen.

Answer 9

A ray egg over his dog food make very shiny coat do daily

Answer 10

Feed him a raw food diet or a better food.

Answer 11

Good food, good grooming and time