Helping your dog through the dry, cold months

Winter on the Highveld, in particular, brings dry air, frosty mornings, and indoor heaters running for hours, and all three quietly pull moisture from your dog’s skin. The result is often flaky skin, dandruff, a duller coat and more scratching than usual.

The most common winter mistake is bathing more to fix the flaking. Frequent washing strips the natural oils that keep the skin barrier working, so it tends to make dryness worse rather than better. A gentler routine usually helps more than a harder one.

A few things that make a real difference:

• Bathe less often through winter, use a mild moisturising shampoo, and rinse thoroughly so no residue is left behind.
• Brush regularly. This lifts away dead hair and spreads the coat’s natural oils, which does more for a dull coat than any product.
• Check paw pads, which crack easily on cold, hard ground. A vet-approved paw balm helps, as does wiping paws after frosty walks.
• Keep water intake up. Dogs often drink less in the cold, and mild dehydration shows in the skin.

Diet plays a supporting role too. Omega-3 fatty acids are thought to help the skin barrier, and many owners find a fish-oil supplement useful over winter, though it’s a gradual support rather than a quick fix.

One important line to hold: simple winter dryness is mild and improves with care. Persistent itching, redness, sores or hair loss is not normal seasonal dryness and warrants a vet visit, since it can point to allergies, parasites or a condition like hypothyroidism.