You might have noticed your dog’s coat is changing, and you want to do something about it. Like humans, a dog’s coat is a good indicator of its health. If your dog’s coat needs a little love, a high-quality diet can help!
We’re listing the best-reviewed dog foods for your dog’s skin and coat today. These foods have beneficial vitamins to keep your dog’s coat healthy and, dare we say, gorgeous. Let’s dive in!
A Quick Look at Our Favorites in 2023
| Image | Product | Details | ||
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Best Overall
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The Farmer's Dog Fresh Dog Food |
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Best Value
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Diamond Naturals Skin & Coat Formula Dry Dog Food |
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Go! Solutions Skin + Coat Care Dry Dog Food |
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| Best for Puppies |
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AvoDerm Natural Puppy Dry Dog Food |
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| Vet’s Choice |
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ACANA Wholesome Grains Dry Dog Food |
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The 11 Best Dog Foods for Skin and Coat
1. The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food Subscription Service – Best Overall
| Main ingredients: | USDA pork, potatoes, sweet potatoes, USDA pork liver |
| Protein content: | 9% minimum |
| Fat content: | 32% minimum |
| Calories: | 152 kcal/serving |
If your dog has sensitive skin, fresh, wholesome ingredients are the best solution. That’s why we found The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food Pork Recipe to be the best overall choice for promoting healthy skin and coats. Although grain-free diets aren’t the best for every dog, grain sensitivities and digestive issues are one possible cause of skin and coat issues. A reaction to common proteins like beef and chicken is another reason.
The Farmer’s Dog Pork Recipe contains a novel protein and wholesome vegetables as its main ingredients, with sweet potatoes and cauliflower among them. It also contains fish oil, which helps make your dog’s coat soft and lustrous. Finally, it is high in healthy proteins and fats to fuel your dog all day. Although this is a more expensive option, it is a great option to consider.
2. Diamond Naturals Skin & Coat Formula – Best Value
| Main ingredients: | Salmon, fish meal, potatoes, lentils, peas |
| Protein content: | 25.0% minimum |
| Fat content: | 14.0% minimum |
| Calories: | 408 kcal/cup |
If you’re looking for an affordable option to help your dog’s coat, then Diamond Naturals Skin and Coat Formula All Life Stages Dry Dog Food is the best for the money. There are a few things we like about this food. First, there’s no chicken but is still high in protein—another great option for dogs with chicken allergies. There are also more calories per cup, so your dog stays fuller longer.
What stands out the most in this food is the ingredients. The first ingredient is salmon, packed with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. You’ll also find zinc, copper, biotin, and riboflavin, all of which contribute to a healthy coat.
After switching to this food, many dog owners see a notable difference in their dog’s coats. The only downside is some owners also report excessive shedding.
3. Go! Solutions Skin + Coat Care Dry Dog Food
| Main ingredients: | Lamb meal, oatmeal, whole brown rice, deboned lamb, canola oil |
| Protein content: | 22.0% minimum |
| Fat content: | 14.0% minimum |
| Calories: | 451 kcal/cup |
Number three on our list is Go! Solutions Skin and Coat Care Lamb Meal Recipe Dry Dog Food. First, this food doesn’t contain chicken, perfect for fur babies with chicken allergies. There are also no preservatives and a hefty amount of vegetables and vitamins all for your dog’s skin and coat.
This food has 451 calories per cup, so you need to be careful with how much you feed your dog. Otherwise, your dog will gain weight. Some owners report their dogs becoming gassy when eating this food, so beware!
4. AvoDerm Natural Puppy Dry Dog Food – Best for Puppies
| Main ingredients: | Chicken meal, ground brown rice, ground white rice, chicken fat, oatmeal |
| Protein content: | 26.0% |
| Fat content: | 16.0% |
| Calories: | 372 kcal/cup |
AvoDerm Natural Puppy Chicken Meal & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food is our favorite option for puppies. This food is rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids from avocado. Avocados indeed contain persin, which is toxic to dogs and cats. However, a person is found in the pit, skin, bark, and leaves. This recipe refrains from using these areas of the fruit. So, your dog will be safe and can reap the benefits.
