Finding the best dog food for shedding and dry skin can lead to a lot of trial and error. Some dogs will respond well to certain dog food brands, while others will still have problems. That’s why we put together a list of the best dog foods for dry skin and shedding. All of these dog foods have performed well in our trials, so I’m sure you will find one that can help with your dog’s shedding problem.
Best Dog Food for Shedding and Dry Skin
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Best Dog Food for Shedding
AvoDerm Natural Grain Free Food
AvoDerm Natural Grain Free Dog Food (Buy on Amazon.com) is my number one go-to choice when it comes to helping with my dog’s coat and skin. When all other foods and medications failed AvoDerm didn’t let me down. If you have a dog that has skin allergies, or any other type of skin condition AvoDerm is the best dog food brand for shedding on the market.
The unique ingredient found in AvoDerm is avocado, and as you can probably tell this ingredient is how the name AvoDerm came about. The avocado fruit is well known for being a rich source of essential fatty acids. These fats play a very important role in building up a cells protective lipid layer.
When a dog doesn’t have an adequate source of these essential fats, their skin and hair can become dry and brittle which can lead to hair loss and dry flaky skin. AvoDerm contains the proper ratio of Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids, which is very important since modern diets usually contain way too much Omega 6 fatty acids and not enough Omega 3 fatty acids.
Another great thing about AvoDerm dog food is that you can get it as a wet dog food in cans, or as dry kibble in bags. Both varieties are completely grain free and both types have avocado in them so you will get the same high-quality ingredients that will prevent shedding no matter what kind of food you pick out.
Nature’s Recipe Healthy Skin Vegetarian Recipe
Nature’s Recipe Healthy Skin Vegetarian Recipe (Buy Online) is specifically made for dogs with skin related problems. If you have a dog whose hair and skin are always dry, and they can’t stop itching and scratching it’s worth giving this food a shot.
The main ingredients in this food are rice, soybeans, barley and canola oil. As you can tell by the product name and the ingredients this is a completely vegetarian dog food. You won’t have to worry about your dog getting enough nutrients from this vegetarian food since it contains 22% protein and 8% fat.
The key benefit of switching your dog over to a vegetarian dog food is to try to eliminate any ingredients that are causing your dog’s skin and hair problems. Some people have reported that after feeding their dog just one bag of this food they have seen a drastic difference in their dog’s skin and coat.
Along with the limited vegetarian ingredients, this food contains a wide range of vitamins and minerals that help contribute to a dogs skin and hair health. For shedding and dry skin, the Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids found in this food are what really help out. These healthy fats keep a dogs skin and hair naturally moisturized so their skin will be less dry and their hair won’t easily fall out.
Pro Plan Select Sensitive Skin & Stomach Lamb & Oat Recipe
Pro Plan Select Sensitive Skin & Stomach Dog Food (Buy Online) is tailor-made for dogs with dry skin and food allergies. If you have tried almost every dog food on the market and you still can’t find the right one Pro Plan Select might be the one that finally helps out.
This food aims to be hypo-allergenic with a limited set of ingredients that will also help promote skin and hair health. The main ingredients found in this food are lamb, oatmeal, barley, canola, fish meal and brewers rice. All of these ingredients are easy on a dogs stomach and they will also help strengthen a dogs skin and coat.
The primary ingredients that will help prevent dry skin and shedding are the Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. This food contains 0.8% Omega 3 fatty acids and 1.3% Omega 6 fatty acids. And it contains vitamin E and biotin which will also help prevent shedding and itchy cracked skin.
Whole Earth Farms Grain Free Recipe with Chicken & Turkey
Whole Earth Farms Grain Free Dog Food (Buy Online) contains top quality ingredients at an affordable price. If you need a dog food that will help keep your dogs skin and fur healthy, but you don’t want to break the bank then Whole Earth Farms Grain Free Dog Food will hit that sweet spot.
This grain free dog food contains chicken, turkey, potatoes, peas and sweet potatoes. Whole Earth Farms also never uses any meat by-products so you can rest assured you are feeding your dog only premium cuts.
This food also contains an assortment of vitamins and minerals that will help improve your dogs coat. The ingredient that will have the most dramatic effect on your dog’s skin and hair health is the salmon oil. This fish oil extract contains very high levels of Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids which are known to play a large role in overall skin and hair health. In addition to the salmon oil, this food contains biotin and vitamin E both of which play a key role in keeping a dogs hair from falling out.
