Improving a dog's coat thru diet

  I don't think being grain free has much to do with it; both EVO and Origen have more fat than many foods. Origen's adult products are 16% and 18% fat. Aren't most grain free foods higher in fat? According to an article my vet gave me, higher amounts of dietary fat are better for a dog's coat. Origen's fish formula is also high in zinc (270mg/kg) and omega 3's (1.3%), which are what I look for in a food for Jessie. She's allergic to white and sweet potatoes so grain free is not an option but I doubt if she could have a better coat on grain free than she has now.

jdata

their coats on raw food are beautiful.

  Jessie was on a cooked diet for several months that was about 22% fat and her coat was beautiful but I had to stop feeding it because she ws having an allergic reaction to something in the diet. As long as I watched her calories, it was easy to maintain her weight.

Every dog is different, so no one food or even type of food is going to have the same effects for every dog. I have a large group of dogs here so I live this every day. I have three different types of diets going here: "power" grain-based for the working dogs, grain free, and geriatric (low inflammatory, liver/kidney friendly). Within those each dog has their own needs - Cord gets a lineoleic acid supplement, Ted gets extra potassium and a heavier leaning on red meat, the guard dogs get kibble and extra fat and one or two eggs per day, Maggie gets no carbs at all while Zhi gets a small amount of white potato for the various nutrients plus a bit of "finish" - and Zhi gets a complete omega fatty acid supplement. Lynn gets a vitamin C supplement as a preventative for future potential joint or cancer problems she might have inherited from her Golden genes (not that you can prevent it that simply, but it doesn't hurt).

Do some research, experiment - the most obvious thing is to simply move up to better ingredients - doesn't have to be grain free. Adding an omega fatty acid supplement is a must - fish oil in particular provides nutrients that just aren't there in the kibble. O3s don't actually directly improve skin but without them in proper ratio, O6s and other nutrients needed for skin and coat health, can't do their job. 

Adding a high quality probiotic supplement is another very simple way to put a glow on your dog's overall health, and very quickly! The reason is that probiotics are a vital part of the system that absorbs minerals, particularly the ones that are responsible for skin and coat, eyes and energy levels. Look for these high quality products in the refrigerated section of your health food store - products that have a CFU of one billion or above will get the little beneficial bugs past the dog's stomach and into the gut where they can do their work. There's not enough in yogurt, as yummy and healthful as it is. And I don't recommend yogurt for a dog that may have food sensitivities.

Good luck