Conformation Help ( coat )

Is your dog from Haus Juris? (looking at your sig) If so, I'd ask them what they do. They will be at the show for sure with a large entourage.

I show in these types of shows, but to be honest, I don't really put any work into grooming or my dogs' coat. A lot of it depends on the time of year anyway, I can't really control when the coat is thin and flat vs. full. Usually I bathe the dog a few days before the show (not the day before or day of b/c sometimes the skin will flake a bit, and it always gets the hair blowing out so I want a few days to brush). I use a high velocity dryer to blow out the undercoat and fluff the coat. The day of, I just do a once-over with the rake brush, fluff here and there with a pin brush, and that's really it.

get a few more opinons. how
often do you brush?

k950ECHO said:

I was going to enter a conformation show at NASS 2010. I am doing fish oil, cod liver, egg, vitamin E, Vertex, garlic,vitamin b, Nupro... and a slew other supplements. My trainer said her coat needs work and isnt full.

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when I was showing my black boy, (as Lies said it certainly depends on the time of year!) he would tend to have a shorter coat, with that, my groomer either did him, or I learned a few tricks from her..I would bathe him the day before in a color enhancing shampoo, for him it was "black"...I then used Mink Oil on him, and the day of the show, went over him with a product called THE STUFF, and 'poof' him out. Even would use a light hair spray on him to keep it in place if needed.

What food are you feeding?

A lot of sunlight can damage the coat, yes. So you don't want her sunbathing.

Thanks Guys,

Yes, She is a Haus Juris Pup.. I have asked and No response. I dont allow her out side for long, just to potty and maybe some work, but 10 - 15 mins tops. She was on DOGS GONE WILD raw, and I have switched back to k9 kraving cause she seemed to flurrish much better on kraving. I ordered showstopper supplements, plus shes already on Nupro, joint max triple strength, Nupro electrlytes, Vertex, raw egg, fish oil, vitamin E, cottage cheese, Yogurt, Beef, Lamp, buffalo, turkey all raw...

Honestly, I think this is a bit of overkill. If the coat is there, it's there. If it's not, it's not. You can't really control the time of year and what the coat does in terms of amount, especially if the dog is transitioning from juvenile to adult coat.

You can only work with what you've got.

Has she recently blown her coat? My girls look bad after just blowing but within a few weeks it starts coming back nicely and they look great.

Xeph said:

Honestly, I think this is a bit of overkill. If the coat is there, it's there. If it's not, it's not. You can't really control the time of year and what the coat does in terms of amount, especially if the dog is transitioning from juvenile to adult coat.

You can only work with what you've got.

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Yeah, I agree here. I wouldn't restrict her lifestyle just to attempt to improve coat. If you've gone to all those lengths and still don't like the coat, it probably isn't something you can "fix". My dogs are outside all the time and my show dog has a beautiful, shiny, full coat and all he eats is kibble with a table scrap here or there. With females you also have the heat cycles and such that will effect coat, plus the time of year and when they are blowing...you've done as much as you have control over.

JakodaCD OA said:

I would bathe him the day before in a color enhancing shampoo, for him it was "black"...I then used Mink Oil on him

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I've heard the mink oil works well too, haven't tried it but other people swear by it. You can't use a color enhancing shampoo for a show like NASS, people have already been in trouble and suspended for "enhancing" the coat. They really just want to see a healthy dog in natural condition. Most people just bathe, fluff, and brush.

I wouldn't enhance the color either. If the coat is a bit thin, we lightly spray some bodifier on it before blow drying. This helps add some volume and fluff.
A spray bottle with bodifier and some back brushing far enough ahead of time that there is not too much dampness to the coat but before showing can add a bit of lift.

Other than that, you can't really get too crazy with it.

On young dogs the coat can be thinish. It always took my dogs some time into maturity to get a super full coat. This varies from dog to dog and coat type too. My 16 month old just does not carry the coat that he will when he is adult. Plus, the hot summer has been no friend at all to keeping hair.

Liesje said:

Yeah, I agree here. I wouldn't restrict her lifestyle just to attempt to improve coat. If you've gone to all those lengths and still don't like the coat, it probably isn't something you can "fix". My dogs are outside all the time and my show dog has a beautiful, shiny, full coat and all he eats is kibble with a table scrap here or there. With females you also have the heat cycles and such that will effect coat, plus the time of year and when they are blowing...you've done as much as you have control over.

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Agreed