change to hair/skin standard poodle

Question
I have a wonderful 3 year old black male standard poodle.  Recently I have noticed he has developed very dry skin and his hair is dull, not really curly and bristly.  He is also losing a lot hair.  There has been no change in his diet.  (Natural Choice Lamb meal and rice), fresh vegetables.   Could this be stress related as I have just returned from 10 day holiday?  He did stay in our family home with my 2 teen daughters.  Thanks in advance for your help!

Answer
Hello Lisa,
It could be stress related, but it could also be that he needs more oil in his coat.  You can supplement his diet with fish oil (such as the oil off of tuna or salmon) or you can add some sardines once a week (like 4-5 and some of the oil) to his food.  Fish oil is very healthy for dogs and the oils will help the dullness and dryness of the coat.  
The reason he is losing hair is because his hair is dry and when he scratches himself, the hair breaks off.  You should bathe him about once a month with an Oatmeal based shampoo and use a good quality conditioner that will moisturize his hair.  

Lamb and rice food is good, but it tends to be dryer than beef or chicken so sometimes when you use L&R foods, you need to supplement with something that will give your dog more oil in their skin and coat.  

I hope this helps you some.  If you have other questions or concerns for me, please feel free to ask.

Thanks for using AllExperts.com,
Kim