As a groomer and Vet tech I have seen many types of skin conditions in dogs. Through the years I have learned that dogs can become allergic to different foods. Not only to foods but also to the dyes that are in those foods. When choosing a food for your dog. Look at the first five ingredients. The first five are the main bulk of the food. The first ingredient, in good dog foods, is meat not by products. I have tried many foods over the years and I have two that I recommend to others. Purina O.N.E Lamb and rice and Eukanuba Lamb and rice. Both of those foods have lamb as their first ingredient. They both also have ingredients in them for good skin and coat. I am not saying no dogs are allergic to lamb. I just haven't seen any. Once a dog is eating something for a long time. It can become allergic to it. Just like humans.
Here are a few signs of food allergy. I am not saying these signs are only caused by food allergy. Just that I have seen dogs with one or more of these symptoms and have seen them clear up after the owner changed their food. Always check with your vet.

Chronic ear infection/irritation
Licking and irritated feet
Skin lesions, mostly seen on belly
Over all body itching

Now if you are feeding a good premium food and your dog has one or more of these symptoms. Check the treats you giving them. Alot of the treats they sell have red or yellow dye in them. Dog can eat those dyes for years before they start to effect them. The treats I like to give and recommend are fresh fruits and vegetables. Most dogs love raw carrots and a lot of others. Some vegetables and fruits to avoid are

Onions
Potatoes
Tomatoes
Grapes

Overweight dogs are very common these days. The best way to figure the correct amount of food to feed your dog. Is the ratio 1cup of food per 20lbs of ideal body weight. Do not go by the weight of your dog. Go by the weight the dog is ideal at. You have a poodle that weighs 20lbs, but is overweight. His ideal body weight is 15lbs. So instead of feeding him a cup a day. You would feed him 3/4 of a cup a day. If you feed your dog twice a day. Then just give them half in the morning and half at night. If you feed only once a day. It is best to feed in the morning. That way the dog works off some of the food during the day. If fed at night, they will not be active so will not burn any of the food.

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