Just like our skin gets dry and itchy in the cold winter weather, our pet’s skin can get irritated too! Follow these tips to keep your pup comfortable and free from dry skin during the cold winter season.

• Don’t give your dog as many baths as you normally would.  When you do bathe him, use a gentle and soap free shampoo. Tea Tree oil and oatmeal are great skin soothers!
• An exfoliating scrub can help dogs with dandruff. Try DERMagic anti dandruff scrub for smooth, itch-free skin.
• Keep a natural doggie lotion on hand for irritated areas. DERMagic Skin Rescue Lotion provides relief from skin irritations like hot spots, flakes, flea allergies, and dermatitis.
• Use a thick paw cream to lather onto your dog’s paw pads to prevent the skin from cracking.
• Add a high quality salmon oil to your dog’s food daily.  The omega 3 and 6 oils provide many benefits to your dog, including helping to maintain a shiny, healthy coat.

Animals can warm your heart, even on the coldest days :)

This reminds me of something…

Lately, I’ve been researching dehydrated diets for dogs and am impressed by the many healthy benefits. First of all, what is dehydrated dog food? Pure, whole ingredients like meat, fruits, and vegetables that have been dehydrated (moisture has been removed). Before re-hydrating the food, it has a powdery texture with bits of meat, fruits and veggies visible. After hydration, the food looks more like oatmeal or stew. When it’s time to mix a batch for your dog’s meal, you just add water, stir, and let sit until the mixture thickens. My favorite brand, The Honest Kitchen, only requires about 5 minutes until the food is ready to serve. The Honest Kitchen offers a variety of flavors of their premium, human-grade dehydrated food. My dachshund Remy LOVES this food and will lick his bowl clean every night! Another thing I like about dehydrated food is that you can add “extras” like your own meat, fruits and veggies, plain yogurt, or cottage cheese. Dogs deserve variety in their diet just like we do! read more…