AAH! Don't get mad about his damn coat QU!
Ok, so Pepper is 5 and a half months old. And just recently-or maybe not-(i was away from him for a week and a half) his coat seems weird. AS you can kinda see in his pic he is predominatly gray with a white face (white belly and white legs too). well I have just started noticing this fine, longer hair on his back. As I said he is mainly gray. The hair coming in is white. It is kinda wispy??? And is more -so white. So my QU is -Is this the puppy coat growing out? I want to get him a hair cut. For two reasons. He is hot! I can tell my poor lil guy is dying from his long fur. And he can't see a darn thing outta of his eyes. All you see is white fur. BUT-I just want him cut. And I deftiantly am not goina do this myself. I have no lcue how. No matter how easy it is lol. So I know I have read on here-something about puppy cuts? BC there is not many sheepies around here. So I dont want soem groomer making my baby look silly-of course no1 would want that! So puppy coats is just a general term, correct? bC in his pic is how I like his hair-length wise. And he can see out of his eyes in the pic I have posted. And I never knew until i researched that dogs with hair over their eyes couldn't see! Is this correct, right? I feel bad! And I can post a pic if you guys need one to see what I'm talking about-fur wise. So I know I don't really make sense lol. But if ne1 feels me can u help me out? |
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| You and your pup are entering the Twilight Zone for sheepdog grooming. At times no matter what you do, you will fail. This coat change can bring owners to tears. Accepting that fact......that you haven't been grooming for 10 years, take a deep breath and say, "He may have to be in short coat for awhile." I have friends who just set up regular app'ts with a good groomer (not a PetsMart special) and took their girls every 2-3 weeks. Often they came back looking like a Bichons, short coat, no mats and smelled good. Puppy cut is like a poodle cut but without all the balls and shaved spots.....just a fluffy short haired dog. Cute! When your girl gets closer to 1 year you can let it grow out and get back into the swing of grooming. There's no set rule for when they fully develop the adult coat........if your girl is grey now, she might become a real pretty "blue." That's exciting! |
| As far as the hair in the eyes just put it in a top knot or use a clip and pen the hair out of his eyes. Obe has used a clip in his hair since he was the same age as your Pepper. Now it is long enough to just put in a top knot and he loves it, I guess, doesn't try to take it out and he can see so... problem solved. Just not a big fan of the hair cut out of the eyes, just me. |
| Sheepieboss your post made me half laugh out loud and half want to shoot myself. But thanks for your 2 cents. Now to find a groomer! I have been asking around and every1 claims there groomer is the best! And I know not one soul who owns a sheepie around here! AS I might have posted b4-Peppers is a local celeb! I swear-A man on a Harley yelled to us"That is one CUTE dog". I laughed so hard. He looked so tough on his big, loud bike (which was scaring us with all the rumbling it makes lol) and to stop and tell pepper how cute he is. Ok it was funny to see-I swear!
