My puppy's coat is dry after a bath. How can I make it slicky again?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Dante. He is in a great diet. I recommend using a shampoo and cream rinse approved for use in puppies only as puppies have sensitive skin. A fatty acid or oatmeal based formula is most moisturizing. If his coat quality does not improve though, he will need to see a veterinarian. I hope this information helps!

Baby shampoos do tend to be fairly gentle for puppies, but any dog can be sensitive to any shampoo and it’s possible that it caused irritation or dried his skin out more. You may want to see if your vet carries a dog specific shampoo like Dermallay or HyLyt. It is common for young puppies to have dryer skin and act itchy, and most outgrow it within a few months. If he has developed skin wounds I’d recommend rechecking with your vet to make sure he doesn’t have a skin infection or parasites that weren’t obvious on his previous exam.

I wouldn't bathe Griffin again even with a soothing shampoo as that will likely just dry out the skin more. Giving some time for the body's natural oils to return is best. You can use vitamin E or fish oils as a supplement to help with skin dryness, as well as making sure you don't bathe Griffin more than every 2-3 weeks. If he gets dirty in between, pet or baby wipes can remove dirt without irritation to the skin.

I would recommend bathing him every 2-4 weeks as needed to prevent overdrying of the skin. An oatmeal based puppy shampoo is great to use. Then in between baths you can use puppy wipes which are found at your local pet store. This works wel to my overdry your pet but also keep him smelling fresh. : ) I hope this helps!

Bathing too often does lead to the coat drying out. You can try supplement him with fish oil tablets to see if that helps. For every 30 pounds of body weight, give Sherlock 1,000 mg fish oil containing 300 mg of EPA/DHA combined. You can try using a moisturizing shampoo for when he gets really dirty, but if he's not very dirty after a visit to the stables, just rinse him instead of bathing him. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

I would advise trying an oatmeal bath to calm his skin, or perhaps a soothing gentle baby shampoo. Then try not to bathe him very frequently. Baths generally should be done infrequently as they remove the natural oils In a dogs skin which keep it healthy. Here are a few more tips for healthy skin and coats: Healthy premium dog food Fish oil supplements Infrequent bathing Flea prevention Here are some excellent resources to help as well; https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-ways-to-improve-your-dog-s-skin-coat/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-prevent-itching-in-pets/ If Bocephus is very itchy you may try some Benadryl as some pet owners find this helpful. Here is a link in using Benadryl for allergic reactions; https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-human-medications-that-are-sometimes-safe-for-sick-pets/

I recommend brushing him daily to get rid of the dry skin. That will help stimulate the skin and get the coat shiny. Adding a skin vitamin supplement will help prevent dry skin in the future. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Zeke.