Shedding is one of the biggest challenges that every dog owner faces.
As a canine owner, you will have to deal with some dog hair on your clothes and carpet. While some shedding is normal, excessive shedding can be a sign of illness or nutritional deficiencies. The amount and frequency will also differ from one breed to the other.
While you cannot prevent your canine friends from the usual shedding, there are steps that you can take to minimize the amount of hair in your home. One of the ways to prevent excessive shedding is through the use of a brush and proper nutrition. In order to do that, you will need to choose dog food to help reduce shedding.
The good news is that there are manufacturers of quality food who are working hard to include the right nutrients in dog food. But there are others who are only out to make a quick profit. To help you make the right choice of dog food that helps with shedding, I have created this detailed review.
Product | Price | Rating | Special ingredient |
|---|---|---|---|
Orijen Dry Dog Food, Original | $25.99 | Protein Omega-rich Carbs | |
Nature’s Recipe | $46.52 | Salmon Soybean | |
Whole Earth Farms Grain Free Recipe Dry Dog Food Pork, Beef & Lamb | $42.99 | all-natural grain-free | |
AvoDerm Natural | $77.28 | grain-free | |
Rachael Ray Nutrish Just 6 Natural Dry Dog Food, Limited Ingredient, Lamb Meal & Rice | $16.98 | all natural |
Can You Find Dog Food That Helps With Shedding?
Your vet will tell you that up to 30% of the protein needs of a dog will go towards hair growth. When a dog is not receiving a healthy diet, his body will put the little protein he is receiving towards muscle mass at the expense of his coat.
On the other hand, a healthy and shiny coat is often an indication of a nutritional diet and the canine will usually shed less as compared to an unhealthy coat. When you choose the right dog food, it will keep the coat healthy, reduce dog allergy and shedding.
Here are factors to consider when choosing the best dog food that helps with shedding:A good idea is to choose foods that have meat as their main ingredients. Meat-Rich foods are easy to digest and absorb.
Pick dog food that is well balanced nutritionally and contains a lot of B vitamins, A, D and E. It should contain minerals such as calcium, copper, Chlorine, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, manganese, potassium, selenium, zinc and sodium.
These are 2 fatty acids that are found in fish and are quite beneficial to the coat and skin of the dog. Healthy skin is necessary for a strong and resistant coat that can prevent hair loss and excessive shedding.
There are canines that develop coat and skin problems as a result of food allergies. When you feed your buddy with foods that contain fewer ingredients, this may minimize the risk for food allergies.
Top 5 Dog Food for Shedding
Good dog food for shedding should include nutrients that help to promote a better coat. Cheap dog food is usually made with fillers such as grains and corn that dogs find difficult to digest. Carbohydrates should be low
A good idea is to choose foods that have meat as their main ingredients. While some of the foods we have reviewed may cost more, these are more suited to help with your dog's shedding.
Here is a top 5 pick of the best dog food that can help with shedding.
If you are vegan, you will definitely want veg food for your fur friend. And there is no better choice for this other than Nature’s Recipe Healthy Skin Dry Dog Food. This premium food contains soybean as one of its ingredients which helps to support healthy and shiny skin.
This food, a favorite for many dogs, is fortified with omega fatty acids to prevent shedding. What is even better is that it doesn’t contain any ingredients that are commonly associated with allergies and shedding such as wheat, corn or artificial flavors.
The kibble is of medium size which makes them a great choice for dogs of all sizes. Nature’s Recipe Healthy Skin Dry Dog Food is good dog food for shedding and it will also increase the energy levels in your canine friend.
One of the main ingredients in this dog food is salmon which is easy to digest. The pumpkin and sweet potato recipe provide 27% of the crude protein which is above the minimum 18% recommended for adult dogs.
The product comes with added minerals, vitamins and nutrients such as zinc and linoleic acid that serve to support healthy skin for your puppy. It is not naturally delicious but it can help to support a happy and healthy life for your canine friend.
One of the things I did not like about this food is that it contains synthetic vitamin K. According to AAFCO, Vitamin K is not a necessary additive in dog foods.
This is on top of the fact that there are many sources of natural vitamin K such as fish meals, liver, and kelp. Synthetic vitamin K has been associated with toxicity and other health issues.
Even if you are not a healthy food freak, you will not want to give your fur friend foods that contain hormones and antibiotics. Unfortunately, this is what we have in the majority of dog foods where the main ingredient is chicken.