Oh and for the topknot...ugh we have been trying this. First my brother yells at me for putting his hair up. He says he looks like a girl. Even though his pony tail holder is blue! But he then makes me feel awful about him not being able to see! I haven't tried to topknot it in a couple of weeks. Now it is substantially longer. I tried to get him used to the pony a while ago. Meaning b4 he even needed it tied up. So we wouldn't have this darn problem about cutting his eye hair. Oh and you know what he has done in the past? Ripped it right out! Every single darn time! But I may be able to beat him at his game bc as I said it is a lot longer now. And I may be able to get the holder in more securely. I like his hair longer in general too. But every1 is making me feel bad. Saying he seems soo hot and all. And he does know where every AC vent is in our house lol. He plops right down on it. So thats why I'm getting it cut. I mean the body looks pretty weird. I don't like the way the hair looks. and I don't know if being impatient. Will it just continue to grow? Then be gorgeous, like adult sheepies coats? Or hes still too young, right? So it will be at this length for a while? It seems like its been at this annoying length for quite some time. Oh and I did take pics. Will post them either tonight-but most likely tommrow. So you guys can give me the right advice. And groomer wise. Is there ne specific QU's or things I shoudl ask/tell them about his coat? I know this is their field and I don't want to sound like I'm trying to tell them their job. I just want him to look nice, ya know? And be comfortable. I live in Ohio-by wheeling WV. So if ne1 knows of ne reputable groomers please let me know! Thanks! And its really not that hot here either. Do you think hes really that hot? Or just being a little bum? BC I did read a couple times there coat helps protect them fromt he sun? But enough length is enoough, rrrright?? I just want to be ethical and not be all into his appearnce. But I do hope he has a long coat one day. Well I know he can-its mommy who I hope can maintain it lol. Oh and he coat is fine IMO. I thought it would be a lot coarser. It looks coarse but is soo soft! He has not-knock on wood-had one mat or even a knot. Maybe its bc I groom him myself(brush) him often. Or maybe bc hes still a pup? So many things! lol *ADD-Under his ears stink! Is this common? Its embarssing to ask! The hair looks a lil greasy too. He had a bath when he was at his vets from his hospital stay. But they maybe didnt clean his ears well...im not sure. but yuck-they stink! only under them though! Tips?? |
| MissDior, where do you live? |
He is getting his junior coat in, here is one of mine just about finished that stage. She is a real light silvery grey here and starting to change again with the mature coat coming in darker across the shoulders.
Here she is finally with all the mature coat through and quite darker blue hue to her colouring. 
The coat transitions are really a hard stage for matting and trying to keep them in coat. Or to have length there without getting into a big mess, so at this stage it is easier to trim back the coat when the newer coat is breaking through. Then you can manage that and start again grooming them to grow length, it is a lot easier at this stage in there coat changes especially if you have not been through the coat transitions to mature coat before. 
Even I have got into a mess at this stage on occassions. 
With his ears and the smell, well I would say there might be an ear infection there causing the pong. So have his ears checked by the vet, have you done ear care before? If not then at the top of this section of the forum is an essay and pictures on ear care and keeping them clean and hair free to help stop problems occuring. |
| Ohio-45 minutes from pittsbugh PA-20 mins from washington PA-5mins from wheeling WV. Wheelings the next largest city to me I suppose. My town is called Martins Ferry. I'm sure you've never heard of my small town. So I'm lisitng surrounding cities ahead of time lol |
| I've heard of Martins Ferry. I think there is supposed to be good kayaking in that area. There was a group in DC that used to organize annual expeditions there. |
| Lisa-As for ear care. I do check them often. But I will read up on the ear info post. He has a vet check-up coming up. I'll ask then. I honestly don't think its the ear. Its mainly the hair surrounding it. It looks "permed" / "wavy"/crinkly" around his ear. And as I said it looks shiny but not pretty shiny. Greasy human hair shiny. The odor just appeared though. He had been at the vets for almost a week-5 days. And since returning home I noticed it. So I also thought if there was a problem with the ear the vet would of caught it in his stay recovering from parvo. But they could have been pre-occupied with the task at hand. Thanks thouigh!
