My understanding of how diatomaceous earth (DE) works is that it's rubbed into the dog's coat. As fleas move through the coat, they come in contact with particles of DE, which pierces their carapaces, causing them to dehydrate and die.
Given that, can DE be used for flea control on shaved (e.g. the Poodle in a Continental clip or Portuguese Water Dog in a lion clip) or hairless (e.g. the Xoloitzcuintli [a.k.a. Mexican Hairless] or Chinese Crested) breeds? If so, how should it be used?