Photo: Unsplash (free licence).
Quick answer: a shiny coat and healthy skin depend on regular brushing, baths with a pet-specific shampoo only when needed, a complete diet and flea and tick protection. Intense itching, bald patches, sores, scabs, bad smell or redness are reasons to see your vet: note down when it started and what has changed.
Basic care routine
- Brushing: short coats, 1–2 times a week; long coats or during moulting, every day.
- Bathing: only when needed, with a dog shampoo (never a human one). Many dogs are fine with a bath every 1–2 months.
- Dry thoroughly after a bath or rain.
- Flea and tick treatment kept up to date: fleas and mites are a common cause of itching.
- Diet: a good-quality complete food provides the fatty acids and nutrients the skin needs.
Tools by coat type
| Coat type | Tool |
|---|---|
| Short and smooth | Bristle brush or rubber grooming glove. |
| Long or with an undercoat | Slicker brush and pin comb. |
| Curly | Soft slicker brush and comb; regular grooming appointments. |
Warning signs
- Constant scratching, licking or chewing.
- Bald, red or scabby patches.
- Heavy dandruff or a very dull coat.
- Bad smell from the skin or ears.
- New lumps or lumps that change size.
What to note down for the vet
- Since when and on which areas.
- Whether it gets worse at certain times of year.
- Recent changes in food, shampoo, bedding or detergent.
- Date of the last flea and tick treatment.
- Photos showing how it has changed.
Coat care products
Slicker Deluxe brushView product
Double brush T1 and T2View product
Herbs and macadamia shampooView product
White coat shampooView product
See our dog grooming brushes and combs and dog shampoos.
For information only. If your pet has skin problems, talk to your vet.