More shedding with blacks?

[CloverMom]

I certainly hope that is the case. For some reason, I remember in my research, most info I came across claimed Doberman didn't shed. And if they did it wasn't much. This was a big factor for me in considering the breed. Oh well, too late. Shedding or non shedding, I'm a dober lover for life I guess I'll find out soon enough if she does or doesn't. I'm hoping more towards doesn't

 

[Quee]

Dobes definitely shed less than other breeds, but they do shed regardless of color. Some probably shed less than others, supplements may or may not work - I had to take Pippi off of supplements because it seemed that every time she was on them she would develop growths (skin tags and eye warts). Since she's been off of them all growths have gone away and she hasn't had any new ones. That's just her though - others react differently. I've heard the myths that Dobermans don't shed and that is definitely not true! And it can seem like an alarming amount when you're not expecting any shedding at all.

 

[JanS]

Interesting. I'm thinking it probably is more genetic than anything then and it would make sense since both Albert and Boris share quite a few of the same Altobello lines.

I never bathe our dogs and the only supplements they get are kelp for Della and vitamin c for Albert (for his ears), but I did pick up a bottle of wild Alaskan salmon oil for Albert today so we'll see if that helps. Sheesh $16 for a 16 oz bottle...

 

[EARL99016]

Interesting. I'm thinking it probably is more genetic than anything then and it would make sense since both Albert and Boris share quite a few of the same Altobello lines.

I never bathe our dogs and the only supplements they get are kelp for Della and vitamin c for Albert (for his ears), but I did pick up a bottle of wild Alaskan salmon oil for Albert today so we'll see if that helps. Sheesh $16 for a 16 oz bottle...

Jan...would fish oil capsules work the same? I'm talking about the very same ones you or I would take.

Cya

 

[JanS]

I've tried them, but they don't always seem to like them, but I'm sure it's nearly the same thing when you get right down to it.

 

[d0ds0t]

I would not give fish oil ment for humans to dogs. They are ususally added vitamin A and D that builds up over time in dogs and could make them sick. Better go for the fish, krill or seal oil that are ment for pets.

 

[Quee]

Stephen do you mean the FURminator as this is what i use and I love it, really gets that fluffy undercoat out, Bella's hair is so short I never get anything off her but Buddy's is much longer and alway get some off him but really not much but enough to keep it out of the house, try giving Justice the salmon oil as a treat ,just on a dish my two love it , the Wild Alaskan mine like the ones that really smell like Salmon, another thing, when Liberty arrives Justice will eat anything I had the same problem with Bella just picking at her food and leaving most of it, but now woof it's gone as she knows Buddy will finish it

I wouldn't use a Furminator on a Dobe. I got one for Pippi and nearly stripped her bald! It's for dogs with long coats and undercoats. Would have been great for my Dobe/Malamute boy who had the most undercoat I've ever seen on a dog, but these brushes didn't exist 20 years ago.

 

[Quee]

I brush Pippi a few times a week also - I found that if I don't, her skin gets dry and flaky probably because her oil glands aren't being stimluated as much as she needs with brushing When I brush her I find that she seems to shed less, if I don't she not only sheds more but she gets 'dandruff' that can't be very fun for her, and it's not fun for my dark purple couch either!

 

[Rits]

I would not give fish oil ment for humans to dogs. They are ususally added vitamin A and D that builds up over time in dogs and could make them sick. Better go for the fish, krill or seal oil that are ment for pets.

Jan...would fish oil capsules work the same? I'm talking about the very same ones you or I would take.

Cya

I've read that the oil coming from the fish liver has Vit. A & D but the oil coming from the fatty tissues do not. This is the human fish oil that I've used before and have been recommended to use. It is a bit cheaper than the pet grade so if you want to go that route just make sure it's not coming from the liver.

 

[DreamValley]

I would not give fish oil ment for humans to dogs. They are ususally added vitamin A and D that builds up over time in dogs and could make them sick. Better go for the fish, krill or seal oil that are ment for pets.

Wild Salmon softgels for human consumption I give to my dogs don't have any vitamins added. I saw Norwegian Fish Oil has lemon flavour and vit D. That's a good point to check for ingredients before giving it to dogs.

 

[Ingrid H]

Interesting. I'm thinking it probably is more genetic than anything then and it would make sense since both Albert and Boris share quite a few of the same Altobello lines.

I never bathe our dogs and the only supplements they get are kelp for Della and vitamin c for Albert (for his ears), but I did pick up a bottle of wild Alaskan salmon oil for Albert today so we'll see if that helps. Sheesh $16 for a 16 oz bottle...

