How to Keep Your Dog’s Fur Perfect: The Best Dog Food for Skin and Coat

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Most people like to see and are impressed by the appearance of the dog's skin and coat. Usually, well-kept dogs are the ones having healthy skin and luscious coats due to their proper diet and regular grooming habits. 

But what happens if your dog suddenly gets skin allergies or suffers dry skin? Although it may sound like a relatively minor matter, skin conditions can make your dog pretty miserable. Other than bringing discomfort, these can lead to a variety of secondary health problems.

Veterinarians may recommend a change in their cleaning routines, as well as the hygienic products used. Moreover, they will also advise certain foods and supplements to help ease the allergies on your dog's skin and coat.

Given a change in the dog's diet, you may want to choose the best option for your furry buddies. Check our list of the best dog food for skin and coat to ensure a perfectly beautiful look at all times.

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Top 6 Dog Food for Skin and Coat

The following food selections are some of the best dog food for skin and coat in the market. They are designed to help eliminate skin and coat problems and to ensure to get your dog looking at his best again.

Editor's Picks

Product​​​​ Name

Price

Best Choices

Hill's Science Dry Dog Food

Best Wet Dog Food for Skin and Coat

Purina Pro Plan Focus Sensitive

Best Grain Free Food for All Dog Breeds

Merrick Grain-Free Dry Dog Food Recipes

Best L.I.D. Dry Dog Food Formula

Natural Balance Dry Dog Food

Best Adult Dog Food for Skin and Coat

Blue Buffalo Basics L.I.D. Grain

Best L.I.D. Wet Dog Food Formula

Natural Balance Limited Ingredient

Hill's Science Dry Dog Food - The Best Skin Nourishing Food for Adult Dogs

Hill's Science Diet is a food formula designed to address dogs suffering from excessive skin irritations, dullness in the coat, and those who struggle in digesting any other food brands. 

This chicken-flavored treat contains chicken meal, barley, rice, pea protein, flaxseed, and whole-grain sorghum as its main ingredients. It also includes essential fruits and vegetables to ensure a healthier and tastier meal.

In fact, the combination of these components produces a good amount of nutritional elements, including Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Vitamin D3, Vitamin E, biotin, Folic Acid, and Riboflavin. These ensure the optimum growth and development of your furry buddy.

It is packed with Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids to help in maintaining the healthy skin and lustrous coats of your dogs. These components contained in Hill's Science Diet also aids in energy restoration and calmness of your dogs.

The recipe also comes with a rich source of antioxidants and prebiotic fiber to support a balanced gut microbiome in grown-up dogs. It is highly digestible to allow optimal nutrient absorption and easier stool pick-up.

With its lack of any artificial additives and flavorings, Hill's Science Diet is a delicious formulation that also promotes healthy digestion while nourishing the skin and coat. 

Pros
  • Comes with rich sources of vitamins and minerals
  • Has a good source of prebiotic fiber and antioxidants
  • Made with natural and digestible ingredients
  • Lacks any artificial preservatives
Cons
  • May contain potentially allergenic grains

Purina Pro Plan Focus Sensitive Skin & Stomach Dog Food - The Best Wet Dog Food for Skin and Coat

Purina Pro Plan Focus is created to address dry skin problems and irritations, especially in adult dogs.

As its main ingredient, it uses real salmon to ensure healthy skin and coat. Unlike other brands, it focuses on the dog's sensitive skin and stomach, rather than taking it as an added side-effect. The formulation is tailored to create an optimal fat-to-protein ratio to keep your dog in their best physical condition.

It contains more fat and excludes the presence of any wheat, corn, soy, preservatives, colorants, and other by-products to ensure only the best and high-quality formulation.

As an added feature, Purina Pro Plan Focus contains antioxidants to help maintain and heal your dog's immune system. This build-up in the immune system from a younger age to adult will decrease the likelihood of your dogs suffering from dry skin.

Moreover, this dog food contains linoleic acid, Vitamin A, and omega-6 fatty acids to ensure healthy skin and luscious coat. The combinations of these valuable ingredients provide easy digestion and optimum absorption.

Focus on your dog's nutritional needs by offering your dog Purina Pro Plan Focus. This dog food is protein-rich to help support sensitive stomach and sensitive skin. 

