# Whites: do they get stained and dirty looking?



## AmandaNola (Jan 14, 2014)

Been a while since I've posted, but I'm finally in a position to get my Spoo puppy. The breeder I want a dog from has three females available, two whites and one black. I can choose whichever I prefer. I worry about a white having staining issues or always looking dirty, especially around the eyes, mouth and feet. How do you keep your white pups looking nice and bright?


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

Hey Girl!
Wow I'd would have thought the new pup kept you busy enough! But if you go thru with getting a Spoo....Congrats! First off, with a Spoo tear stains don't seem to be as big a problem as it is with the minis and toys, but the face in general can be kept pretty clean just by keeping it clipped and washed frequently. I find with Molly coat that if you keep up the daily brushing, debris doesn't collect.......of course if your dog is a 'mudder' that's a diffent story with a white dog, but that is what the garden hose is for and of course you'll need a dryer too! So it's all a matter of your due diligence in keeping them clean, it's not hard but requires the 'time' to do it!!!


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## AmandaNola (Jan 14, 2014)

Thanks, Molly!

Yeah, it's a pretty special circumstance, since if Pike had any temperament different than he does this wouldn't be a possibility. Pike acts like a grown up, his training is coming along fabulously, and I'd like to get the puppy stages out of the way in mostly one go. This Spoo pup will be the perfect and final addition to the family. Pike will be almost 7 months old when she comes home.

Thanks! Good to know. Plus, with a white, I can dye it!


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

I have a white and a black. The white does show tear stains. There are various "remedies" for that, but most don't work very well, at least not for me...unless they have antibiotics in them. I find if I let the hair on the face get a little growth, when I do shave, most of the stained part comes off. But we have to live with it for a while. As far as getting dingy all over...well, I bathe about once every 7-10 days. He never really looks bad....a little around the ankles sometimes but a good brushing fixes that pretty well. Otherwise he looks pretty good even at his worst. And too, it depends on your life style, what kind of environment your dog will be in. I have gardens so there's dirt. There's also grass. We go on walks but so far, mostly in pretty clean places. If it rains, then they tend to get pretty yucky around the ankles but most of it brushes out.

Congrats! You will be busy! But what fun. I bet you're excited as all get out.


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

I have a white standard poodle and he does not get tear stains. He is not at all difficult to keep looking white, but he is a very, very bright white. When he was showing, he was bathed weekly so of course always very clean. Now that he has been retired for a couple of years, he is only bathed every 4-6 weeks. He pretty much always looks pretty clean and white! If his paws get muddy outside I of course hose them off, but I do that for my blacks and my brown as well.


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## AmandaNola (Jan 14, 2014)

Thank you!

I'm so excited I can't even put it into words.  It'll definitely be crazy, but I can't wait. I'll be learning to groom her myself, so that'll be a fun learning experience!


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

Well, actually Sunny is a cream or apricot, and yes, he shows his adventures more than my former black mini did; but, he just gets a bath and he is clean again! Sunny does not have any tear stains, either, so never has been an issue. Whites and creams are harder to keep looking clean all the time, but black dogs are just so darned hard to photograph! I'd go with temperament first and then color, in my opinion.


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## Carley's Mom (Oct 30, 2011)

Well I have one of each and I don't notice much difference. I do wash my cream a bit more, but she tends to get itchy if I don't . It has nothing to do with the way she looks. I thought I would have a white dog with green feet all summer long and that has not been the case at all. Go meet the pups and see with once feels right.


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## AmandaNola (Jan 14, 2014)

They're only about 2.5-3 weeks old right now, and 5 hours away from me (one way), so I can't visit until pick up.  The breeder is paying close attention to how the temperaments of these two girls develop, since my adult dog has a very bossy and in charge personality. I'm looking for laid back and agreeable. That is my first and foremost concern, with color being last. I'd be happy with either color, although black is my first choice. Just wanting to see how much work I'll have to prepare for in the case of a white!


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## spookiesmom (Dec 31, 2011)

Spookie and Kris are white. They get a bath 7-10 days, with white coat shampoo. I use conditioner too. If either start tear stains, I use Angel Eyes. My vet approves, but some won't use it.


