It’s a fact that your dog’s coat tells a lot about his/her health. It’s actually the mirror of the care and nutrition the dog gets. For a French bulldog owner, there’s no better feeling than hearing from people that your furry friend’s fur looks shiny and smooth. However, if you think you’ve already tried everything to improve your batpig’s hair, believe us, it’s not the end of the world. These tips will definitely help your pooch to shine bright like a diamond.
What do you need to know about the French bulldog hair?
French bulldogs are famous for their short, shiny and smooth hair. They belong to moderate shedders which make them suitable for apartment living. During winter months, dog owners need to pay special attention to their pets’ haircare because the cold air can much affect their coat’s overall appearance.
The coat of French bulldogs needs to be regularly groomed, precisely once a week. Since they are prone to suffer from allergies, I also suggest you choose a hypoallergenic shampoo with natural ingredients. When bathing a Frenchie, it’s also desirable not to let shampoo to enter the eyes otherwise they can start to excessively scratch and rub.
The quality of nutrition you choose for your pooch can also affect the health of their hair. That’s why I suggest you feeding your little gremlin with food rich in omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. Antioxidants found in different fruits rejuvenate the dog’s skin cells and make them more elastic.
The reasons for dull-looking hair on your Frenchie
Food allergy
Does your Frenchie act strange and show symptoms of allergy every time he eats a certain type of food? Well, if you’ve noticed the condition repeats day after day, then you need to put your furry friend on the elimination diet. Ingredients such as dairy products, by-products, artificial colors, and grains can cause serious itchiness in some French bulldog. Therefore, I advise every Frenchie owner to try to feed their pets with a BARF diet.
Dandruff and dry hair
This ugly-looking condition can be triggered by using inappropriate dog shampoo. Too many chemicals and artificial ingredients can disbalance the dog’s pH level of the skin. As you can guess, it results in developing dry, flaky and itchy skin.
Dermatitis
There are 3 types of dermatitis that can affect dogs- contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, and allergic dermatitis. They can be developed by a number of reasons and some of them are environmental allergens such as pollen, dust, mites, when taking certain types of drugs, or genetics.
The solutions for your dog’s dull-looking hair
Grooming
As I previously mentioned, regular grooming should present an inevitable part of every dog’s life. You can do that by using the following grooming glove that will help you to reach all the places on your Frenchie’s body.
In case you prefer using a simple dog brush, you can find it here.
Bathing
Depending on your dog’s lifestyle, you need to determine the frequency of your dog’s bathing. So, in case your pooch likes to roll in the grass, mud and often gets dirty, you can bathe him/her optionally. In other cases, bathing a dog once a month will be enough.
The following dog shampoo brush is a great tool for removing dead hair when bathing a French bulldog. It’s ideal for sensitive French bulldog’s skin because it contains dozens of soft silicone needles. At the same time, the brush will provide your doggie with a pleasant massage feeling and remove all the dirt from his hair.
Choosing the right dog shampoo
Since Frenchies are prone to getting different skin irritations, I suggest you check out our Frenchie World bath salt. It leaves a gentle effect on the allergy-prone French bulldog’s skin and doesn’t sting the eyes. It’s available in different fragrances and is created to soothe and moisturize the dog’s skin.
Another great tip for keeping your furry friend’s coat fresh is using the French bulldog Dry Cleaning Dog shampoo.
It protects the dog’s skin from different environmental allergens by creating an invisible protecting layer. You should gently massage the dog’s coat with a proper amount of foam for 3-5 minutes, and then wipe it with a dry towel.
Hydration
Hydration takes an important role in your dog’s life. In order to have an elastic skin and shiny coat, your pooch needs to drink a lot of water, especially during the summer months.
Apple Cider Vinegar
As one of the best homemade remedies for treating your Frenchie’s itchy skin, I suggest you spraying your dog’s coat by preparing the solution made of 50% water and 50 % organic Apple cider vinegar.
Add different supplements
Giving your dog oral supplements such as capsules of Omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids can help a lot in improving his coat. So, besides switching to another diet, I also recommend including dog supplements.