Question about coat

[Baloo317]

Baloo's coat is just OK, it's really not *fabulous*. He has quite a bit of dandruff at any given time, and sometimes his coat really lacks lustre.

I blame this primarily on our house, it is SUPER dry in here. It's getting better with the seasons changing, his dandruff was MUCH worse in the winter.

I don't find fish oil really makes much of a difference.

Is there anything I can do to give his coat that little extra kick? Either something I could feed him or put on topically?

[Fallriver]

A proper lab coat will not have much luster. You should also know that twice a year they will blow coat and before they do, the coat will get quite dry and even get a reddish cast to it.
Do you feed him flax oil? I know when I experimented with it years ago, my dogs all got terrible dander! Do you bathe him often? Normally, lots of good brushing with a rubber curry comb will put the oils back into the coat.

[Baloo317]

A proper lab coat will not have much luster. You should also know that twice a year they will blow coat and before they do, the coat will get quite dry and even get a reddish cast to it.
Do you feed him flax oil? I know when I experimented with it years ago, my dogs all got terrible dander! Do you bathe him often? Normally, lots of good brushing with a rubber curry comb will put the oils back into the coat.

Never fed flax oil, he only had a few baths when a large amount of excrement was involved (:vomit his last bath would have been in the fall.

He seems to have a reddish tinge (in certain lights) all the time..? It was stronger right before his spring blow, but it's still there, I find.

Maybe I'll try brushing him more often with the zoom groom. I usually try to avoid it because it brings out all the dandruff and he ends up looking snowed on. :whatever:

[4yelloweyedogs]

Kate, maybe his coat is sunburned..... when blacks are in the sun a lot they get a reddish tinge. Even black horses get that.

[Baloo317]

Hmm... I dunno I think he's always had it..? Even in winter, although I guess the sun still shines in winter (although rarely!)

Isn't there some sort of easy fix? I don't know, it's really not that bad. I wouldn't even think of it as problematic at all, just not great. Maybe I'm being greedy. :embarrass:

[sarah]

Hmm... I dunno I think he's always had it..? Even in winter, although I guess the sun still shines in winter (although rarely!)

Isn't there some sort of easy fix? I don't know, it's really not that bad. I wouldn't even think of it as problematic at all, just not great. Maybe I'm being greedy. :embarrass:

But in all your photo's you post his coat looks great!

Milly gets a touch of dryness too...... we brush her lots and her coat always looks shinier. We have a rubbery slip thing that goes over your whole hand with little knobbles on the side that goes on your palm, it's like a massager almost? Anyway, after we use that on her it really helps her dryness. We are coming into winter and Milly just blew her first coat (aww! hehe) so I hope she doesn't dry out too much this winter. Time shall tell!

[Baloo317]

It really isn't as bad as I've probably made it sound. Maybe some dandruff is normal? Especially on a black dog, it's so easy to see. I almost need a microscope to find any on Peanut.

[Fallriver]

Well, you could try kelp as the zinc might help

[Baloo317]

Well, you could try kelp as the zinc might help

Could I just do zinc by itself? I heard you hve to be careful with kelp because of the iodine.....? Is that accurate, do you know?

If not I can get powdered kelp at my local health food store, would that or the flaky stuff be better? And how much? (sorry for all the questions... :embarrass

[Fallriver]

Don't know, as i don't supplement. All I know is breeder friends use it. Sorry.