# Help! Fading, drying coat ... advise anyone?



## PoodlePowerBC (Feb 25, 2011)

We are stuck at the cabin during the flooding here. Russell is impossible to keep out of the water, unless I put him in lock-down on the porch. I can't bear to see his sad face :angel2:
Would spraying him with a diluted conditioner help alleviate the fading and drying of his coat? As well as maybe help make brushing him out in the morning (the only time he is 100% dry) a little easier.
There is no way I can leave here purchase any dog styling aids, and even if I could, the town is tiny and wouldn't have anything worth buying anyways. I have an appointment to get him shaved down on the 2nd of May, which seems a LONG time away!


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

You sure you want to shave him down? He looks great all fluffed out. 

Personally, I would let him just get wet, have fun and be scraggly for a week.  He's a dog (which I am constantly telling myself about mine). For you- I do hope this water recedes and doesn't pond up and grow nasty buggers for him to catch. That would be my only concern with him getting wet in it. 

This is the first pic I have seen of him with long hair and it suits him very well. I know it is more work for you, though.


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## petitpie (Nov 16, 2011)

Russell is so fluffy! Seems like the longest fur I've seen on him.


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## Fluffyspoos (Aug 11, 2009)

When you say fading, do you mean it's breaking and getting thin, or the color is fading? There's nothing you can do about the color, but you can help with breakage. Using a good conditioner, even a leave in conditioner, and only brushing when he's super clean and blow dried (and brushing while blow drying) will help since the hair is more elastic when it's somewhat damp. C.Millie should be able to give you better advice on preventing breakage.

ETA: By the way, he's super cute. Trim those nails, too!


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## petitpie (Nov 16, 2011)

Treat him like a shut-in child. Play games with him, treat him, and distract him, so he'll like to be inside. You've got unusual conditions and circumstances for all of you.


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## Olie (Oct 10, 2009)

Sucks about your weather! I know its hard to keep a dog entertained for a day or two much less what your enduring.

The dilute conditioning should help the brushing and with the trim down breakage wont be an issue if its a close trim 

Kat - Nail Natzi!


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## BorderKelpie (Dec 3, 2011)

I know you're trapped, but I found a cheap alternative at my Walgreens for tangles, etc. It may help in your situation. The Johnson's No More Tangles spray really helps my guys with the grass clippings and matts they get from the landscaping we're doing. I don't know if that may help you a bit with what you're going through. It can be used on wet or dry hair and it says it can be left in. Smells nice, too.


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

Great idea, Border Kelpie. I had forgotton about no more tears.


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## PoodlePowerBC (Feb 25, 2011)

Fluffyspoos said:


> When you say fading, do you mean it's breaking and getting thin, or the color is fading?
> 
> ETA: By the way, he's super cute. Trim those nails, too!


I guess I mean the brown bleaching to a reddish color. His coat is super thick!
And his nails are trimmed every 6 to 8 weeks ... should I be trimming them more often?


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

PoodlePowerBC said:


> I guess I mean the brown bleaching to a reddish color. His coat is super thick!
> And his nails are trimmed every 6 to 8 weeks ... should I be trimming them more often?


Oh, okay, sunburnt hair is your concern. Well, there isn't anything you can do to prevent sun bleached hair other than keeping him out of the sun.

I do think that 6-8 weeks is quite long for nails. I try for every 1 or 2 weeks with the pets. If I go even 3 weeks Iregret it bc the quick lengthens.


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## tortoise (Feb 5, 2012)

PoodlePowerBC said:


> I guess I mean the brown bleaching to a reddish color. His coat is super thick!
> And his nails are trimmed every 6 to 8 weeks ... should I be trimming them more often?


I use Groomer's Edge Emerald Black to prevent the reddish tinge. I will be getting Top Performance Sunblock Spray for dogs for coat color protection.

You can get both from petedge - the minimum order is only $60. ($7 fee for smaller orders) Shipping is fast!

If you can get out of the cabin, that is!! I'd keep him inside until you can get some product to protect his coat color.


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

Any sprays used to prevent brown coats from sunburning will be more of a waste of money than anything else.

Since he's not a show dog I say let him get bleached. . The only way to prevent it is to limit sun exposure.


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## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

Ice on Ice is suppose to have sunscreeen and prevent fading and damage caused by sun according to their ad. I have some on order but have never used it so perhaps it is ineffective. I must say Russell looks luscious. I just want to bury my hands in his coat.


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## PoodlePowerBC (Feb 25, 2011)

CT Girl said:


> Ice on Ice is suppose to have sunscreeen and prevent fading and damage caused by sun according to their ad.


I am ordering some of this from the CC Buy  Guess I'll wait and see if it works


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

If it worked there wouldn't have been an article in the brown issue of Poodle Variety where long time brown breeders discussed the conundrum of keeping brown show coats from going orange. . The only real answer was having a fully shades yard or no going outside in sunny times. . Or dying your orange poodle.


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## PoodlePowerBC (Feb 25, 2011)

CharismaticMillie said:


> If it worked there wouldn't have been an article in the brown issue of Poodle Variety where long time brown breeders discussed the conundrum of keeping brown show coats from going orange. . The only real answer was having a fully shades yard or no going outside in sunny times. . Or dying your orange poodle.


Guess he'll just look like this again


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## Fluffyspoos (Aug 11, 2009)

Oooh, sun bleaching! I personally think the sun bleached brown looks kinda cool!


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## tortoise (Feb 5, 2012)

CharismaticMillie said:


> If it worked there wouldn't have been an article in the brown issue of Poodle Variety where long time brown breeders discussed the conundrum of keeping brown show coats from going orange. . The only real answer was having a fully shades yard or no going outside in sunny times. . Or dying your orange poodle.


I dyed a yellow-bleached chocolate lab with purple to correct it. Worked beautifully.


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

tortoise said:


> I dyed a yellow-bleached chocolate lab with purple to correct it. Worked beautifully.


They make brown dye too!


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## poodlegang (Jan 22, 2012)

unfortunately i have to agree that if you don't want to have that orange coat you should keep him inside and let him go out only early in the morning and evening.the CC ice on ice won't help, i just tried it on my brown medium size female and didn't work at all.shadow and not direct sunlight that's the solution.


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## Apres Argent (Aug 9, 2010)

*sun fading*

I have been using hair protective light oil from Matix ( a human product) on Nino. He is well muscled and in the sun daily and there is not any sun fading in his coat. I have used it on my hair which is what made me think of using it on Nino. Liz has seen him many times and can attest to the color of his coat. This stuff works! I will try and get a link.


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## PoodlePowerBC (Feb 25, 2011)

I guess I am need to be resigned to the fact that he is going to fade, because there is NO WAY I can keep him out of the sun or water ... but I am going to try some of the conditioners to keep from breaking his coat when it is longer. Someone on another formum mentioned Infusium, which is a human leave-on conditioner. I have a gallon of that at home, so I am going to get DH to bring it up with him this weekend and use it for brush-outs.


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## Apres Argent (Aug 9, 2010)

*Hair oil*

It is called Biolage Sun Sunsorials Protective hair oil. Can not locate a link.


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