# Surprise - skin changes the same as hair!



## flyingduster (Sep 6, 2009)

Dark skin is preferred in all cases really, including whites creams and apricots. Browns have brown pigment so their skin is brown. Blues do tend to have a grey tone to their black skin where it's covered in hair, but it's generally pretty much black where the sun touches it.

The darkening of skin is simply tanning; most noticeable on the lighter dogs. Lift her ears and see that it'll be paler/pinker down the sides of her cheeks & throat where her ears shade her skin. There won't be a definite tan line, as ears move, but there will be a lighter area compared to the darker face! Do a search for when Taffy was shaved down and you'll see photos showing off her tan lines (circles on her butt where the rosettes were are just funny!) to show what I mean!

In saying that, some will still have darker skin than others, and the pinker shades won't get nearly as dark, no matter how much it's tanned, as the naturally darker pigmented dogs.


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## Sookster (Apr 11, 2011)

I just wanted to say that Bonnie looks so grown up!


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

Outwest - that is tanning of the skin. This is why those who show white and light colored poodles will "tan" them when first cut into Continental. Otherwise, those freshly shaven legs and butts might be very pink, rather than silver or black. The sun will turn the skin to silver or black, in most cases. Some light dogs won't darken easily, even in the sun, this is not preferred.

My brown girl has a pinkish/pearlescent color skin. Henry has bluish colored skin, blackish where the sun hits it. Tiger has dark purple skin - very black where the sun hits it.


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

Thanks for the replys. I did notice Tiger had really nice dark skin. I checked my puppies face. Her skin is still dark under her ears, but there is a definite difference between her muzzle and under her ears. I didn't realize it was tanning. It must be certain breeds that tan like that. My whippet doesn't.


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

outwest said:


> Thanks for the replys. I did notice Tiger had really nice dark skin. I checked my puppies face. Her skin is still dark under her ears, but there is a definite difference between her muzzle and under her ears. I didn't realize it was tanning. It must be certain breeds that tan like that. My whippet doesn't.


Yeah it is one of those weird things! The first time I heard someone say they "tanned" their dog, I thought it was the craziest thing. My breeder was saying that some people will even go to the extent of clipping their light dogs ears up so that the area under the ears gets as dark as the rest.


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

ChocolateMillie said:


> My breeder was saying that some people will even go to the extent of clipping their light dogs ears up so that the area under the ears gets as dark as the rest.


:act-up:
Now that's going too far. 

I am just so surprised how dark her skin is. Does this mean in winter where there is little sun the skin goes light again or is it a sort of permanent tanning?


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## Keithsomething (Oct 31, 2009)

I've noticed with Heaven the shorter the blade I use the darker her skin looks around the end of her muzzle xD...this may sound dumb >.> but I thought it was dirt at first v.v;

With a 10 or a 15 her muzzle looks nice and creamy, but with a 30 or 40 the ultra dark skin starts to come out. Like what has been said here I was told that her skin was being tanned because the hair wasn't getting in the way


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

outwest said:


> :act-up:
> Now that's going too far.
> 
> I am just so surprised how dark her skin is. Does this mean in winter where there is little sun the skin goes light again or is it a sort of permanent tanning?


Hmmm, I have no idea. I would think that with good pigment a dog would stay dark, but I really don't know.


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

I guess you'll find out this winter with Tiger! You'll have to report back in 6-8 months.


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