Hi,

I have a Q's about a problem I am having, I have a black dog who has recently gone through the moult but he has been left with Reddish colouring in the coat, on his shoulder and his rump, it seems to be his new coat, has there is no give in it if I brush or gently pull.

I have been brushing him regularly throughout and I dont understand why this has happen.

I could understand if he had been lying in the sun and got sun bleaching but I never let this happen so its not that.

Can anyone give advice on what I can do if anything?

I show him so I need to resolve this problem ASAP.

Many thanks for any advice.

Some black dogs do have a reddish tinge to them.  My Border Collie does, I also show her and when you look closely at other dogs in the ring I think you will find quite a few with this, especially in the summer.  It hasn't held my dog back in the ring.

I have tried black shampoo's, but in all honesty it didn't seem to make any difference.

Don't put anything on the coat!  It's illegal in the showring!  Just the time of year, just like our hair going a bit lighter in the summer!

Sarah.

It is only a shampoo which is rinsed out, I understood you could not put anything on the coat that is not rinsed out before the show.  Not that it stops a lot of people ;)

It is not just the time of year, it is there all year round.

My black bitch has reddish brown tinges, we always assumed it was because her dad was chocolate - people who notice it (not everyone) seem to find it extremely attractive, as we do. :-)

I've had experience of this in the past in Bernese......possible reasons

sun bleaching
food colouring (beta carotene)
moulting
genetics

It does seem to run in families so there is probably a genetic connection in some cases, though I did notice that dogs that had this as yougsters would often turn jet black after the first good moult.

Julie

I have this with one of our black tri aussies, It's just that he is red factored.  We too use a shampoo for black coats that helps abit!

What breed is it?

I love the red tinge you find on some black dogs, it seems to give them an extra special shine, and a bit more to look at - I am not a judge though so can see why you may want to erradicate it for the show ring, but as others have said it hasn't held them back in the ring.

Rox - if we end up with a black Aussie, I am praying the red is there!!! :D

Oh I personally hate it!!!!!  I much prefere a true black, like my aussie bitch, can't stand poor Perry's colouring!!!!!!

I think that is probably because you have been brought up to expect what the breed standard says Rox :D I suppose we all do to a point, but I prefer the red factored blacks, not as keen with the blues, but blacks - it definitly gives them something special for me!!

All to our own tastes ;) :D

my flynn isnt black at all really,infact he is such a divine colour i spend azlot of time at the hairdressers trying to get them to re create it on me.his is not through the sun as he has it all year around,his dad is a golden sable & white & his mum is a black tri so he must carry lots of colourful genes even if he appears to be a B&w (well from a distance) .
his pigment isnt dark either,its darker than liver but not black,is almost a really dark slate grey colour on his nose. not that you notive it unless you put his nose next to a black nose.

does your schips carry the gold?

Many thanks for the replies, and sorry for the delay in getting back to you.

He's a  Schipperke 15 month's old he has gone through his moult and has I said some parts of his coat is reddish, he is from a long line of blacks but yes there is one or two cream's in his breeding but predominantly his line is black.

I have been told it's possible that it's from his food I feed him Arden Grange but have been advised to change to Royal Canin and been told this would be better?

Has anyone else used Royal Canin, if so what do you think of it?

I have had this problem before with my other black older bitch,she was fed different to him but can't remember what, has she's been on a special diet now for years, she's 11 years old and has Pancreatitus.

It was never a problem at every moult it only becomes reddish now and a gain just depends on the moult one time all black next time there could be reddish patches.
 
So I'm not convinced changing his food will work but it 's worth a try?

Sorry to tell you this but I use Royal Canin, excellent food, but I still have a dog tinged with red :D

The red tinge is less common in breeds that are dominant black, as are schips, so the food could be the cause in this case.  The food I remember causing this some years ago was Omega tasty which was very popular back then.  It has beta carotene as an ingredient and was/is very red in colour.

Julie

I have been thinking and what I forgot was that I used the last of my Chappie complete before ordering some more Arden Grange half way through his moult!

This was VERY Orange looking so I think this could be the reason, who would I thought a few weeks of this would course this much of a problem, I must admit it's Probably not that obvious to others but I can see it and I know it's there?

I think the only thing I can do is try the Royal Canin and see what happens, has they say watch this space if that don't work I will be back LOL.

Thanks for your comments!