Same diet, different coats in two dogs

Two dogs eating exactly the same food but with noticeably different coats is actually a really useful clue — it tells us this is almost certainly about individual absorption or metabolism rather than a gap in the diet itself. Skin and coat issues in dogs generally come down to either a dietary deficiency or an underlying skin condition, and supplements will only make a real difference if the root cause is nutritional. Before I point you in any direction, can you tell me which dog is struggling — the 3-year-old Beagle or the 6-year-old Harrier — what exactly you're seeing (dull coat, dry flaky skin, shedding, itching), and what food they're both eating?

That's helpful. Dull coat, dryness, and heavier shedding without itching in a 6-year-old is a fairly classic pattern — it often means the dog simply isn't absorbing or processing essential fatty acids as efficiently as a younger dog. As dogs age their gut efficiency can dip, and a mid-range kibble typically has enough omega-6 but the omega-3 content, particularly EPA and DHA, is often marginal. The fact that the younger Beagle is fine on the same food actually supports this — the Harrier's system may just need a bit more help now. Has the Harrier had any digestive issues, or has his coat always been slightly behind the Beagle's, or is this a more recent change?

That timeline fits well — a gradual decline over a year in an otherwise healthy older dog, clean vet check, no itch — this is a strong candidate for an omega-3 supplement making a genuine difference. I'd recommend YuDERM Moulting Dog by Lintbells. It's a liquid oil blend — cold-pressed flaxseed and fish oil — that delivers omega-3 and omega-6 in a ratio specifically designed to support coat quality and reduce excess shedding. You just add it to his kibble. It's one of the most consistently well-regarded products for exactly this presentation, and because it's a liquid it absorbs efficiently even in dogs whose digestion is less sharp than it used to be. Most owners see a noticeable difference in coat shine within six to eight weeks. Given the Beagle is fine, I wouldn't change the food — just add this for the Harrier specifically.

Yes, very easy — you just drizzle the correct amount onto the Harrier's bowl before you put it down. As long as you feed them separately, even briefly, it takes seconds. The dose is based on body weight and it comes with a measuring pump on the bottle, so there's no guesswork. A medium-to-large Harrier would typically be on around 1–2 pumps per meal. If they tend to eat from each other's bowls it's worth supervising for the couple of minutes it takes them to finish — the Beagle doesn't need it, but it wouldn't harm him either.

Good — give it a full eight weeks before you judge it, coat changes are slow. If after eight weeks you're not seeing any improvement at all in shine or shedding, that's the point to go back to the vet and investigate whether there's something else going on, like a thyroid issue or a subtle skin condition. But based on what you've described, I'd expect you to see a real difference.