With spring in full swing it is time to give your canine friend a bit of TLC after a long, wet and muddy winter and as the temperature rises. During the colder months we often avoid bathing our dogs to prevent chills and to maintain healthy grease in their coats and we can sometimes get a bit relaxed about completing their regular brush and groom and nail clip too! So why not use spring as inspiration to treat your dog to a full service? Whether you are preparing for spring or summer dog shows or simply giving him a clean up ready to enjoy the warmer weather, he is sure to appreciate your efforts!

Bathing Investing in a skin friendly shampoo specifically for dogs is worthwhile. Dogs' skin is more alkaline than ours and a shampoo formulated for human skin can disrupt the acid mantle, which acts as an important barrier for the body. This disruption can lead to an increased risk of bacterial and parasitic infections so look for the pH balance on your bottle of dog shampoo; it should be around 7. Grooming You may not want to bath your dog too often, but regular grooming will benefit your canine. A good brush will keep your dog's coat clean, removing dirt and dead hairs which encourages new growth of healthy, shiny hair. It will also prevent knots and mats in the coat developing which can cause skin irritation and pain. Regular grooming of your dog also helps to build your relationship, creating a bond between you and allowing the conscientious dog owner to check for any abnormal lumps, bumps or parasites.

Lifestyle In addition to your grooming routine in order to have healthy skin and a glossy coat every dog owner should treat their dog from the inside out, making sure your dogs have a healthy lifestyle and nutritious diet. This can often be the most important factor in correct skin and coat care so if you dog is not showing off a lustrous coat or has flaky, dry skin it may be worth changing his diet, lifestyle regime or investing in a supplement such as Canine Super Coat from Scientific Nutritional Products which contains a variety of vitamins, minerals and skin soothing oils.

A range of canine and equine supplements are available from Scientific Nutritional Products, including supplements to improve your dog's health and coat condition. The ethos of the company is refreshing, manufacturing high specification dog supplements without compromise, selling directly to customers through their website; www.horsesupplementsdirect.co.uk in order to make their products exceptional value for money. For more information or to receive one-to-one advice specific to your dog contact our nutritional specialist Peter Fishpool on FREEPHONE 0800 032 7774