Pros
  • A high-quality source of protein
  • Good for digestion and immune system
  • Fight dog allergies and sensitivities
  • Promotes healthy skin and coat
Cons
  • A bit pricey

Merrick Grain-Free Dry Dog Food Recipes - The Best Grain Free Food for All Dog Breeds

Merrick Grain-Free Recipe is a high-quality dog food designed to keep your dogs healthy, especially those suffering from dry skin.

As its primary ingredient, it uses only deboned and real chicken to ensure high levels of good quality proteins. This promotes healthy energy and builds muscle mass while giving your dogs a delicious treat.

It also comes with fresh produce that is carefully selected for superior quality. Merrick Grain-Free Recipe features apples, blueberries, sweet potatoes, and blueberries in its formulation. The lack of any fillers, soy, gluten, wheat, and preservatives guarantees an allergic-free diet for your sensitive dogs.

Moreover, this dog food contains fiber, vitamins, minerals, fat, and protein to ensure optimum health and longevity of your furry friends.

To top it all, Merrick Grain-Free Recipe is made for healthy skin and coat. It comes with chondroitin and glucosamine to rebuild your dog's cartilage and improve their mobility. Omega-3 and omega-6 are also present in its formulation to help eliminate the dry skin and growing fur.

Overall, this dog food comes with a recipe that is crafted to nourish all types of dogs, from the small breed to the large ones and from puppies to senior dogs.

Pros
  • Uses real whole food sources
  • Grain-free formulation
  • Contains chelated vitamins and minerals
  • Improves the dog’s mobility and skin
Cons
  • Not suitable for typically active dogs

Natural Balance Dry Dog Food - The Best L.I.D. Dry Dog Food Formula

Natural Balance L.I.D. Dog Food is a diet formulation that contains only the necessary ingredients to ensure a healthier lifestyle and lower risks of allergies and digestive issues on your dogs.

This dog formula features a specific and novel source of protein and carbohydrates to drastically reduce the chances of allergic reactions while maintaining strong muscles. That aside also gives the food a delicious and unique taste that your dogs will love.

Apart from fighting allergies with its limited range of ingredients, Natural Balance L.I.D. Dog Food also contributes to your dog's shiny skin and luscious coat. Added ingredients such as taurine and brewer's yeast make this dog food more nutritious for optimized overall health.

Having a simple formulation it uses highly digestible potatoes as an excellent source of grain-free energy. The natural fibers contained in this diet helps promote healthier and better digestion.

With no added artificial flavors and colors, Natural Balance L.I.D. Dog Food is considered to be complete nutrition for all life stages of different breeds. This dog food contains premium quality ingredients for your growing puppy or your ever-energetic adult dogs.

Pros
  • Uses novelty and premium source of protein and carbohydrates
  • Contains limited ingredients
  • Grain-free, no artificial flavors, and additives
  • Has recognizable sources of vitamins and minerals
Cons
  • May have an odor that can off-put some users

Blue Buffalo Basics L.I.D. Grain Free Natural Adult Dry Dog Food - The Best Adult Dog Food for Skin and Coat

Blue Buffalo Basics is known to have an excellent reputation when it comes to supporting strong joints and bones while maintaining healthy skin and coat for your dogs.

With its glucosamine component, the joint functions of your dogs are secured and guaranteed. Its calcium-rich ingredients also ensure stronger bones for a more active lifestyle.

When it comes to the dog's skin and coat, the omega fatty acid of Blue Buffalo Basics offers the needed components for healthier skin and luscious-looking coats. The salmon ingredient is not only rich in fatty acid but also acts as the single-animal source of protein for your dogs.

The mixture of peas, potatoes, pea starch, and it's LifeSource Bits technology make it an awesome food towards a holistically healthy diet. Also, it comes with pumpkin fiber and probiotics to aid in your dog's proper digestion.

Moreover, the natural, easily digestible, and high-quality ingredients of this dog food contains antioxidants for an improved immune system. It lacks any artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives that can cause allergies to your sensitive dogs.

Truly, Blue Buffalo Basics is a limited-ingredient formula that is enhanced with vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients to ensure healthy skin and optimum growth for your dogs.

Pros
Cons
  • For adult dogs of all breeds only

Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets Wet Dog Food - The Best L.I.D. Wet Dog Food Formula

Natural Balance L.I.D. Wet Dog Food is formulated to address dogs with dietary sensitivities and allergies due to its minimal ingredients and nutritionally complete formulation.

