# Coat breakage...what to do about it?



## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

Kimberly came over the other day and asked me if I'd trimmed Scout's coat under his belly. I didn't think anything of it until later, when I took a good, critical look at him. Then I realized that he has lost more length at the ends of his coat than I'd realized. I think it is breaking off. His coat is very _very _fine, and I'm sure the dryness of indoor heat hasn't helped. It is mostly the coat that flows from his spine/back that is breaking.

Now what? How can I strengthen his hair so it is less prone to breaking? I'm wondering now if my longer 27mm CC pin brush is snagging and ripping too much of his hair (although it is GREAT on Lincoln's super dense, stronger coat).

Help!


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Jane, have you given him Grizzly oil? Maybe that will help strengthen his coat. Also, have you ever tried Silk Spirits? Whenever I use it on Kubrick I notice that the hair seems more moisturized and healthier... maybe it will help on Scout to keep his coat from breaking. Here's a link to it:

http://www.chrissystems.com/silk.htm


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## RikiDaisyDixie (Apr 15, 2008)

*I think that is the same as the "silk" I use on my hair*

I have a silk conditioner from Costco for my dry hair, I think the ingredients are almost the same. It actually makes my frizzy hair very smooth!


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## Leeann (Feb 28, 2007)

Jane I am having the same problem with Monte right now. I just got the grizzly oil and put some silk spirits on last night to try and help. I was also thinking of giving him a hot oil treatment this weekend. Riley's coat is doing fine but I just cut him way back to clean up all the chewing Monte does on him when they play.


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

Try the silk spirits, or Cowboy Magic, which basically has the silk in it too.

I think it helps if you use the soft bristle brush for most of the coat when they have uber fine hair, except just comb the tangles out with the comb(s) I've been nursing Gucci's coat back to health after she got matted badly with the sitters on my vacation.

I've noticed, the winter months the coat is MUCH more dry, there just isn't the humidity in the air that seems to help and make her coat look better. You could always use a humidifier, some people swear by it making their hair and skin better (humans, but I'm sure it might help for a doggie too )


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

Jane- I will watch this thread. For the first time ever Dora has chunks of coat missing. It was originally the spot where Dasher chews right on her shoulders. So I didn't think anything of it. I suddenly noticed chunks of hair on the ground bigger than usual and then realized Dora was itching it off. 

What has helped so far is doing the apple cider vinegar rinse at the end of hte bath. It helped my scalp too-as I generally try everything on myself to see if I feel an effect. Thanks Kathy  This weather is a lot different than we had in California and it really effected Dora.

Some of the areas of hair were probably at least 6 inches long so it is going to take a long time to grow out. But I am not finding the hair like I did for awhile. I just can't believe I didn't notice it. I saw her itching and saw the hair on the ground but Dora and Dash wrestle a lot. It was the night she was itching in bed and Jim was yelling at her to go to bed that I realized. Bad Mommy!


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

Jane! Scout's coat is almost to the floor. LOL!! I just noticed he has a slight curl at the ends of those hairs and they aren't quite as long as Lincoln's. It doesn't really show breakage like I think of breakage on some of these dogs. Scout's coat looks better than A LOT of the class dogs out in the ring right now. However, that being said... a breeder with one of the top dogs in the country once told me that you need to treat the coat from inside and out if you really want it in top condition. 

Also, you know this, but remember that even when you supplement, hair is composed of dead cells and it is going to take a long time for those newly supplemented dead cells to reach the end of the hair where you are seeing breakage. In other words, it will continue to break with time until all of that coat has grown out. To protect those ends, you will need to cut the dry ends, and/or wrap them, and/or deep condition, and/or put him in oil, etc. There are a lot of things you can do, but Scout looks great!


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## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

Thanks so much, everyone, for your great responses! I just started the Grizzly salmon oil last month when I found a tiny bottle at the store (it turned out to be the one labeled "for cats", but when I called the company, it is the exactly the same formulation as the one "for dogs", just in a smaller bottle which I liked). 

I've done hot oil on Lincoln, but not Scout. Looks like Scout's coat can use help, so I will try that. 

And I will look into the Silk Spirits. I haven't had luck with CC products (other than their great combs and brushes). Carolina and Kara, do they list the ingredients it it? Is there silicone? Oil? :ear:

Thanks for your encouragement, Kimberly! But, he really has lost a good inch of the coat that hangs from his body. I was looking at the photos from the gathering in October and he was more "flowy" looking then  Also that's a good reminder about hair being dead. Scout's hair grows SO slowly, so his hair is quite "old". Lincoln's grows quickly and he gets a couple of trims a year, so his hair is in better shape in general.


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Jane, no there isn't any silicone. It lists that it has Silk Peptides, Vitamin B and Panthenol. Panthenol, in case you don't know, is basically the alcohol equivalent of Vitamin B5 (it gets oxidized when it touches your skin, becoming Vitamin B5. I use a similar silk product on my hair and it's very good to help out with dry hair. Just don't use too much (a very small amount is enough) as it can make the hair greasy.