Nowadays, we are noticing a lot of dogs that are suffering from chronic diseases like cancer and diabetes. This is mostly because of unhealthy foods containing grains (other than whole brown rice). This is why one of the best decisions you can make is to choose a product that does not contain these ingredients.
One of the dog foods that will promote the health of your pet and prevent shedding is Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Recipe Dry Dog Food Pork, Beef & Lamb.
The main ingredients in the food are beef, pork, and lamb. It is grain-free and contains no preservatives and additives. This makes it the perfect choice for canines suffering from poultry allergies, excessive shedding and chronic conditions such as diabetes.
The only issue I found with this food is that it does not smell good and your canine may pass pretty bad gas during the first week. But let’s face it, there is no canine food that smells great.
Studies show that nutritional deficiency causes shedding. Orijen Dry Dog Food, Original is among the best dog food for labs shedding as it contains no grains which ensures that one of the most common sources of allergies is eliminated. The main ingredients in the product are poultry, eggs, fish and potatoes.
Even though there are many dog foods out there that boast of being grain-free, (which is good), there are very few products that contain organic ingredients. This pooch food is made using organic ingredients like pumpkin and kales.
It is easy to understand the combination of these ingredients is fantastic. The formula consists of 18% low glycemic carbohydrates and other ingredients like whole chick peas, red lentils, and whole green peas. This is a good combination particularly for canines suffering from diabetes.
This product will provide your friend with a diversity of raw, fresh meats and fruits and vegetables. The grain-free dog food contains fresh and regional ingredients and contains no concentrates of plant proteins or tapioca that are common with other dog foods.
After a few weeks of your dog eating this food, you will begin to see a difference in the hair and energy of your fur friend.
One thing I love about the product is transparency and truthful marketing. It contains no rendered poultry meals and no by-products. The only downside in the product is its high price even though its quality is outstanding. Despite this, it is a product that is worth the money so check it out.
If you are a pooch owner who is seeking a better product to feed to your buddy, then AvoDerm Natural is the right choice for you. This is a premium product that contains high-quality proteins and vitamins to meet the nutritional needs of your fur friend.
AvoDerm Natural is good dog food for shedding. It is suitable for all ages from puppies to adult dogs as the kibble is not only medium sized but provides all the necessary nutritional needs for your canine friend. One of the key ingredients in Avoderm Natural is avocados.
This fruit is rich in nutrients and vitamins such as Vitamin A, B6, C and E. Avocados also contain a lot of potassium, folate, niacin and other essential fatty acids. All these nutrients are essential in preventing shedding.
The premium proteins in the product help to appeal to the natural canine sense of your dog. The USA-made food is pressure cooked to ensure that it is highly digestible and to prevent any stomach upsets.
With Avoderm Natural, your canine friend will receive optimum nutrition that is not only free of grain but will also keep the coat of your fur friend shiny and healthy.
If you need a food that will prevent all skin issues from recurring, Rachael Ray’s Nutrish Just 6 Natural Dry Dog Food, Limited Ingredient, Lamb Meal & Rice is just the right choice.
This is among the best dog foods that helps with shedding as it is made of only six ingredients and contains no wheat, soy, or fillers. This can go a long way in protecting your buddy from food-related allergies.
Lamb meal is one of the key ingredients and is good at providing important B vitamins and amino acids that can help to maintain healthy organs, lean muscles and prevent shedding.
Brown rice is another ingredient that helps to improve the energy levels of your dog. It is a great source of carbohydrates, wholesome fibers, and essential B vitamins.
Brown rice is also a healthy alternative to white rice and can, therefore, help to overcome the challenges of diabetes. The rice is ground to ensure ease of digestibility.
The product is medium-sized kibble which is a good choice for canines of all ages. The smell is a bit stronger as compared to other dog foods, but this can be associated with the meat in it and less junk.
One of the downsides of this food is that some dogs don’t like eating it. There are also reports of some pooches getting sick after eating the food. However, these cases are rare and the majority of users say their canines enjoy the meal.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that all dogs do shed to some extent. However, every dog owner would prefer that their buddies shed a little less.
Excessive shedding could be attributed to certain health issues such as hormonal imbalance and food allergies. A nutritional deficiency could result in skin and coat irritation.
One of the ways that you can deal with excessive shedding is through diet. You can try one of the above dog foods that help with shedding and you will see an improvement in the condition of your buddy.