Dry dog food for shedding
No dry food will stop a dog shedding — shedding is driven mostly by genetics, season and coat type, not diet. What a good food can do is support the skin underneath the coat, which affects how healthy the hair looks and, in some dogs, how much loose hair ends up on the floor rather than staying put a little longer.
What "good for shedding" actually means on a label
When a food is marketed around skin and coat, it usually means it carries added omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, often from fish oil or flaxseed, plus a decent level of quality protein. These support the skin barrier and the hair follicle, which is where a coat's condition — glossy or dull, brittle or strong — is actually decided.
None of that changes the amount of hair a dog is genetically going to lose, or the seasonal blowouts that come with a double coat in spring and autumn. What it can change is whether the hair that does come out is part of a healthy growth cycle, or a symptom of a coat that is in poor condition to begin with.
When the food is the right thing to look at
A skin-and-coat formula is worth trying if your dog's coat looks dull, feels coarse, or if shedding has increased alongside flaky skin — these can point to a diet that is not giving the skin what it needs, particularly on a cheaper food with a lower fat content and less named protein.
It is a less useful lever if your dog is a known heavy shedder by breed — German Shepherds, Huskies and Labradors all carry a dense undercoat that blows out on a schedule diet will not change — or if the shedding has appeared suddenly and out of pattern for that dog, which points away from diet and towards something worth mentioning to your vet.
What else actually helps
Regular brushing with the right tool for the coat type does more for visible shedding than almost any food change, because it removes loose undercoat before it ends up on the sofa rather than reducing how much grows in the first place.
A food change and a grooming routine work better together than either alone: a coat in good condition holds together better between brushes, and regular brushing stops a heavy-shedding breed's coat from matting, which itself can make shedding look worse than it is.
What we stock
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Wahl Competition Series Clipper Blades
High-precision, chrome-plated clipper blades with a rust-resistant finish, available in 17 sizes for every coat type and clipping style.
From£37.99
Ancol Ergo Wooden Handle Slicker Brush
A stainless steel slicker brush on a wooden handle, for short, long, wiry and curly coats
From£6.99
Wahl Pet Grooming Scissors with Finger Rest
Stainless steel finishing scissors with ergonomic offset handles — perfect for tidying around eyes, ears, mouth, and paws.
£5.49
Forthglade Cold Pressed Small Dog Turkey
Cold-pressed grain-free dry food for small dogs and puppies, built on turkey
£16.99
Large Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush for Mats and Tangles
A self-cleaning slicker brush with fine, bead-tipped wire pins that gently lift loose undercoat, mats and tangles from short or long-haired pets. A one-click button releases the collected fur for fuss-free cleaning. Cat-ear shaped design.
£18.99
Slicker Brush for Dogs — Detangling & De-shedding
An ergonomic slicker brush with anti-scratch pins that works through tangles and removes dead hair from top and undercoat.
From£9.99
Ancol Ergo Palm Pin Pad
A palm-strapped pin grooming pad for dogs, for silky, long, wiry and curly coats
£8.49
Groom Professional Curved Soft Slicker Brush
A professional-grade curved slicker brush with soft pins, designed to groom delicate and soft-coated pets without discomfort.
From£8.99
Ancol Ergo Double Sided Comb
Ancol Ergo Double Sided Comb: a SGL grooming comb for combing the coat
£8.79
Round-Tipped Deshedding Rake Comb
A double-sided undercoat rake with rounded stainless-steel blades that gently cut through mats and remove loose hair. The non-slip ergonomic handle makes deshedding dogs and cats quick and comfortable.
From£8.99
Wolseley A2 Clipper Blade — 78mm Width
A reliable professional clipper blade offering a 2–3mm depth of cut, well suited to routine winter clipping work.
£6.49
Harringtons Just 6 Dry Dog Food Lamb
Grain-free lamb dry dog food in 2KG and 12KG sizes, with size-specific formulas
From£13.99
Common questions
- Will changing my dog's food stop the shedding completely?
- No. Shedding is mostly controlled by genetics, breed and season, and no food removes that. A food built around skin and coat health can improve the condition of the coat, which sometimes reduces excess hair loss caused by a poor diet, but it will not stop a double-coated breed from its seasonal blowout.
- What ingredients should I actually look for?
- Look for added omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids — often listed as fish oil, salmon oil or flaxseed — alongside a named meat protein reasonably high up the ingredients list. These support the skin and hair follicle, which is where coat condition is decided, more directly than a generic "complete" formula without them.
- How long before I'd see a difference in the coat?
- Skin cells and hair growth take weeks to turn over, so most owners who see a change notice it after six to eight weeks of consistent feeding, not days. If there is no visible change after a couple of months, the food is unlikely to be the main factor for that dog.
- Is wet food better than dry for shedding?
- Format matters less than the actual ingredients and fat content. A quality wet food with good omega levels can help a coat just as much as a quality dry one — the shedding benefit comes from what is in the food, not whether it is served dry or in a pouch.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.