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## cindyreef (Sep 28, 2012)

I have a parti spoo. A lot of white. After a bath and blow out his white is brilliant. But by bath time (once a month...probably not enough) he looks like a cream. I always wash his feet if muddy. No tear stains but I thought with spoos it was not as much a problem as in toys. But if you get a white the dandylions will stain his legs. Dex played fetch in a field of dandylions last summer and this is what happened to his legs. Took 3 baths to get rid of it.


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## Lou (Sep 22, 2012)

My white poodle almost never looks dirty! He has such thick hair it kinda repels dirt, mud, and grass etc...
And no eye staining at all either. I'm lucky I guess  it's because his hair is so thick though, I don't know about other white poodles...

Here he is when he hasn't been bathed or groomed and have been playing in dirt, mud or freshly cut grass daily! Small quantity of mud will just dry and flake off, like it turns back to dirt in a few hours and it falls from the hair if I just rub it off. Also baby wipes also remove some red dirt off on him in between baths he looks fine.

The only thing is sometimes the hair around the lips and nose gets a little red/stained, but I trim it off and it's fine  and for shaved faces that would not be a concern 


























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## Pluto (Jul 8, 2012)

My white is definitely much harder to keep looking clean and does stain. I can't stand it. I would love to do the longer face like Lou but the eye gunk, and moreso the food staining around the mouth, is untenable on my girl. Her lower legs/poms also get stained by grass and dirt, and inspite of bathing every couple of weeks with whitening shampoo or a grungier color then the rest of her. When she lays down in the dirt it is obvious and she gets big dusty brown spots (that do blow right off with a high speed dryer). And you should see her after camping or hiking. That said I notice more than others do and even when she is a week out from her bath and looks dirty to me people comment about how clean she is.

The nice part is, she really isn't dirtier then any other active dog, but you can see it and address the dirt  It's also easy to do fun stuff with color, even just using hair chalk, on a white dog, and as they age they don't get grizzly grey (look younger).

All things being equal I would not choose white, but it's just a color and all things are seldom equal.


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## JudyD (Feb 3, 2013)

I have a 2 year old solid black standard and a 12 week old parti-color pup whose legs and feet are white. No question the black dog looks cleaner, even when she isn't. The pup hasn't had much opportunity to get really dirty, but his feet and lower legs aren't as white as the rest of him, even though he's been bathed twice since we got him 2 1/2 weeks ago. The baths weren't because his feet were dirty, rather that he pees on the inside of his hind legs. I don't really expect him to look spotless all the time, but I don't want him to smell. If you're concerned about a grimy appearance, though, I'd go with black.


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## BeckyM (Nov 22, 2013)

Polly is almost all white (she had more apricot parti spots as a new pup... now most of her apricot is on her head and ears). She loves to get dirty and is always running in the dewy grass and then the dirt so her pom-poms get pretty dirty. I only bathe her every 2 weeks or so but to keep her cleaner in the mean time, I let her pom-poms dry and then brush them out. They look nearly as good as new after that. It brushes out a lot of the dirt and all of the grass and any burrs. I brush & comb her every single day. She's rolled in mulberries and it left slight purple stains for a week or so but it wasn't a big deal. I liked the purple splotches.  I love her white color and actually sometimes wish she was all white so I could have fun dying her ears  

I had a black puppy for a few weeks and I had the hardest time reading his expression and being able to tell when he was looking at me. I love seeing Polly's face better and think I'll always try to get non-black poos in the future.... but that's just personal preference.


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## katbrat (May 8, 2011)

When we got a standard, white was the one and only color I did not want. I had a deposit on a black, blue or silver. We picked up a thirteen week old, white ball of fluff and the rest has been history!  Lexi is white and honestly, the only thing that shows the dirt on her is her feet, which sometimes will get a dingy grey from playing outside or green from grass stains after the grass has been mowed! The rest of her stays really clean. I just either wash off her feet or if we are out and about use baby wipes. In the summer, Lexi goes to the groomers every five weeks and in the witner every seven to eight.


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## Bellesdad0417 (May 18, 2014)

I second the comment about coat texture, my female white had a very tight curly coat and just her shaking herself out cleaned a lot of dirt and debris. My black male we called a Velcro dog not because he stuck to you but everything stuck to him.