Not only does this puppy food help with skin and coat, but it also has DHA for healthy development. DHA is another omega-3 fatty acid that’s important for neural development in puppies.
The downside to this puppy food is that it may cause diarrhea. Some owners report their dog’s GI tract not liking this food. However, there are still many owners and dogs that love it!
5. ACANA Wholesome Grains Dry Dog Food – Vet’s Choice
| Main ingredients: | Deboned lamb, lamb meal, oat groats, whole sorghum, lamb liver |
| Protein content: | 27.0% |
| Fat content: | 17.0% |
| Calories: | 371 kcal/cup |
Fifth on our list is ACANA Singles + Wholesome Grains Lamb and Pumpkin Recipe Dry Dog Food. This is our favorite vet choice for a few reasons. The food is because it is nutrient-dense, providing complete nutrition and all the necessary vitamins for a shiny, healthy coat. There are no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. It also has the highest protein count of all the foods on this list. Plus, it’s great for all dog sizes and breeds.
Not every ingredient is sourced in the United States, and some dogs don’t care for the taste. So, it’s best to go with a small bag and mix the kibble with your dog’s current food to see if your dog likes it.
6. Nature’s Recipe Healthy Skin Dry Dog Food
| Main ingredients: | Brewer’s rice, soybean meal, barley, canola oil, natural flavor |
| Protein content: | 21.0% minimum |
| Fat content: | 8.0% minimum |
| Calories: | 305 kcal/cup |
Another good pick for healthy skin and coat is Nature’s Recipe Healthy Skin Vegetarian Recipe Dry Dog Food. This Nature’s Recipe formula contains no artificial colors and, as the name suggests, does not use animal meat or fat as the protein source. Instead, Nature’s Recipe uses soybean oil. This is a nice option for dogs with chicken allergies.
You’ll also find omega-6 fatty acids, zinc, and copper in this recipe to support a healthy coat. The downside to this formula is that some owners report their dog experiencing GI upset after eating.
7. Hill’s Science Diet Sensitive Stomach & Skin Dry Dog Food
| Main ingredients: | Chicken, brewer’s rice, chicken meal, yellow peas, cracked pearl barley |
| Protein content: | 20.0% |
| Fat content: | 13.0% |
| Calories: | 382 kcal/cup |
Number six on our list is Hill’s Science Diet Sensitive Stomach & Skin Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food. This food is nice for dogs who struggle with food sensitivity and need some extra shine to the coat. It contains prebiotic fiber to feed beneficial gut bacteria and reduce an upset tummy. Plus, if you have more than one dog, you can feed this food to both dogs if one has stomach issues and the other doesn’t.
Hill’s is cheaper than prescription food and doesn’t contain any artificial colors, flavors, or BHA. It’s also made in the USA. The biggest con with this food is that it may cause GI upset in your dog.
8. Royal Canin Sensitive Skin Care Dry Dog Food
| Main ingredients: | Brewer’s rice, corn gluten meal, wheat gluten, wheat, chicken fat |
| Protein content: | 24.0% |
| Fat content: | 15.0% |
| Calories: | 414 kcal/cup |
Next on our list is Royal Canin’s Small Sensitive Skin Care Dry Dog Food. If your dog’s coat is dry and flaky, this could be a good option. This food is loaded with nutrients like fish oil, vitamin E, Biotin, and Riboflavin for a beautiful, healthy coat.
This food also uses chicken fat instead of meat for an allergy-safe and delicious product. In addition, Royal Canin Sensitive Skin is another food that has DHA for your dog’s mental development. Another interesting fact about this food is the shape of the kibble helps remove tartar from your dog’s teeth.
The downside is that it’s recommended to supplement this food with the wet food version to provide texture variety. However, this isn’t necessary, and many dogs love the flavor of the dry food as is!
