Dry Skin

[spmcleod]

our puppy keeps pooping in her crate daily - drives me crazy but im being patient - with that being said she gets a bath a day - we are using oatmeal shampoo but she is still getting really dry skin - what can we do to help with this? we left her in that in laws over the weekend and she is itching all the time - checked for fleas - kinda cold and we use sentinel with flea medicine - but her skin is flaky

thank you

shawn

[Rua]

Oatmeal shampoo is good for dry skin, but you are bathing her far too much. GSDs don't need bathing that frequently, as it can cause very dry skin and it washes away her natural oils. Once every couple weeks would be more than enough...and that's only if she's really stinky. I know of a lot of people here that only bath their GSDs once every few months. Daily brushing helps minimize odours.

That being said, the problem could be internal. Itchy flakiness and skin irritation can come from food allergies - which may also cause her to poop more. What kind of food are you feeding her?

[Rua]

One other thing: If the problem ISN'T diet related, Bio-Oil can be very helpful. My pup had dry skin issues the first couple weeks we had her and I used a couple drops of Bio-Oil on the spots that annoyed her the most - rubbed into the skin. (She had two dry patches on her hindquarters.) Within two days they cleared right up.

[chelle]

Wanted to bump this thread back up....

But daily bathing is likely creating the very problem you're having with the dry skin. These dogs can go months without a bath.

If you're bathing due to her pooping in the crate (I'm assuming,) you might want to address THAT issue first.. ie, is she in there too long, are you sure she eliminates before being crated, etc....

BUMP!

[onyx'girl]

She needs to be taken out of her kennel more often. She will not be housetrained if she poops in her crate, and possibly will get into the hard to break habit of eating it.
Puppies get flaky skin when the coat changes(about 3- 4 months)
I agree, too many baths! I would give her a human grade salmon oil gel cap, 1000mg and every few days a vitamin E(400iu) capsule.

What are you feeding? Poor skin/coat conditions are a result of diet(though the bathing surely doesn't help!)
Oh, humidity in the home helps too. So if your air is dry in your house, then you need to add moisture...good for everyone!

[chester]

take her out more offten! the crate could be to big and is giving her the room to poop in the corner. salmon oil I dont like the gel caps leerburg.com has a grizzly wild salmon oil in a pump its easier to use and no smell. or flax seed meal. do a puppy wipe not a bath

[Kaz]

1) DO NOT bathe your puppy every day under any circumstance. Its horrible for their skin.
Once every few months is fine.

2) Crate train her. No GSD pup will willingly poop in its den. You are probably not letting her out enough. 4 hours is about OK for a 3 mn old pup to hold it.

3) Check the food you are feeding for Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.

4) Young pups will grow a completely new coat, so it is normal for them to have dry skin and flakes in their fur when they are young. Dont panic. Its natural. Wait for a few months for that glossy new coat.

5) Salmon / fish oil is great, but outrageously expensive. You need Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. Great sources of these acids:
a) chicken fat (I dont eat chicken skin or fat, so I peel it and give that to him raw)
b) Flax seed oil (thats what I give my little guy) add to his kibbles.
c) Cold pressed extra virgin olive oil add to his kibbles.

6) BRUSH your dog. A good rake and a nylon bristle brush are enough. At a young age, you want to burhs him atleast once a day. You dont need a slicker brush or a furminator.

Cheers.
Kaz.

[spmcleod]

thank you for the tips - we knew once a day was too much but she keeps pooping in the crate - she is never left for more than 3-4 hrs at a time - we can leave for 1 hour and she does it - any advice on food? currently we are just using puppy chow and the vet said that was good - but i am willing to buy something good - just need some direction - i will start the once a day brushing tomorrow - we do it weekly

[Freestep]

Purina Puppy Chow is one of the worst foods out there--no wonder she has to poop so much, and I bet it smells awful! Get her on a better quality food. Just about anything would be better, you should be able to find Pro Plan or Iams at the grocery store.

[chelle]

Originally Posted by spmcleod

thank you for the tips - we knew once a day was too much but she keeps pooping in the crate - she is never left for more than 3-4 hrs at a time - we can leave for 1 hour and she does it - any advice on food? currently we are just using puppy chow and the vet said that was good - but i am willing to buy something good - just need some direction - i will start the once a day brushing tomorrow - we do it weekly

Ok, get away from puppy chow. Your dog will need to eliminate far more often on this food. Start researching, but get away from this junk.

Forget what the vet says about food. I've learned that the hard way.

Was she, at some point, forced to eliminate in the crate? It may be an ingrained thing and doesn't bother her anymore. ?

Is her crate too big that she can eliminate in one area and move away?

When she does poo in the crate, what are you cleaning with?

Are you quite sure she has eliminated prior to crating her? Are you aware of her normal bowel movements? If you're on a good schedule, you can really make this knowledge work *for* you.

Just throwing some questions out there that may help with the advice you receive!