You can get great salmon oil for much cheaper by buying large bottles. Here's an example: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Grizzly-Sal...229?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35bc4c1c1d

 

[AxelRose]

I read too that the blacks have more hair per square inch then any othe colour. Since I had to change Axl's food from the recall...from salmon to turkey and duck..WOWEEEEE!...hair loss like you wouldnt believe. Its everywhere. And when I brush him you see piles of it coming off. Driving me nuts.

He's going back to Salmon this week. His coat is shiny but that means nothing...It is EVERYWHERE and everywhere...lol.

 

[AxelRose]

I would never use the Furminator on the Dobe...and if you did its only for the fatty areas..kneck, back, rump/butt. U would still need a rubber curry for the ears, face, legs. It's amazing how much hair comes off those areas.

I went to the horse supply and picked up a rubber curry and a medium length soft horse hair brush and use this after I curry him. It really flicks off all the loose hairs and gives him a great shine. No worries that Im scratching his skin with these products.

If u are going to try the Furminator be very careful and make sure you hold the skin taunt or u can dig in to creases and scratch them. Dobes coats are very much like horses so best to use the curry.

 

[AxelRose]

Acually the more I read on here Im thinking that Dobes generally have a drier coat, and other then diet being the culprit, when the weather changes, or they are in the house more in the winter and the heat is on, the shedding just proves that what they are eating isnt enough and they DO need the fish oil supplements. And if you bath them more you dry them out even more. Just a thought.

I have seen Axl's coat change within days of trying to change his diet. He's in the middle of shedding like a 'pig' and then it's over in a day as soon as he goes back to his Salmon diet. So when you see your dogs start shedding horrendously thats a sign that their environment is drier, and/or their diet is not giving them what they need for their coats during this time. And maybe thats the time to supplement with fish oil.

 

[JanS]

It's true that our humidity in the house in the winter hovers at around 20% with our forced air heat (even with 13 aquariums running) and in the summer it's drastically different with it being well over 50% all the time unless we have the ac on. That's why they call it "tropical Minnesota".

Like I stated on the Furminator earlier in this thread, they do make one for short coated dogs now and even have a rubber curry, which is something I didn't realize until I did a little digging.

BTW, Albert didn't like the new fish oil one little bit when I gave it to him for the first time last night. LOL

This isn't the best shot, but his coat has always been nice and shiny with no flakes so I'm still thinking it's more genetic than anything else in his case.

 

[EARL99016]

I read too that the blacks have more hair per square inch then any othe colour. Since I had to change Axl's food from the recall...from salmon to turkey and duck..WOWEEEEE!...hair loss like you wouldnt believe. Its everywhere. And when I brush him you see piles of it coming off. Driving me nuts.

He's going back to Salmon this week. His coat is shiny but that means nothing...It is EVERYWHERE and everywhere...lol.

I feed Callie TOTW.....I tried the salmon flavor which she loved but she's allergic to fish. She breaks out....she actually gets these little spots where she loses hair. They are all over her body and she actually sheds more also due to the allergy. Once I switched away from the salmon flavor everything cleared up and no more hair loss.

This's is why I was interested in the fish oil pills, but since I really don't have that much shed problem I think I'll leave well enough alone.

Cya

 

[DreamValley]

I dogs love salmon softgels and take it like as a treat. Maybe you should try it?

 

[JanS]

By coincidence Albert's shedding has really dropped off the past few days so maybe all it took was to start this thread. LOL
I know it's too soon for the salmon oil to be kicking in, but I'm thinking that I just seriously started switching him from the puppy food to the TOTW a few weeks ago (right now he gets half and half) so maybe the TOTW is making the difference. I was looking at the floor late yesterday afternoon and it looked like it had just been swept, but I was the only one home all day and I didn't do it.

 

[obbanner]

I feed my kids a salmon based food, Go Natural Salmon. I see Anna's breeder weekly and she often compliments Anna's coat. I spend about $100 / month on it for our 3 dogs (including Tara the Sheltie). It's made in Canada.

http://www.petfooddirect.com/product/6934/Go!-Sensitivity-Plus-Shine-Salmon-Recipe-Dry-Dog-Food (The name and the packaging changes frequently, for some reason.) Go! also makes chicken and duck based formulations.

I use a curry when I wash the kids. It has short rubber spikes and does a good job loosening hair. Cooper has to get bathed several times a month, so we don't have much of a shedding problem.

 

[Marinegeekswife]

Speaking of shedding, the summer apartment has white bedding. River and I were playing and being silly on the bed this afternoon and when I turned around to look the bed was covered in black hairs. Ew.