As far as eye stains I never had much of an issue either


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## hunny518 (Jun 5, 2012)

I have a white. Because she is a show dog I can not have staining. I give her high quality food, drinks only.distilled water and she is bathed 2x a week. Now, I also live in rainy western Washington, so that is why I have to stay so on top of it. 

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## hunny518 (Jun 5, 2012)

^^^^ no staining ;-)

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## cindyreef (Sep 28, 2012)

OMGosh...hunny518 she is gorgeous!! I wish I could organize myself to bath mine even once a week. He is so white after a bath. I agree with the comment earlier I notice when he is dingy but no one else does.


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## Lou (Sep 22, 2012)

Bellesdad0417 said:


> I second the comment about coat texture, my female white had a very tight curly coat and just her shaking herself out cleaned a lot of dirt and debris. My black male we called a Velcro dog not because he stuck to you but everything stuck to him.
> 
> 
> 
> As far as eye stains I never had much of an issue either



Lou's coat is Velcro too!!!!!!!!! Lol 

Apollo gets a few burs on his legs, like 5.. 6... 
Lou gets like 40.. 50!!!!!!! 

Apollo's coat is just crazy thick! 
And Lou's coat is super velvety! So.... 

I'm planting grass and then I will exterminate all these bur weeds!!! It takes forever to get them off of them every day !


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## SillyHuman (May 17, 2014)

I wipe her face everyday anyway (she has not been clipped yet and has a furry muzzle), and swipe a tiny comb under her eyes. It is not an issue at all.

I got a cheapo plastic comb at Pet Smart, but this one is similar:

[ame]http://www.amazon.com/JorVet-Vet-quality-Tear-Stain-Comb/dp/B00HRGTUKQ[/ame]

I would say she has less tearing that my peke-a-poo. Just once per day, and she has no tear stains at all. As grooming goes, that is the least of the labor.


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## loves (Jul 2, 2013)

Just because the whites may show their dirt easier does not mean the other colors stay any cleaner. lol

Sully is white, and often looks a dingy white as we have a lot of loose dry dirt in back yard due to somebody's digging habits. Discovered a quick blow off with HV brightens him up and after a bath he is his gorgeous white self, for a couple days. Tear stains on face, no problem because he has a clean face. Personally I am not a fan of shaggy faced poodles, but that is me. He has no tear staining anyway, just gotta wipe out an eye booger every other day or so.

I like the whites because you can color them if you are able or know a good groomer, plus as a groomer white hair is easier to work with. Black dogs, you can't see anything and black hair from most dogs stickes to everything! Walls, clothes, skin, etc. Wish I could ban all black dogs from my shop. 

So guess a white Spoo will keep you on your toes, if you go too long in between groomings he will definately look dirty. But most will brush/blow out and they need that done anyway. If you don't like a dog that looks dirty, or like to live in denial, then get a black or dark color, then you can tell yourself that the dog is clean, no matter what. rofl


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## SillyHuman (May 17, 2014)

loves said:


> I like the whites because you can color them if you are able or know a good groomer,


My only exposure to dyed pups was 40 years ago, and the dogs were tearing up a storm and looked very sad. I am guessing whatever is used for coloring has improved a lot. The two I saw were colored all over, one pink, one blue.



> plus as a groomer white hair is easier to work with.


Is that because it is less wirey?


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## loves (Jul 2, 2013)

I don't know. Just know that I am covered in black hair after a black dog as are the walls. Not a fav color. This includes cockers, double coated and poodles. Black dogs suck. And I own a black cocker. lol


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## Ciscley (Jul 16, 2013)

*Different but equal challenges*

I prefer the look of a black poodle, but I think between baths they can look just as dirty as a white - the coat gets dingy looking. 

I also live in a high tick area and its much easier to check a white dog's coat. 

In addition to dandelion dying, wet grass can leave green staining and if your dog licks the hair will stain. Danno's boy bits are always rust colored from his "attention". 

Flip side, white dogs clean up sooo nice. But if your black dog's hair gets brassy (from pee or sun bleaching or whatever) its not going to look better without cutting off the hair.


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