Split Ends

[Pretty Miss Emma]

I've noticed that some of the hair at Hamish's rear end has split ends!!! Argh!!! Not happy about it. But I also have no idea how this has happened nor what to do about it!!!

What could have caused this?

And is there anything I can do to remedy the issue?

For those who don't know Hamish is nearly 16 month old Border Collie. Nothing has changed in his diet, we are using the same shampoos, he gets dried when he is washed (I do use heat as well as the force blowing, maybe I should stop the heat). I don't know what to do as I've never had this issue (that I know of!) in either myself or my dogs!!!

[dragonwoman]

I've noticed that some of the hair at Hamish's rear end has split ends!!! Argh!!! Not happy about it. But I also have no idea how this has happened nor what to do about it!!!

What could have caused this?

And is there anything I can do to remedy the issue?

For those who don't know Hamish is nearly 16 month old Border Collie. Nothing has changed in his diet, we are using the same shampoos, he gets dried when he is washed (I do use heat as well as the force blowing, maybe I should stop the heat). I don't know what to do as I've never had this issue (that I know of!) in either myself or my dogs!!!

Probably just old dead hair, junior coat drop, can you pluck it out easily? Bet you didn't have a junior coat drop!! LOL Strip it out with a metal comb, hold your thumb against the teeth, and wait for the new coat to come down He may not look as hairy but he will look better...............

[Vehs]

hrm, I've never seen that on a dog either when grooming - could be due to the heat dryer, his coat change or rough and tumbles

It will fall out eventually and just like human hair nothing to do to fix it

[Andy Pandy]

I've found it's best to work from the inside out. My Andy (BC female) had pretty dull coat on her rear end until we discovered a supplement called Omega Magic. Now she sports a very luxuriant coat which gets lots of comments. It took around 3 months to get the full effect. I don't give the full recommended dose - both dogs get around 4 drops a day on their food and that does the trick. I used to use fish oil and flaxseed oil, but this product gives far superior results.

My link

Edited July 24, 2013 by Andy Pandy

[coogie]

Whist I can't speak specifically for dog hair Pretty Miss Emma I can explain split ends! Dog hair has the same basic structure as human hair -so am extrapolating it will behave the same way - Hair has three layers generally - the cuticle, cortex and medulla. Split ends are a result of the cuticle layer breaking down and peeling back and away from the rest of the hair. Most common causes are heat and mechanical damage, so hot dryers, rubbing - either from vigorous towel drying or natural rubbing from sitting/lying etc. The longer the hair has been in situ the more likely it is to split due to not receiving as much natural oil from the skin and also just because it is "old" and the ends will weaken. Hair goes through four stages in its growth/loss cycle:

Anagen - growth phase, first phase when the hair is actively growing

Catagen - transition phase where hair stops growing

Telogen - resting phase between phase between the anagen and catagen phases

Exogen or shedding phase - does what it says on the tin, hair falls out and follicle prepares for the next anagen phase.

Some of the follicles will be in each phase of the cycle at the same time - if it is just before a big "shed" some of the longer guard hairs will have been in place for a relatively long time it may appear there are a lot of split ends at once?

Things that might help are drying with the lay of the cuticle -so down the hair shaft towards the tip, gently squeezing if you towel dry rather than rubbing and using any kind of conditioner that smooths the cuticles down - although once the ends are split nothing will "repair" them no matter how expensive a miracle product you buy, some may temporarily hold the rough ends of the cuticle down improving the appearance, but they can't fix them.

[Pretty Miss Emma]

Hmm, ok.

Thankyou all.

So what everyone's saying really is I just have to wait for the hair to fall out. I do think it is on the side that Hamish prefers to sleep on, so maybe it is the older hair and then add in the lying on that side and also using a dryer on his hair.

So I think we might be more consistent with his fish oil to see if that helps out a bit. And I'll wait for him to shed that part of his top coat. I thought he had done his Junior coat drop (which I learnt about when all of a suddent here was undercoat absolutely everywhere!!!), but maybe he has only done part of this!!!

It probably isn't that bad, I just notice it!!!

[dancinbcs]

The hot dryer would probably be the cause or it could be dead hair if he hasn't done his junior drop yet. Most go down to so little hair that you don't want to take them out in public but the odd one misses the junior drop and the hair then tends to look rather dead. You can carefully trim the split ends with thinning shears or a stripping knife but it would be best to get someone to show you how to use them so you only trim the ends and don't cut any chunks out of his coat. Shame you aren't closer or I would be happy to demonstrate. Once the ends are trimmed follow up with a heavy conditioner or something like moroccan oil to stop it happening again.