Merrick Limited Ingredient Diet Grain Free Duck & Sweet Potato
Merrick Limited Ingredient Diet Grain Free Dog Food (Buy Online) is the perfect food for picky eaters or dogs with food allergies. The main ingredients in this dog food are duck meat, sweet potatoes, peas, and potatoes. And everything is cooked and sourced from the USA with no Chinese ingredients.
Grain free dog foods can help prevent shedding along with dry and flaky skin. Grains can cause a wide range of skin conditions all the way from dandruff to eczema. Eliminating grains completely from a dogs diet is a good way to limit hair loss and dry skin.
This dog food is fortified with vitamins and minerals that are essential for a smooth coat. The Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids found in this dog food are vital for a dogs skin and hair health. In addition, the added biotin and vitamin E will help keep your dog’s skin and hair strong and flake free.
NUTRO WHOLESOME ESSENTIALS Small Bites Pasture-Fed Lamb & Rice
NUTRO WHOLESOME ESSENTIALS (Buy Online) is one of the most natural dog foods you can find on the market. This dog food contains no artificial colors or flavors. And it is completely GMO-free so you can be sure you’re feeding your dog only what they need while leaving out the rest.
The primary ingredients found in this food are lamb, rice, oats, and peas. This food also has a good balance of plant-based fats since it contains both sunflower and soybean oil. It is also a good source of macronutrients since it contains 22% protein and 14% fat.
This food also has been fortified with Linoleic Acid which is a good source of Omega 3 fatty acids. Linoleic acid is an excellent vegetarian source of Omega 3 fatty acids, which makes it a great alternative to fish oil extracts that might cause digestive problems in certain pets. And to top it all off this food contains 2.5mg/kg of biotin which also plays a crucial role in keeping a dogs hair and skin in peak condition.
NUTRO MAX Grain Free Recipe With Pasture Fed Lamb
NUTRO MAX Grain Free Dog Food (Buy Online) is a great choice for anyone looking to exclude grains from their dog’s diet. This food contains no grains or leafy vegetables that can cause a dog to experience intestinal discomfort or malabsorption.
The main ingredients in this food are chicken, potatoes, peas, and lamb. The potatoes replace the grains as the primary carbohydrate source. And the chicken and lamb contribute to this foods very high 26% protein content.
While this dog food contains a healthy mix of vitamins and minerals it doesn’t have any added Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. That means if your dog’s shedding problem is due to dry skin and hair this food might not be the best option. But if your dog is losing hair due to food allergies or malabsorption then this food can still help out.
Dog Food Ingredients That Control Shedding
Protein
One of the root causes of excessive shedding is a lack of protein. When a dog doesn’t get enough protein in their diet it can lead to a wide range of health problems. A dogs skin and hair are primarily made up of protein, so if they aren’t getting enough of this vital macronutrient it can cause their skin to become dry and damaged. Their hair will also be very thin and fragile, which can cause it to break easily and end up all over your carpets.
A lack of protein can also make it harder for damaged skin to heal since the body needs protein to make collagen and elsastin. You can avoid these problems by feeding your dog a high protein diet. As long as you do that, you can rule out protein as the root cause of your dog’s excessive shedding problem.
Essential Fatty Acids
Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) are one of the most important nutrients when it comes to controlling shedding. Essential fatty acids help prevent your dog’s skin from becoming dry and brittle, and they also make a dogs coat smooth and shiny. In order to get these benefits you can either give your dog an EFA supplement, or you can find a dog food that has been fortified with essential fatty acids.
When you’re looking at the ingredients on your dog food you want to make sure it contains Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids. You especially want to focus on Omega 3’s since they have the greatest effect on shedding. Omega 3 fatty acids can also be listed as fish oil, or they may even appear as ALA, DHA, or EPA in some dog food ingredients.
Vitamins
A vitamin deficiency can also lead to excessive shedding. One vitamin that is especially important when it comes to skin and hair health is biotin. This vitamin helps strengthen skin, and it helps keep hair and nails from becoming brittle. If your dog’s hair is brittle and breaks easily, or if they are showing signs of dermatitis then a biotin deficiency might be at the root of the problem. Biotin deficiencies are usually not that common, but they can crop up in dogs that have digestive issues.
