Guest Abby Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 Howdy all!!! Would love some advice on how to improve colour of choc labrador coat, it's gorgeous underneath but really sunbleach on top. Is there anything I can put on him to stop it happening (would have to be waterproof as we LOVE to swim) Do human hair sun filter products work???? Kind Regards Abby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cate Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 (edited) Welcome Aboard, Abby! ;) Edit: I tried to add something and lost the lot, but it wasn't very helpful anyway. Anyway, from the replies here, together with my personal experience, it looks like it's not just the sun that causes the colour to fade, but probably much more the combination water:sun, with salt water being the worst offender. (???) As a preventative, it might be a good idea to immediately rinse and towel him off after a swim and get him into the house/shade until he is completely dry. Also, it seems that kelp really does help. I used to give my boy a teaspoon a day for around 4 years. Since then I have slowly decreased all his supplements, and today I give a teaspoon two or three times a week only. Best of luck! cat with her Chocolate Lab who will run along the beach, being extremely careful not to get wet. Edited February 9, 2005 by cat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MolassesLass Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 There are some coat sunscreen products for dogs prone to sun bleaching, they work fairly well on short coats breeds but not nearly as well on the longer coats. They aren't waterproof as far as I know though, check out Plush Puppy's one, it's quite nice. A dietary help is kelp. I give a teaspoon a day to my BCs and it keeps it looking much darker without having to resort to permanent inside time and air conditioning for their chocolate coats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vehs Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 Not sure how it would go on a lab's coat - but we get a few sunbleached cockers and we strip the hair out/off with a coat king. They are a bit pricey so I'd ask a groomer if you could just try theirs out once to see if it worked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cate Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 A dietary help is kelp. I give a teaspoon a day to my BCs and it keeps it looking much darker Maybe that is it??? I have given mine kelp since I got him at 8 weeks, as per instructions from his breeder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 you can give additives to help the colour but if it isnt a strong choc to start of with it will fade quicker,sadly sun & water bleaches the coat very quickly,the same as black coats & reds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alibi Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 What about colour dog shampoos, i have never used one but would they help with the bleaching. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mystiqview Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 With the horses we give Livermol to help coat colour. Safe to give to dogs. The only thing you have to maybe watch, it is a protein and if given too much in conjunction with food.. they may put on a little weight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WreckitWhippet Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 Livermol as suggested. The only way to keep a coat dark is to prevent them from sun baking. Avoid salt water if possible and dry the dog straight after swimming. As a groomer i would not use the coat king on a Lab coat, it will damage the coat, the coat king stripps and cuts. If you want to strip the coat try a fine blade stripper, these are relatively inexpensive.You would need to work in small sections stripping the damaged hair. This will work providing he does not spend too much time in the sun or water, otherwise you will find it burns off as quick as you can strip it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 I agree with Waverly. The only real way to keep the coat from bleaching is keep it out of the sun and especially the sun on a dry coat that has been in the salty water. Livamol is great for our horses and I used it years ago on a chocolate & white BC. You could maybe also try a shampoo, specifically designed for chocolate/brown coloured dogs. I use Champion Tails black shampoo (a horse shampoo) on my English Toys coats if they get sunbleached. You can get all different colours and I use the brown/chestnut one on one of my show horses who is a chocolate liver chestnut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 We use IRONCYCLEN ..a liquid iron supplement for greyhounds/horses.It helps with pigment, and is useful for hard working/stressed animals.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bladek9 Posted February 8, 2005 Share Posted February 8, 2005 Yep, I agree to Kelp as it darkens colours making them richer. It does with my dobes tan points. Also I use to livermol too years ago with my horses and it always made their coats a treat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vehs Posted February 8, 2005 Share Posted February 8, 2005 There's been a lot of talk of kelp lately - I will have to try it, is it a daily additive or just every now and then (I add apple cider vinegar every now and then...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gusgem Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 I have two chocolate labs. When my oldest one was about 9months old his coat started to get bleached by the sun. He is a very very dark chocolate and so it looked awlful. I put suncream on it every second day for about a week, then I got bored if doing that, but funnily enough it has never become belached again!!! But I think its definitely got more to do with keeping her out of the sun than any dieatary thing, speaking from one lab owner to the next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cate Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 He is a very very dark chocolate and so it looked awlful. I put suncream on it every second day for about a week, then I got bored if doing that, but funnily enough it has never become belached again!!! Gusgem, I'm so glad to finally "meet" someone who also has a non-bleaching Chocolate. I tried to explain it above, but it always sounds like a brag, when we are probably just very lucky. Or, do you think it could have something to do with the number (or rather lack of) Yellows in the pedigree? Mine is from almost solid Black/Chocolate lines, with only one Yellow 5 generations back, I believe. But then, mine is also the only Lab I have ever met who couldn't care less about water. cat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gusgem Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 But then, mine is also the only Lab I have ever met who couldn't care less about water. I don't have one of those!!! Gus is utterly obsessed with water, but luckily he hasn't bleached. That could be true about the black and chocolate thing. Also I think when chocolates are bred with chocolates it makes the coates a lot lighter and bleaching is more likely. I hope my little girl doesn't bleach. She came from a black x black breeding, but has a yellow grand sire. She is a little bit lighter than Gus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MolassesLass Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 There's been a lot of talk of kelp lately - I will have to try it, is it a daily additive or just every now and then (I add apple cider vinegar every now and then...) I use it as a daily additive in the dinner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mystiqview Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 (edited) (edited to remove names) Dont use the powder form...Tried to give to Milo as a pup ...One it stunk and two he wouldn't eat it..Even tried to mix it with warm water and pour over food...Nope.. The liquid form may be better. He is on Livermol..and Linseed oil.. While it works a treat on the horses... they are also permanently rugged. Kinda just got used to his beach bum look Edited February 10, 2005 by Skyes Dalimit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MolassesLass Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 Dont use the powder form...Tried to give to Milo as a pup ...One it stunk and two he wouldn't eat it..Even tried to mix it with warm water and pour over food...Nope.. Horses for courses. Molly loves it, can't recall if it smells or not, so I guess that's a no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trifecta Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 There has been a lot of talk about kelp recently. I would have thought supplementing with kelp once a week was enough, if at all. We see a lot of kelp overdoses at equine vet hospitals.... too much iodine is as bad as not enough. Furthermore kelp contains heavy metals, it is probably the copper that enhances coat colour. Again, trace elements are just that - needed in very small amounts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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