Oops forgot to add that using the wrong brushes on a dog can damage the coat and cause split ends. I find pin brushes particularly bad for this and over use of slickers as well. I stick to my Mason Pearson Bristle/Nylon and a Collie comb.

Edited July 24, 2013 by dancinbcs

[Pretty Miss Emma]

No way am I trimming, I'm still too scared to trim his ears and have to get someone else to do it!!!

I'll turn the heat down on the dryer. And I'm thinking he maybe had a dodgy junior coat drop because his coat thinned out a lot for him but wasn't really that bad, or maybe it's still on it's way! And it looks like I might need to invest in a conditioner, so far I haven't used one but there haven't been any issues with his coat. Ideas for conditioners???

Brushes, hmm. Well the slicker is brought out quite rarely so I don't think it's that one. We use a comb weekly and we have Chris Christensen bamboo brush, again probably used only weekly. And the combs/brushes are all ones that have been recommended from others in the breed when I've been asking/harrassing when getting ready at shows!!

[Andy Pandy]

Thanks to recommendations in this forum we also have a Mason Pearson Bristle/Nylon which is the best investment ever. Combined with the Omega Magic, the dogs coats look and feel great.

[dancinbcs]

Thanks to recommendations in this forum we also have a Mason Pearson Bristle/Nylon which is the best investment ever. Combined with the Omega Magic, the dogs coats look and feel great.

I need commission on those brushes but after trying so many different ones before buying my first MP in 1985, I would never use anything else on a Border Collie and that first brush is still going strong all these years later. I also use them on my Jap Spitz and find them perfect for his coat as well.

[dancinbcs]

No way am I trimming, I'm still too scared to trim his ears and have to get someone else to do it!!!

I'll turn the heat down on the dryer. And I'm thinking he maybe had a dodgy junior coat drop because his coat thinned out a lot for him but wasn't really that bad, or maybe it's still on it's way! And it looks like I might need to invest in a conditioner, so far I haven't used one but there haven't been any issues with his coat. Ideas for conditioners???

Brushes, hmm. Well the slicker is brought out quite rarely so I don't think it's that one. We use a comb weekly and we have Chris Christensen bamboo brush, again probably used only weekly. And the combs/brushes are all ones that have been recommended from others in the breed when I've been asking/harrassing when getting ready at shows!!

Hard to pick a conditioner without seeing his coat because what suits one dog will not suit another. A small amount of organic coconut oil (a flat teaspoon at most) dissolved in warm water, used as a final rinse where needed, will help with dry coat but don't use it anywhere you don't want to flatten the coat. Trimming the dead ends is the only way to get rid of them but you will need someone to show you how or to do it for you.

[Pretty Miss Emma]

Well, today once he was all groomed up for his show I could no longer see any split ends!! So either I imagined it (which I don't think so!) or somehow they have disappeared or been hidden!!! I don't know, but his coat just looked absolutely stunning today!! I now know exactly what a coat looks like that has been dried properly (last night was the best he has been with the dryer and I was able to fully dry him - used low heat this time!)! I did use the tiny-est spray of seabreeze oil over his coat while he was wet and I think that helped (although I'm very cautious about not using too much!!). He really does have a beautiful coat - who'd ever have thought that I'd be worried about what my dogs hair looked like!

[sheena]

Well, today once he was all groomed up for his show I could no longer see any split ends!! So either I imagined it (which I don't think so!) or somehow they have disappeared or been hidden!!! I don't know, but his coat just looked absolutely stunning today!! I now know exactly what a coat looks like that has been dried properly (last night was the best he has been with the dryer and I was able to fully dry him - used low heat this time!)! I did use the tiny-est spray of seabreeze oil over his coat while he was wet and I think that helped (although I'm very cautious about not using too much!!). He really does have a beautiful coat - who'd ever have thought that I'd be worried about what my dogs hair looked like!

Where's the photo :)

[Pretty Miss Emma]

Well, today once he was all groomed up for his show I could no longer see any split ends!! So either I imagined it (which I don't think so!) or somehow they have disappeared or been hidden!!! I don't know, but his coat just looked absolutely stunning today!! I now know exactly what a coat looks like that has been dried properly (last night was the best he has been with the dryer and I was able to fully dry him - used low heat this time!)! I did use the tiny-est spray of seabreeze oil over his coat while he was wet and I think that helped (although I'm very cautious about not using too much!!). He really does have a beautiful coat - who'd ever have thought that I'd be worried about what my dogs hair looked like!

Where's the photo :)

I may get sent one during the week and if so you will see his gorgeousness!!

[Pretty Miss Emma]

Well sheena, you're lucky - I got photos tonight. Of course the only ones that were really any good were the post-show wind blown ones!! But even in those I still think his coat looks pretty lovely!!