Dancing Hearts Blog

Scratch, scratch, scratch. Thump, thump, thump. Chew, chew, chew.

Are those the sounds you hear from your dog as the indoor air gets drier and drier over the winter?

I’ll do just about anything to help, won’t you? This year I have an senior that’s about 13, and she is soooo itchy! I’m not the only dog lover who is battling dry itchy skin, evidenced by the frequency of requests for help I’m getting from my community.

Heck, even my own sensitive skin gets itchy in the winter, so I know how distracting and bothersome that is…poor doggies!

Now, there are many possible underlying causes for dry itchy skin, so the first step is to have your holistic or integrative vet check your dog just in case there is something serious going on and get that taken care of.

There are a few simple things you can to to help alleviate the frantic itching, no matter the cause, and that’s what I’m going to share with you today. Follow the links in the tips below for reference articles and more info.

5 Easy and Natural Tips for Relieving Itchy Skin:

1.  Humidify the air.  That’s a simple one that you likely already thought of, but just in case: be sure you are adding humidity to your dry heated air every day. If you don’t have a furnace humidifier or a room humidifier, you can: set out pans/bowls of water to evaporate, boil a big pot of water every day, make soup, cook pasta noodles, take a shower. Get creative and add humidity! Your dogs will appreciate it and so will your body!
2. Feed moist food. I hope you’re feeding a wholesome raw diet to your dog, since that is full of moisture and lots of other health benefits. But if you’re not, add warm water or broth to your dog’s kibble with every meal. And, of course, keep plenty of fresh, pure water available for your dog to drink.
3. Make bone broth for your dog. Homemade bone broth is sooooo nutritious and good for your dog and your dog’s skin and adds moisture when you feed it too! You can use chicken, turkey, beef…it’s all good! Make plenty so you can have some yourself. And, the making of the broth will add lots of lovely moisture to your house. Here’s a video too.
4. Give Coconut Oil. It needs to be organic, unrefined, cold-pressed raw coconut oil. Coconut oil is awesome for relieving troubled skin! And it is one of the most nutritious foods for us and our dogs: enhancing skin health, metabolic health, immune system, digestion. Dr Becker says to feed 1 tsp per 10 lbs of weight per day. And, she even recommends applying it topically, then bathing for max relief.
5. Give your dog a Spa Treatment! Start with a bath using a gentle soap like my favorite: Rescue Soap Bar with organic neem oil and organic fresh aloe vera gel. Or make your own gentle lavender shampoo. Then apply a simple Apple Cider Vinegar/Green Tea rinse for longer lasting itch relief.

There you have it!  Try these simple and natural tips for helping relief your dog’s itchy skin so you can all relax and enjoy cuddling this winter. Let me know what you try…I’m doing all of the above for my dogs!