Until now, you had thought dandruff was a human malady, not something that could occur in dogs, especially puppies. Yet you’re not sure what else to call the loose skin flakes you keep brushing out of your Pit Bull puppy’s fur each week. Are there any DIY home remedies you can use to combat your Pit Bull’s dandruff?
What are some home remedies for Pit Bull puppies with dandruff? Here are some home remedies you can try today for Pit Bull puppies with dandruff:
- Melt coconut oil and rub it on their fur
- Apply tea tree oil on areas of dry, flaky skin
- Increase how much water your dog drinks
- Combine water and baking soda, then brush it through your dog’s fur
- Buy a humidifier
- Give your dog an oatmeal bath
- Mix water with apple cider vinegar and apply directly to the skin
- Offer your dog kefir or yogurt for the probiotics
- Incorporate supplements with vitamin E or omega-3 fatty acids
Ahead, I’ll talk more about these great, easy “Do It Yourself” home remedies for Pit Bull puppies with dandruff. If your American Bulldog or Staffordshire Bull Terrier has only mild dandruff or you want to try a natural remedy before a medication, these methods are for you, so keep reading!
What Causes Dandruff in Pit Bull Puppies?
Before I get into my home remedies for puppy dandruff, I want to talk a bit about what dandruff is and where it comes from. If you’ve ever dealt with dandruff as a person, this dandruff isn’t all that different than what dogs experience. It’s still dead skin. While you only have the hair on your head in which the dandruff is likely to appear, your Pit Bull is covered in fur in which loose skin can slough off.
Why does your Pit Bull puppy have dandruff? Here are a few common causes of the condition.
Dry Environment
You love the hot weather, which is why you moved south, but did you ever think about what it could be doing to your poor Pit Bull? It’s one thing if you’re in a more humid environment, as humidity at least has moisture. In dry heat though, your skin and that of your Pit Bull’s is much more prone to drying out. This can aggravate skin, causing and even exacerbating dandruff.
Even if you don’t necessarily live in a dry, hot environment, if you always keep your home dry as a bone, your Pit Bull puppy’s skin could still be flaky.
Excessive Grooming
Pit Bulls can be frequent shedders, especially ahead of the summer and the winter. You do want to brush them every day at that point, but not so often during periods of less shedding. By brushing through your Pit Bull puppy’s fur too often, you might think you’re pulling out loose fur tufts as well as dead skin, but all you’re doing is worsening his dandruff.
How? You could remove his natural oils. Without those oils, your AmStaff or Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy is left with dry, itchy skin.
Bathing Too Frequently
Some people advocate for weekly baths for Pit Bulls, others monthly, and others still when he starts to get stinky. I would suggest slightly more infrequent bathing over bathing your Pit Bull puppy every day. Like with excessive grooming, you’re removing the skin oils that act as your Pit Bull’s best defense against dandruff if you bathe him daily.
Nutritional Imbalances
Dandruff can be an external manifestation of an internal problem. What do I mean by that? A nutritional deficiency is more likely to cause dry, shedding skin, especially if your Pit Bull isn’t ingesting enough omega-3 fatty acids.
I’ll tell you later why omega-3s are so important, so make sure you keep reading!
Infections
In some instances, it’s not necessarily one of the above issues that’s led to dandruff in your Pit Bull puppy. If he has a yeast infection or another fungal disease, then his skin can become irritated. I discussed canine yeast infections in my post about why Pit Bull’s nails turn black, so check that out if you missed it.
Besides fungal infections, bacterial infections from mites could dry out your puppy’s skin. He may also have hair loss with his dandruff.
Allergies
Our four-legged friends can get allergies too, including the same allergens that trigger symptoms in people. From chemicals to ingredients in the food he eats to pollen, your Pit Bull’s allergies can cause dry, sloughing skin.
9 Home Remedies for Treating Your Pit Bull Puppy’s Dandruff
Dandruff in Pit Bull puppies can have some pretty serious root causes, but you don’t necessarily have to see your veterinarian. Try these 9 home remedies for reducing dandruff first. They could just treat the problem!
Melted Coconut Oil Rub
Oils are an excellent product to fight your Pit Bull puppy’s dandruff. Remember, when your dog’s own natural oils dry up, that’s what sets the stage for dandruff to develop. You can restore some oils to your Pit Bull’s skin by using melted coconut oil as a rub.
If you only have olive oil at home, this works too, but it doesn’t have quite the same tropical, fruity smell.
I’m not recommending coconut oil solely for the smell, of course. The lauric acid in coconut oil will boost your Pit Bull puppy’s immunity, and it acts as an antibacterial as well. Medium-chain triglycerides in coconut oil are another good ingredient for lessening dry skin and dandruff.
Coconut oil starts as a solid, so you’ll have to melt it in the microwave until it’s a smooth liquid. Make sure the oil is completely cooled before you apply it to your dog’s coat. You might want to wear some gloves before rubbing the oil all over your Pit Bull so you don’t make a mess of the kitchen.