Oh and OK he is getting his junior coat! How exciting lol! I thought that but wasn't sure. I mainly notice the growth on his back-is that just me though? I'm assuming its getting longer all over and I just notice it on his back. So no harm in getting it cut, then? I do want him to have the long hair but not for summer time. So just to make sure. If I do get him "cleaned up" by the groomer he will go thru this stage again shortly? And if I leave it alone it will grow out into a nice looking coat? I am being impatient you would say? lol! BC this transition coat doesn't look very attractive! It reminds me of old mans white hair! Realy wavy/wispy looking-stands almost straight up on his back lol |
| Valerie-You've heard of good ol' MF! I'm shocked. AS for kayacking-I have never heard of this. I could be wrong though. I don't do any outdoor sports. But I do know peeps who do and have not heard of this... I'll have to ask around though! I'm curious now! |
| I've heard of it too. My folks used to take us white water rafting there!!! Its a small world. |
| Hi - sounds to me like a yeast infection - dark, warm, moist - conditions cause it....easily treated with meds from your vet. Talk to the groomer and ask her to cut him down to 2-3" if that is the length you want. Just use a slicker every few days on the coat to keep matts out!!! More matts = shorter cut at the groomers - they will NOT spend time dematting an OES. Use small rubber bands for the top-knot and do NOT listen to your son. Who is in charge here??? If the hair over the eyes is a little short to be tired up with one rubber band - use one over each eye. As with our hair - it will grow back. |
| ^ You mean a yest infection for my ear queestion? I'll have to look into that. We can't go to a groomer til october due to health conditions
Did find one finally. Highly recomended, did sheepies and everything. But since we cant go in until Oct. she told me to cut the eye hair at least. The topknot was not working. Tried many times, positions,bands-he got it out and hated it. Or just pawed at his head constantly.I don't want him to have something on his head he hates so we just cut it. I was scareed I'd mess up but you can't even tell I did it. You can now see his eyes clearly. The groomer wanted this done asap bc he has already had enough medical problems. So I did it. Sucks though that we can't go to a groomer until October...I don't know if I'm going to have to go b4 that. Right now its more so a want not a need. |
MissDior wrote: ^ You mean a yest infection for my ear queestion? I'll have to look into that.
Yeast infections in the ears are very common for dogs with floppy ears, because of the moisture that is trapped in there. Not only floppy earred dogs have problems with Yeast. My German Shepherd had chronic yeast infections in his ears his whole life until I started using Malaseb Flush in his ears once a week. It is something that can be bought through your vet. It dries out the inner ear and keeps it dry. |
| Glad you trimmed around his eyes - don't worry ever about making a mistake - I promise it grows back. The week before the Garden I was just trimming Miss Diva's butt and my cleaning girl came into the room and startled me and I cut out a two inch chunk. My girlfriend went crazy, but our friend from Argentina met us at the Garden and fixed it all...if I can survive that one - your dog will be fine. Just don't cut HIM - this, too, we have all done. If the ears have a strong odor and when you just use paper towel to get in really deep and it comes out almost black, it is probably a yeast infection, common and easily treated. |
| As for not seeing because of hair over the eyes, I won't buy that. One of the skills needed for Open competition is being able to retrieve a dumbbell over a high jump. You should see Barney, in full coat, take the thirty inch high jump get the dumbbell thrown 50 feet away and come back over the jump to sit in front of me. If he can't see, doing all that, he must be equipped with radar. That's an old wives' tale. They see the same way you see when looking through a partly open blind.
As for cutting their hair, whether including the fall over the eyes or not, don't be afraid to try it; it grows back at the rate of about 1 inch a month, so if you don't like the results, you will have many, many more opportunities to try again. Right now the main thing is to keep her mat free; if you can't groom her professionally, at least brush her out and cut out an mats before they get too bad. Besides, now is the important time to get the dog used to being brushed regularly. I do mine 2 times a week. |
| ^got it as far as groming. i brush often.
yeah some people say its a myth.i dontknow what to believe... |
| Right on George!!! The secret to grooming which many do not agree with is "hands on" every 4-5 days!!! Something can always come up - so you could end up at a week and have a mess especially in Summer. When I teach show grooming - this is what I teach - this way you will NEVER see a matt, will NEVER have to use a slicker, never have to brush out a dog before a bath, and both you and your dog will be happy. Of course, I do it more frequently with coat change - every 2-3 days brush out. Another secret is to have a good grooming table, a Double K 9000 hair dryer, a No. 1 All systems pin brush, and if you want a matt free long coat - after you shave her down now - this is how to grow a show coat!!! For maintaining a coat - I bathe the whites once a week and give a full bath every 3-4 weeks to maintain undercoat. Just finished growing a show coat on a shaved dog - because his points were miscounted - he needed three more single points - took about 10 months - and he went to three shows recently and received four points and now that I have to shave him down - I feel badly - but getting a new 11 mo old bitch and can't handle TWO in coat. |
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