I have seen dogs in the show ring who are that white they are nearly blue, how do people get their dogs this white? I have a bichon who is 8 months and i hope to show her she has some staining on her legs from dirt etc what do i have to do to get her white? Are these people bleaching their dogs or what shampoo do they use? I have tried some whitening shampoos.

Have you tried the bluey purpley shampoo. Wahl do a great one i have used on horses and it works wonders, its designed for dogs too, but I haven't used it on a dog so I can't say. I'd imagine it might be a little harsh for a dogs coat as horses are really greasy and it does take the greasy out.

I wrote a post a little while ago as I have a 6 month old Canadian Eskimo Dog that has a long ,double, white coat and is an especially dirty monkey.I have tried many shampoos,but the best by far has been Chris Christensen 'White on White',just give it a good rinse after or you will end up with a purple dog.Jude

No no bleach, will yellow the coat.  You need to figure out what has caused the staining - soil, urine, even bacteria will turn the coat a pinkish-brown colour, particularly on the feet from wet floors.  Using a good conditioner diluted as a daily spray on protects the hair shaft - NOT  a silicone based one though but something like Coat Handler.  Silicone turns coats yellow too.  Whitening shampoo can be harsh, but a good one is Jean-Pierre Hery as it is mild and regular use will not leave the hair brittle.  Some people use the old fashioned laundry blue as a rinse (Dolly Bag: Blue Bag; Bluo) and this gives a blue-white - and you can tell under lights as they have a faint lavender-blue tinge.  I have several white long coated dogs, live on a farm, they have free running over the fields daily so you can imagine the mud and other things that plaster the coats but I keep them all "ice" white this way.

would you use a human conditioner? as i use pantene on my cocker but wouldnt be able to water the conditioner down to put in a spray bottle as it seperates, do you spray yours everyday?

I would use John Paul Pet, it is perfect.
I use it on mine and all the dogs in quarantine.

Human conditioners tend to be a bit heavy, and most now contain silicones which can damage the coat long term.  I do probably on average every 3rd day spray and brush through the coats.  I have tried many conditioners but find Coat Handler the best, or for more heavy duty Pet Silk Serum (NO silicone) as it glosses the coat, and does not yellow.  And I never get pee stains sticking on the males belly feathering. 

I use DezynaDog whitening shampoo. Very mild for the skin but my bichons coats come up gleaming :-)

John Paul Pet is for Pets.

I've been using a white shampoo recently from PAH and they've come out really well.

Don't forget that
"Exhibitors are reminded that, under Kennel Club Regulations, no substance which alters the natural colour, texture or body of a dogs coat  is allowed to be present in its coat at any time during a show."

We used White horse shampoo (Fly Away ultra white) on our bernese's white bits which are usually a dirty beige colour and it came up beautifully white and has stayed white for longer than normal (she is an earth excavating specialist :-D ). It also does a fab job on my daughters horse's white feathers which get muckier than any dog I've ever met .

I use the Wahl showman whitening shampoo, it seems to get rid of much of the general filth which generally clings to Henry's tummy and feet!

Westcoast wrote Don't forget that
"Exhibitors are reminded that, under Kennel Club Regulations, no substance which alters the natural colour, texture or body of a dogs coat  is allowed to be present in its coat at any time during a show."

HA HA HA - have you never been around the toy ring, or the poodle and afghan areas before a class???  Gotta love the make up cases that would do a Holywood make up artist proud, and enough hairspray to keep Vidal Sasson in business for a decade while the KC officials stroll by with blinkers on!  And the top winning WFT who goes in the ring for the group, has a good shake and carries on in a cloud of chalk dust. 

>while the KC officials stroll by with blinkers on!

And you too, apparently. Or did you make an offical complaint at the time? If so, I apologise.

Yep and it got nowhere, several times.

HA HA HA - have you never been around the toy ring, or the poodle and afghan areas before a class???
Certainly.  I used to own an afghan and daughter used to handle them for others and won the Richmond handling semi-finals with one!

Have to agree with Harkback. KC Officials do just seem to turn a blind eye to the artificial products used on some breeds!! :O

We used to watch someone painting their Welsh Terrier with artists paint...

I have heard of someone in my breed spraying a rather dirty dog with fabreeze at a show!!!!!

> I have heard of someone in my breed spraying a rather dirty dog with fabreeze at a show!!!!!

:-)  Think the best one I ever saw was a basset exhibitor using the "kiwi" instant shine sponge on there dog just before it went in the ring.

If you live near the sea, seawater is the best going.  Our cocker has a regular swim in it and it works wonders.  If we cant get her to the beach we use christensons whiter than white.