Keeping a Newfoundland coat healthy in summer

Skin and coat issues in dogs usually fall into two categories — dietary deficiency or an underlying skin condition — and supplements only really help when the root cause is dietary. That said, a young Newfoundland heading into summer is a great candidate for proactive support, because that thick double coat can dry out and dull quite noticeably with seasonal heat and shedding pressure. To point you in the right direction: what are you currently feeding him or her, and are you seeing anything specific yet — dullness, excessive shedding, any dry flakiness at the skin — or is this purely about keeping things in good shape before summer kicks in?

That's really sensible — Newfoundlands blow their undercoat heavily in warmer months and the outer guard hairs can lose their natural lustre if the skin isn't well supported through it. Eukanuba Large Breed is a solid food, so you're not working against a poor diet here. What you're describing — dryness and heavy shedding ramping up in summer — is very typical for the breed and usually responds well to omega fatty acid supplementation. One quick question: last summer, was the dryness mainly at the skin level, or was the coat itself looking dull and coarse, or both?

That pattern — flaky skin plus coat dullness in summer — is classic omega-3 and omega-6 depletion in double-coated breeds. Kibble, even good kibble, is processed at high temperatures that degrade the fatty acids, so by summer when the coat is under extra stress, there's often not enough left in reserve. My recommendation is YuMEGA Plus Omega Oil. It's a liquid fish and starflower oil blend that's well-formulated for exactly this — skin hydration and coat condition — and the omega-6 from starflower oil is particularly useful for that inner skin barrier that prevents flaking. For a Newfoundland her size you'd use the larger pump bottle and give the full large-breed dose daily. Start it now, about six weeks before summer really arrives, so her skin is properly supported before the seasonal shed kicks in rather than playing catch-up. You'll likely see the coat gloss improve within three to four weeks.

Yes, straight over her kibble — the pump makes it easy to dose accurately and most dogs take to it well because it smells appealing. Give it with her main meal so the fats are absorbed alongside the other nutrients in her food. Stick with it consistently through summer rather than stopping when things look better; the coat will hold its condition much more reliably if you keep it going for the whole season.

Good call — the large bottle works out much better value for a dog her size. You're in a great position starting this early; by the time the heavy summer shed arrives her skin should be in good shape to handle it. Enjoy the summer with her — Newfoundlands are magnificent dogs.