9. Blue Buffalo Skin & Coat Care Dry Dog Food
| Main ingredients: | Deboned salmon, salmon meal, oatmeal, brown rice, barley |
| Protein content: | 24.0% minimum |
| Fat content: | 14.0% minimum |
| Calories: | 363 kcal/cup |
Blue Buffalo True Solutions Perfect Coat Skin & Coat Care Formula Dry Dog Food is number eight on our list. The primary protein source is salmon combined with flaxseed for a rich, beautiful coat. There are no artificial flavors or preservatives, and the food comes with Lifesource Bits, which are small pieces of kibble packed with vitamins and nutrients. This food is good for dogs of any size and breed, plus those with allergies to chicken. You won’t find a trace of chicken flavoring, byproduct, or meal in this option.
The biggest downfall to this food is the GI upset. Blue Buffalo is known for causing diarrhea in dogs from their vast array of food options. Even so, dogs love the flavor, so this could be a good option for picky eaters!
10. Nutro Natural Choice Dry Dog Food
| Main ingredients: | Chicken, brewer’s rice, chicken meal, whole grain brown rice, whole grain barley |
| Protein content: | 22.0% minimum |
| Fat content: | 14.0% |
| Calories: | 343 kcal/cup |
Nutro Natural Choice Adult Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food has non-GMO ingredients and is loaded with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Plus, the food is made with natural fibers for easy digestion.
You can’t feed this food to puppies under one year of age, and a few owners recently report their dogs refusing to eat the kibble after years on the brand. Owners suggest a new formula, but if your dog hasn’t eaten this food before, it should be fine.
11. Purina ONE +Plus Skin & Coat Formula Dry Dog Food
| Main ingredients: | Salmon, rice flour, pearled barley, oatmeal, corn gluten meal |
| Protein content: | 26.0% minimum |
| Fat content: | 16.0% minimum |
| Calories: | 438 kcal/cup |
Purina ONE Natural Sensitive Stomach +Plus Skin & Coat Formula Dry Dog Food is last on our list. This is a grain-free and gluten-free option for owners wanting to steer in that direction. As a disclaimer, the inclusion of grains is beneficial to most dogs, so it’s best to check with your veterinarian if grain-free is the right option for your dog.
Purina Skin and Coat are high in protein and caloric value, so a little goes a long way. There are no artificial colors or preservatives and it’s affordable compared to prescription food.
This dog food kibble is small, which some owners didn’t like for their big dogs. The food can also be difficult to find sometimes and can cause stinky gas for your dog.
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Food for Your Dog’s Skin and Coat
What Vitamins Are Good for a Dog’s Coats?
A dog’s diet is a big contributor to the health of its skin and coat. It helps to know what vitamins and minerals to look for so you can purchase the best dog food for your pet.
Fatty acids are ultimately what you want to look for in your dog’s food. Fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6 help produce natural oils and reduce dandruff and dull-looking fur.
Ingredient List
One of the biggest things to consider when shopping for a new type of kibble is the ingredients. It doesn’t matter what packaging it comes in or the overall size—unless those are important to you. Your main concern should be the ingredients.
Ask yourself a few questions about whether the food is up to your standards. Do the first listed ingredients include high-quality meat protein sources? Are there artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives? What ingredients are included that will help my dog’s skin and coat be as healthy as possible?
These are all things you need to consider. Keeping our dog’s health starts from the inside and with what food we are feeding them.
Conclusion
Let’s do a quick review. Our best overall selection is The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food for their high-quality, fresh ingredients. Our favorite value option is Diamond Naturals Skin and Coat Formula Dry Dog Food for its affordability, great flavor, and great ingredients. For puppies, we recommend AvoDerm Natural Puppy Food for its high protein, DHA formula.
Finally, our vet’s choice is ACANA Singles + Wholesome Grains Dry Dog Food. It has the highest protein count, tastes great, and is nutrient-dense for the best skin and coat care for your dog.
- See Also: 10 Best Dog Foods for Shiny Coats
Featured Image Credit: Dmytro Zinkevych, Shutterstock
