Leave-in Coat Sprays
Advantages of a leave-in spray:
This is a spray that is misted onto a dog's coat and is not washed out. This is often used alongside brushing and is meant to be applied as often as every day but can be done randomly as needed.
Though this sort of product can work as a detangler, something Pugs do not need, but these can have lots of other benefits.
Let's look at what a good leave-in will do:- Offer round-the clock protection from environmental and weather related elements including UV exposure in the summer
and dry arid air in the winter.
- Protect fur from contact friction.
- Help repel tiny debris, dirt, urine, allergens, and irritants.
- Lock in moisture for a healthy shine.
- Keep a Pug smelling nice and clean.
So, as you can see, spritzing your Pug can be a helpful part of overall grooming and upkeep.
Recommendations:
There are a couple of great choices.
1.
Nootie Daily Spritz Conditioning Spray. This is a line of sprays that work great to repel elements and keep the coat shiny and healthy, but also smell out-of-this world. Options include coconut lime, Japanese cherry blossom, cucumber melon, and warm vanilla cookie.
Coat spray tips:
1. Don't go overboard and drench the coat. This is not meant to be washed out and you may be using this as often as every day, so just a light mist is all that is needed.
2. Lightly spray the entire body including the underbelly (to help repel urine that may splash back onto your Pug) and the top of the paws and the legs (to help repel outdoor irritants including pollen and lawn care products).
Specialty Organic and Medicated Shampoos and Sprays
It should first be noted that if your Pug is suffering from an unknown skin condition or ailment, it is best to have the veterinarian examine your puppy or dog to diagnose the exact problem. While some specialty shampoos do cover more than one issue, you don't want to be treating your Pug for mites when it is actually a yeast issue and vice-versa. Also, some conditions may require prescribed medicated shampoo.
This said, there are some very effective shampoos that can resolve a host of issues seen with the Pug breed.
Common issues seen with Pugs that may respond well to a specialty shampoo:
- Allergies. This includes itching, hot spots, and rashes. Fur may be affected as well, turning brittle or even developing thinning or bald spots. There can be other symptoms such as runny nose, coughing, wheezing, and/or watery eyes. It will be important to have the triggers identified and take steps to eliminate or reduce them. But, in the meantime, there are some shampoos and sprays that can offer immediate relief.
- Overly dry skin. This is most commonly seen in the wintertime and into the early spring.
- Irritated skin. This can be caused by a wide range of elements including contact irritations such as lawn care chemicals and abrasive surfaces but also includes insect bites and overexposure to UV rays.
- Skin yeast infection. A telltale sign is a strong musty odor and may include skin lesions or discolored skin.
- Mites and other parasitic skin infections.
Specialty: Organic shampoo
Fully lathering your Pug in a healing shampoo is an effective method to offer full-body relief and is a good way to set things back on track. F
or an all-natural allergy shampoo, and one that works fantastic for itching, unknown irritations, yeast, and bacterial skin infections, Moosh Bentonite Clay Shampoo
is excellent.
This has bentonite clay which pulls away all types of irritants and toxins out from the skin. It also has neem oil, argan oil, shea butter, and aloe vera which all help restore proper skin moisture and promote healing. This is 100% all natural and organic with no sulfates, chemicals, or preservatives.
This can be used 1 to 2 times per week. Once this is massaged into the coat, allow it to stay for 10 minutes before rinsing with lukewarm water and following with a quality coat conditioner.
Specialty: Organic spray
While the previously mentioned shampoo treats a Pug's whole body, it is only used a couple of times a week, so a spray can be very beneficial for targeting the most troubling areas on a Pug and providing immediate round-the-clock relief. If you want to stay with something all-natural,
Bodhi Dog's Anti-Itch Spray
is a good choice. This has both baking soda and oatmeal which are two of the most effective organic anti-itch and anti-inflammatory ingredients possible and this also works well for hot spots and other irritations.
Medicated: Shampoo: Skin yeast, fungi, or bacterial infections
If a Pug has a severe or chronic skin infection, a medicated shampoo may be needed. It is important to have this sort of issue diagnosed by the veterinarian, because you do not want to use topical anti-fungal or anti-bacterial ingredients if something else, like skin allergies, is the real problem.
With this in mind, two of the most effective ingredients for yeast are chlorhexidine and ketoconazole. This combination can also help clear up skin bacterial infections and even ringworm.
A shampoo that has both of these ingredients, as well as aloe vera which can help sooth skin irritations, is
Curaseb Antifungal & Antibacterial Shampoo. This is used every other day for the first week and then twice a week for the next two weeks and should be left on for 10 minutes after being massaged in. Be sure to follow with a quality conditioner.