If you give him a coconut oil rub the day before you bathe your Pit Bull puppy, bathing him shouldn’t strip so many oils that his dandruff worsens.
Don’t feel like having an oil-coated Pit Bull running rampant all over the house? You can always feed him coconut or olive oil directly, a teaspoon at a time during mealtime.
Tea Tree Oil
If your Pit Bull puppy has a canine yeast infection, you can try treating the accompanying dandruff with tea tree oil. This natural oil comes from the Australian tea tree, hence its name. It acts as an antifungal and antibacterial that can sooth everything from insect bites to nail fungus, acne, lice, athlete’s foot, dandruff, and seborrheic dermatitis.
You only need a few drops of tea tree oil for your puppy’s dandruff, as this is powerful stuff. Do be aware that most natural tea tree oil products have quite a strong smell that some people find unappealing.
Hydration Boost
Here’s a simple but incredibly effective home remedy for your Pit Bull puppy with dandruff. Make sure he’s drinking enough water! The American Kennel Club says that in two hours, your puppy should consume half a cup of water. That should continue regularly throughout the day.
If your Pit Bull isn’t drinking enough, then he’s depriving himself of the moisture he needs for his skin. Considering the size of his bladder at this age though, do make sure you’re getting your puppy out every two hours so he can go to the bathroom, as he’ll certainly have to!
Baking Soda Brush-Through
I’m sure you have some baking soda somewhere in the pantry, right? Also known as sodium bicarbonate, baking soda is good for more than just your baked goods. It’s also a handy, inexpensive household cleaner and an antifungal as well.
Combine 1 ½ cups of water with a tablespoon of baking soda. The water should be warm (but not hot!) so brushing the baking soda mixture through your Pit Bull puppy’s fur is a pleasant experience. Then give him a bath.
Brushing your Pit Bull’s fur (but not to excess) can remove dead flakes, as can the baking soda, making this a doubly effective solution.
Humidifier
If you suspect it’s the weather or indoor environment that has caused your Pit Bull puppy’s dandruff, that’s easily rectifiable with a humidifier. Since you have a curious puppy in the house, a baby-safe humidifier like the Pure Enrichment MistAire Cloud on Amazon is a good choice for your Pit Bull. There’s very little he can chew on.
Keep the humidifier where your Pit sleeps. Although it can take a bit of time, with regular use of the humidifier, his dandruff levels may decrease or even stop altogether.
Oatmeal Bath
You might enjoy a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast every now and again, but save some for your Pit Bull puppy. Oats contain saponins that can reduce your dog’s dandruff levels. Instead of feeding him oatmeal, bathe him in it.
Use unflavored, plain oatmeal for the job. Whether you have slow-cooking oats, quick oats, or instant oatmeal in your kitchen cabinets, any oatmeal should suffice. Since your Pit Bull is still a puppy, you don’t need a ton of oatmeal, about 1/3rd cup. If he still wrestles with dandruff into adulthood, increase the amount of oats to one cup at most.
Fill your tub with slightly warm water, but make sure it’s not scalding! Then stir in the oats and put your Pit Bull puppy in the tub. Rub the oats over his coat and massage them into the trouble areas especially.
After about 10 minutes, you can rinse your Pit Bull with water and then towel-dry him.
Water and Apple Cider Vinegar
Another pantry staple that can be used as a natural remedy for your Pit Bull puppy’s dandruff is apple cider vinegar. This natural antifungal will control his itching and dry skin.
In the mixture, you want 40 percent apple cider vinegar and 60 percent water. For an even more luxurious, dandruff-busting experience, add some olive oil, about three spoonfuls.
Put the ingredients in a spray bottle and mist your Pit Bull puppy’s coat from top to bottom. Let the mix sit and supervise your dog so he doesn’t lick or rub the apple cider vinegar off in the meantime. Then give him a bath.
Kefir or Yogurt Treat
Earlier, I recommended tea tree oil if your Pit Bull has frequent yeast infections that have led to his dandruff. You can also feed him probiotics, which are recommended for human yeast infections as well as those that affect canines.
Active probiotics can reduce yeast, which might make your puppy’s dandruff less severe. You can feed your Pit Bull kefir supplements or let him lick some plain, frozen yogurt off a spoon as a treat.
Supplements
Speaking of supplements, you don’t have to stop at kefir. Vitamin E supplements can manage oil production and moisture levels in your Pit Bull’s skin to put a stop to his dandruff. Foods that contain vitamin E that are appropriate to feed to your dog include spinach, avocado, eggs, and salmon, but some of these should be occasional treats and not everyday food.
Omega-3 fatty acids are another supplement you don’t want to go without if your Pit Bull puppy has dandruff. This fish oil, like vitamin E, controls how much oil the skin produces. If your dog has an omega-3 deficiency, he’ll slough skin like nobody’s business.
Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids as well as vitamin E, so make sure your Pit Bull puppy eats this fish if he’s not allergic. Fish oil supplements are an alternative you can also try.