As balanced and complete nutrition, it uses premium sources of protein from real meats and carbohydrates from potatoes. The fact that it uses limited ingredients will reduce the risk of allergies and other skin irritations in your dogs.

It meets the nutrient profile standard for all life stages with its rich amounts of Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin D3. Thus, making Natural Balance L.I.D. Wet Dog Food proper nutrition for puppies, adults, and senior dogs.

Being a grain-free dog food, you are guaranteed to have healthier dogs with beautiful skin and a luscious coat. Its lack of any preservatives, colors, additives, and flavors will also promote and maintain easy digestion and absorption in your dogs.

The natural and well-balanced nutrition contained in every can of Natural Balance L.I.D. Wet Dog Food is ideal not only to promote skincare and food-related allergies but also improves digestive issues.

Pros
  • Complete and well-balanced nutrition
  • Minimal ingredients
  • Rich in vitamins and minerals
  • Grain-free and additive-free
Cons
  • Consistency errs marginally on the dry side

Tips to Consider

To be able to know which is the ideal food for your affected dogs, here are some of the interesting facts that you should consider.

1. Why Keep a Dog's Skin and Coat Healthy?

best dog food for skin and coat health

Other than adding to the overall physical appearance of your dogs, maintaining healthy skin and luscious coat is essential due to the following reasons.

  • The skin protects the muscles and organs of your dog against any harmful bacteria that can lead to infections. This also aids in the correct functioning of the different systems to reduce the risk of sickness.
  • Proper grooming of dogs represents a responsible pet parent. The coat quality of your dog is very crucial, especially for high-maintenance breeds with thick coats or fur.
  • Healthy skin and coat can act as protection against bacteria and dirt, especially when exposed to different environments. This will help reduce the risk of illnesses.
  • Dogs will feel more refreshed and relaxed when they have clean skin and coat. This will give them more time to play and exercise, rather than feeling frustrated scratching their skin.

2. The Best Dog Food for Skin and Coat: What to Look for?

best dog food for skin and coat problems

To keep your dog's skin and coat in top condition, their food should be formulated with the following ingredients

  • Essential Fatty Acids

Omega-3 and omega-6 are best for dogs suffering from skin and coat problems. These compounds aid in producing natural body oil to keep their coat healthy and moisturized, thus giving a shiny look. 

Omega-3 helps in the conditioning of your dog's skin and coat, as well as in alleviating allergies and irritations. It also boosts the joints and cognitive development. Having anti-inflammatory properties, omega-3 can soothe flare-ups in your dog's sensitive skin.

Omega-6 goes hand in hand with omega-3 fatty acids as it helps in balancing your dog's health and development, especially the skin and immune system. It is involved in the production and functions of cells, thus ensuring proper growth and a dose of the shine of your dog's coat.

  • Zinc

Zinc is a trace mineral that is essential to your dog's immune system and other functions such as coat health. This goes well with B-vitamins to keep your dogs strong, healthy, and less prone to dermatitis and other skin allergies.

  • Vitamin B

The presence of Vitamin B in your dog food can promote better skin and coat health. This can also reduce excessive shedding, which is highly troublesome to some dog owners. 

It helps alleviates allergies, hair loss, and premature greying. Moreover, Vitamin B, together with Vitamin C, can boost the immune system of your dogs. 

best dog food brand for skin and coat
  • Vitamin A

Vitamin A in dog food can promote healthy skin and coat quality. It also strengthens the muscles and promotes healthier growth.

  • Vitamin E

Dogs suffering from frequent itching are also prone to skin drying. The presence of Vitamin E in their food can help prevent various skin problems and promote younger-looking skin.

Vitamin E is also an excellent antioxidant which enables the cell membrane to repair the skin damage and irritation in your dogs.

  • Healthy Oils

Healthy oils derived from natural soybean, sunflower, fish, and chicken fat play a significant role in your dog's skin and coat. They make the coat look shiny again and help them get rid of the most skin allergies as well as excessive shedding. 

Final Thoughts

Skin allergies and irritations can cause pain and other serious problems for your dogs. Different products of various ingredients and quality can be of great help in addressing this issue.

With the various formulations available, Hill's Science Diet Dry Dog Food is the clear winner for the best dog food for skin and coat.

Its formulation is made, especially for dogs with sensitive skin due to its unique composition that helps improve and maintain your dog's overall wellness.

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