A good moisturizing shampoo and conditioner will help a lot - Oscar went through a brief phase of actually having little scabs because his skin was so dry (he was scratching at it) and I hadn't been using a conditioner. I got Pet Silk moisturizing shampoo and conditioner and he's been fantastic ever since. My vet also suggested adding a tiny bit of olive oil to his meals everyday - apparently helps with the dry skin - I kept forgetting to add it in, so I can't attest to that, but it's something you could try. Some people swear by it. When they are that young, I don't think you need to bathe them too often - they don't have the long coat yet that tends to get dirty quickly. Oscar is almost 8mths and I still only bathe him every other weekend. I DO think it is a good idea to get them used to the bathing process early though - especially the hairdryer!
Oh, I've also heard that their diet can contribute to dry skin - if you're feeding kibble with corn as an ingredient, apparently that can contribute to itchiness/dry skin. I am feeding Oscar Royal Canin puppy right now (which lists corn as an ingredient) and will be switching to Chicken Soup brand for his adult food.
Hope this helps... |