This issue is caused by dry skin. How does a Pom develop this? Don't worry that you did something wrong, this can happen to even the most pampered pets! There are 3 main causes:
1.
An imbalance of natural body oils
2.
A lack of certain vitamins and minerals
3.
Sensitivity to temperature/ humidity levels
We will look at all 3 of these elements and then go over a list of things that you can do at home to cure and then prevent dandruff.
Imbalance of Body Oils
Most cases of dandruff are caused by either a lack of body oils (the dandruff will be dry, and the skin and coat will appear dry) or an excess of natural body oils (the skin and coat will appear oily, with a sheen that is slick and this may have an odd odor).
In either case, this often comes down to baths and bathing products. The frequency, temperature, shampoo used, rinsing method, and drying method all play a role.
1)
The timing of baths is important.
Too many times in the tub can cause skin to become very dry and this is can strip the coat of oils, causing skin irritations, including dandruff.
Alternatively, not giving baths often enough can lead to a buildup of body oils on a dog, these will soon start to smell bad and flaking can appear as skin is sloughing off.
Poms should have a bath every 3 weeks, even if they do not appear dirty.
2) Rinsing.
The right products will do a great job, but they are meant to be rinsed off well. If possible, use a nozzle.
3) The drying method. If your Pom is having skin and coat issues, do not blow dry him; pat the coat and then allow him to air dry.
4) Good products. Even without dandruff issues, you will always want to use a quality moisturizing
shampoo that is great for Poms and then, separately a moisturizing conditioner.
Treatment:
The type of treatment shampoo that you use will depend on if your Pom has a dry dandruff, or an oily dandruff. When dandruff is apparent, do not use human dandruff shampoo. It is much too harsh.