Showdog.com Forum · Real Show Dogs

So I'll rule out the dye completely out of my head. Espeacially seeing that his first show will be occuring on the 18th.

So right now to enhance the quality of his coat I will be supplying him with cod liver oil and brewer's yeast vitamins. I will slow down on grooming so his coat would keep its bounce until then. Is that a good idea?

I believe that feeding a natural based food is probably helping to reduce the problem considerably. I'd probably check the label if it were me to make sure that the meat grade is good and isn't meat-meal which would be harder to digest. It's got to be better than a cereal based food anyhow though ;o)

I feed Burns Lamb and rice and my dogs finish shedding their dead coat in only two weeks flat now. They used to perpetually hang on to their dead coat when fed Eukaneuba giving a browny tinge to the black girls and lightening the Liver & white girls to an almost chocolate lab colour. Used to drive me mad!!! I knew it wasn't genetic and I could only get a decent coat by supplementing. When I switched foods the difference in their coats was amazing.... but I guess it was from a cereal based food to a human grade meat based food. Perhaps it helps that they are shorthaired though.

Good luck ;o)

I'm not familiar with how genetics for color work in Chows...

The 'reddening black' seems to happen more often in breeds where there are recessive black genes and/or dogs of red color in the ancestry. For example, I have two Belgian Sheepdogs. In the US, the Belgian Sheepdog, Belgian Malinois, and the Belgian Tervuren are considered separate breeds, but in other countries, they are the same breed with different varieties based on coat color/length and intervariety breeding is quite common. Therefore, many black Belgians are actually descended from lines containing dogs of a different coloration, especially if there are imported dogs in the pedigree, and the coat can contain a reddish cast if the dog eats some foods or if kenneled outdoors in the sun or on concrete. I know that my BSD girl had a reddish tinge to her coat about 2 years ago, and it happened when her food was damaged and she had to settle for a bag of Purina Pro Plan while we were on vacation for a few weeks. Once I switched her back to Canidae and added her coat supplement when we returned home, her new coat came in jet black again. I have her 1/2 brother here too, and he is BLACK, BLACK, BLACK!

I'm also in agreement with the above poster - your dog may just be getting ready to blow coat and drop that dead hair. The dry, dead coat ready to come out will not have as many oils and light-absorbing qualities as the healthy black coat, and thus will look grayer or redder.

How long ago did you switch foods? It could still be diet-based if the change was since his last coat 'blow' as that hair would have yet to be replaced by a new coat. Many diet changes have an almost immediate effect, but for the full benefit, you have to wait until the coat has shed and come back in again after the change.

(edited cuz I can't type...) lol

Ummm, the change was about two to three months ago.

Although I have had chows for only about 4 years I thought I can track their "blowing" period. Well in general its in the spring and fall. Well around that time they do shed alot but here is the thing with my chows. Krillan who is 3 going on 4 this month sheds little when comparing him with a typical chow. He does shed, however he must be brushed for his coat to be removed. Shadow on the other hand has been sheding his dead coat for the past year has been dropping out continuously dropping on the floor (I am suprise he is not bald yet,(even through winter he shed although it slowed down abit).

Shadow is 2 going on 3 this summer suprisingly he still has some of is puppy coat intact. Could his continuos shedding be due to getting rid of his puppy coat. Krillan finished shedding all his puppy coat at about 2. I know different dogs have their different rate or doing thing could it be that?

triple post.

triple post.

I have Newfies. And I too have had problems with the red hair it gets bleached out if they are in the sun all summer.

There are many products which have a sunscreen in them to protect the coat from the sun, and many black on black shampoos. Which help. When it comes to showing, usually the red can be sizzored out of the topcoat.

The absolute best thing I have found is to add kelp to my dogs diet. I use this stuff called NR seaweed mineral formula, because it has other helpful minerals in it as well, but I will also use regular kelp.

The ammount of reddening seems to depend on coat texture, one of my dogs gets red faster and worse than the other dogs.

What about white coats? I think they are harder to keep white!!

I have been working with a Landseer, and it is much more challenging to keep his coat nice! Can't get the white part to be white!! How do we get the yellow out? and keep it out?

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Color enhancing conditioners work better than shampoos (especially if left on) but you don't want to dye your dog - it's against the rules in almost every country I can think of. All it takes is one person to make a complaint and your in trouble.

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If you are using a color enhancing conditioner/shampoo, a complaint has no validity. They are specially formatted (in most cases) to do just that - ENHANCE color... if you are flat our DYING your dog, then yes - you could have a problem, but using a shampoo and/or conditioner meant to bring out darker blacks, whiter whites, and brighter inbetweens can't get you into trouble.

For those of you who know about hese speacial conditioners. Could you please in form me of some of the names [pleae so i can look into it these weekend. Thankyou.

Midnight Black by, I believe, #1 All-Systems works wonders...

My favorite:

www.chrissystems.com/blackon.htm

Well I dont have a problem with my black tri aussie girl, minus the fact she has running copper, which if you dont know what that is, it is when where a coat is normally black, it has an undercoat with copper beneathe it. It isnt faulted so it isnt a problem, but she does look funny! Anyway I use Midnight from #1 All Systems. It is a conditioner and I am pretty sure it was mentioned. It helps cover her running copper also, so I like it. Anyway I wouldnt think it was the sun unless it effected the whole body, but you never know. Anyway take care!

I think you should see what happens! You should then probaly go see your dog's vet! They will tell you how to handle it!

I have a pair of Newfoundlands, and the only time they seem to get a reddish tinge to their coats is when their coats become sunburnt, considering we spend most of our time outside with all our dogs.