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## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

How do you apply the Silk Spirits? On a wet coat after bathing, before blow drying? Or on a dry, clean coat? How often? Thanks!!


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Jane, you can apply it on a dry coat as well as on a wet one. When my hair was dryer (it's not as dry as it used to be), I would use it on myself every day, so I'm sure that it's okay to use it on Scout every day if you really felt like you needed to. In general, I put it on Kubrick right before brushing. As I brush him every 5 days or so, that's how often I use it on him.


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

I've put the silk spirits on both wet and dry hair, usually just once a week and bath/condition every week. I think a gentle/diluted shampoo is good too, as to not strip the hair too much.

There really is something to the inside-out theory, I did notice her coat was not looking as nice and growing as well when I switched vitamins/supplements due to the stuff she was on being on backorder, so I went back to the other/1st one and it much better, just agrees with her more.

Honestly, I don't like any of the other CC products other than the SS and combs. I love the mink oil spray too, but the store isn't carrying it anymore and the smell is kinda weird.


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## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

Done! I just ordered the Silk Spirits, and of course, couldn't resist ordering some other CC stuff too (a new comb, with the pointy tail end to help with making topknots, and an oblong 20mm pin brush to replace my old oval one that Lincoln decided to chew up as a puppy).


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## EstrellaVila (Nov 30, 2007)

Oil treatments and giving the pooch oil in their food always helps too. I have always been envious of the coats you keep your dogs in, so I think you are doing a great job with them! Silk spirits is a good product but it does get greasy if you use a lot. 

Have you tried Vellus Satin Creme? It is made to help with breakage on coats and I really like what it did for my dog when we using it to wrap/band his broken face hair. I dont know what ingredients are in it but it does not have silicone.


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## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

Thanks, Estrella!

Is the Vellus Satin Creme a conditioner? How do you use/apply it?


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## Leeann (Feb 28, 2007)

Jane said:


> Done! I just ordered the Silk Spirits, and of course, couldn't resist ordering some other CC stuff too (a new comb, with the pointy tail end to help with making topknots, and an oblong 20mm pin brush to replace my old oval one that Lincoln decided to chew up as a puppy).


That a girl Jane you deserve the extra stuff. I got my Grizzly oil on Monday and had silk spirits already, mom does not like the smell of the Grizzly oil and Riley does not like the smell of the silk spirits, he rolled around like crazy after I put some on him LOL.


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## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

Leeann said:


> That a girl Jane you deserve the extra stuff. I got my Grizzly oil on Monday and had silk spirits already, mom does not like the smell of the Grizzly oil and Riley does not like the smell of the silk spirits, he rolled around like crazy after I put some on him LOL.


Too funny, Leeann! I'll have to see how Scout reacts to the Silk Spirits when it arrives!


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

I don't like the smell of Grizzly either. When I use salmon oil, I use Kronch. It is a little more expensive and harder to get, but no more smell then having fresh salmon (and I mean _fresh_).


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## Leeann (Feb 28, 2007)

Kimberly I think you told me about the Kronch before and I did use it, I just have issue with fish smell LOL I'm going to get some stuff Carolina recomended to put in their water and see if that helps.


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

I could not DO the salmon oil, I have this thing about keeping her smelling good and girly.  The silk spirits is kinda strong, but a little bit goes a long way!


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

Fortunately, with the Kronch, none of my dogs have had any lingering smells. With the Grizzly, yes we did! Blech.


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

I have to agree with Kimberly. I bought the grizzly at a dog show used it once and DH said no way. I even washed their beards and could smell it! I haven't used any salmon oil since though cause of my bad first attempt!


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## Leeann (Feb 28, 2007)

Kara do you like the smell of the ocean? I find it odd that I hate fish smell but love the smell of the ocean, that sea weed salty smell.

I am hoping I will just get use to the smell, my poor Moo Moo's head is really starting to look a mess. I may cut it back some in another week after giving him an oil treatment and some good conditioning.


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## EstrellaVila (Nov 30, 2007)

Tee hee hee. Both my dogs loooove their salmon oil. They stink too! What is even stinkier is they make dried salmon skins rolled up as a treat, now thats a smelly treat for all. I need to look into this Kronch brand because that sounds like a good one.

Jane, the satin cream is like a leave in conditioner, you can put it in their coat wet or dry. You can use it when you blow out their hair to weigh it down and you can keep layering it on w/out the greasies. I have used it for wrapping and banding face hair, and just overal areas where the coat was breaking. I really like the results.


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

Anyone use anything that doesn't smell like fish? Kodi and Shelby will not eat if I add fish oils to their food, and I really can't blame them much - phew! My vet even gave me something and they wouldn't even go near their dishes. Would flax oil work just as well?


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

Jane & Poornima are the two that I know that have researched oils. I know that olive oil has some great benefits, but I'm not sure how that applies to coats.


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