Dog Dry Skin

Question
I have a one year old male german shepherd mix.  He is not altered yet, and he has extremely dry skin.  I was wondering if there was anything I could do for him at home first.  He also has a very strong "doggy smell" and I was wondering if that was caused by his dry skin or him not being fixed, or maybe the change in dog food?  He also gets a heavy build up of wax in his ears that also has a very strong odor.  Any advice you could offer will be greatly welcomed.

Answer
I would first look for a good fatty acid supplement.  I recommend Omega 3 fatty acids.  Most vets have some form of this.  Then I would let the vet take a look at the skin to make sure that it is not infected.  In young animals with food allergies, this can happen.  If the ears are smelly, there may be an infection that needs treatment.