.com Forum · Real Show Dogs

Hello, all.

So... In a few months I'm possibly getting a tibetan spaniel puppy to show. Now, I'm familiar with the breed and have shown them multiple times (and quite successfully). I do have a question about coat supplements though.... The breeder I'm possibly getting a puppy from doesn't use coat supplements, but I feel that a coat supplement would really help. In the past I've used Inflight on my saint bernard, but it didn't seem to really do much, and their website is down so I'm not sure if it's even available anymore.

I'm curious about Show Stopper. Does it work? How long does it take until you see results? What would you recommend? This will be my first time owning a truly coated breed (my saint is a short coat), and my first time owning a breed where coat length and density are super important. What can you, my fellow dog people, recommend for a tibetan spaniel coat?

Are there any other coat supplements you can recommend? I'm planning on feeding grain free, high quality kibble and all of my dogs get a multivitamin, vitamin C, and coconut oil or fish oil (some of my dogs won't eat coconut oil).


EDIT: I just tried the inflight site again, and it's working now. Please disregard the bit about their site not working.

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Last edited by Phlossy on 8/30/2014 12:23:42 PM

Supplements are called supplements because they have no proven effects above nutrition. None of them really 'work'. Unless you intend to feed a nutritionally deficient diet (eg. severely restricting food quantity to lose weight off an obese dog) or are trying to restore a neglected dog to health (aka dog has a nutritional deficit causing ill-health) they are just a waste of money.

grif,


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Last edited by griffin on 8/30/2014 10:35:10 AM

When my dogs were on kibble, they got an egg a few times a week, and fish oil daily. Boy did their coats shine, and they were so soft!!

The only coat supplement I have used is Show Stopper. I did not use it until my girl was three or so, and it definitely made the coat come in faster. I think it was thicker too.

I think Show Stopper may be worth a try. I asked around on Facebook as well, and it seemed to be something that people recommend. It's worth a try at any rate!

When I was showing my LH dachshund she got Norwegian Kelp (dried), Vitamin E oil, and Salmon Oil daily.
I also do raw egg once a week or so and rotate in raw meats and bones. Her coat looked great when I was showing her.

I would also suggest black out curtains in the room where you will crate during the day, if you will crate.
Cooler temperatures and no sunlight will trigger hair growth too.

I have never tried show stopper, but have heard good things. If you're on the Learning to Show Dogs facebook group, there is a recipe someone posted in the 'files' section called hair on a doorknob (or something like that) because they say it'll grow hair on anything, even a doorknob, although i think that part is a joke

that was me ^^

This is a very interesting thread. I used Inflight years and years ago and didn't think I saw any improvements. I want to say I used Showstopper years ago too, but I honestly can't remember, and if I did, it must not have made much of an impact, lol. We've always fed high quality food, but I think what helped the most is learning some things about how I was grooming that just weren't helping my case. Needless to say, there's always something for me to learn in this sport!

These days we just do fish oil, sometimes coconut oil, sometimes kelp. Depends on dog.