Your Dog’s White Fur Can Be Even Whiter
Whether you own a cute little Maltese or a fluffy American Eskimo, you know there is nothing more stunning than your dog’s bright and white coat. You also know that dogs don’t care much about aesthetics and aren’t likely to wallow in mud on the grounds that it will stain their fur.
White dogs require slightly different grooming than their brown, black, and multi-colored counterparts because dirt shows up more easily on their coat, and their fur can become dirty and discolored. There are several ways to solve the problem.
Choose a special shampoo for your white dog.
Just like blonde people use purple shampoo to combat copper tint and even out their tone in the shower between coloring sessions, you can use a specialty shampoo to keep your white dog looking nice and bright. Hydra Whitening Shampoo is a favorite among white puppy owners. It contains an optical brightener, which gives your dog’s coat a yellow tint, but does not contain bleach.
Quadruped Pet Care releases a concentrated Whitener Brightener Color Enhhinging Shampoo that works on all fur colors but brightens up whites. The company says it eliminates oxidation caused by airborne pollutants, the sun and other environmental factors, and the scent is activated even when your dog gets wet.
Whatever you use, be sure to follow the directions on the package. Leave shampoos with optical brighteners on the coat for about five minutes after you lather your dog and consider using a clarifying conditioner after rinsing.
Try homemade products for blotchy, dull coats
You can also head to your pantry in search of something to decorate your dog’s coat, according to Four Paws experts. Baking soda is a natural bleach that won’t damage wool, for example. Make a paste of baking soda and water, then apply it to any stains. When it dries, wipe it with a damp cloth. You can repeat the process if the results are not perfect the first time and use a shampoo.
Daily Puppy has another recipe for you to try. Mix equal parts medicinal 1% peroxide and milk of magnesia, then add cornstarch one teaspoon at a time until a paste is formed. Apply the mixture to any stains, leave on for a few hours, and comb through gently after they dry, but consider using a conditioner first to soften them up.
Try some preventive measures to protect the whiteness of the coat.
You can give your dog one of these adorable little raincoats or ban him from going outside without a leash if you’re afraid he’ll get dirty or obscene, but that’s not very fair to a dog who probably loves (and deserves) good relationship. ride on muddy ground.
However, there are ways to prevent heavy staining and discoloration. For example, any urine stain should be dealt with immediately, as it can become entrenched and become more difficult to remove over time. A damp cloth should help if you caught the urine early, but you’ll need to shampoo the stain – and leave the shampoo on for five minutes – if you don’t.
Also perform daily maintenance. In a spray bottle, mix equal parts water and dog shampoo, then spray the mixture onto a warm, damp cloth and wipe down the puppy. Do this every day to keep them clean between washes.
Be careful with tear stains
White dogs are also notorious for developing sticky tear patches around their eyes. These reddish-brown spots are quite unpleasant and can make your dog uncomfortable. According to Koheptz , discoloration can be the result of a pH imbalance, a food allergy, or minerals in a puppy’s drinking water. Try changing your dog’s food and observe any changes, then switch to purified water.
Also check with your veterinarian to make sure your dog is doing well, especially if tear stains appear out of nowhere. If the dog is healthy, give him a facial that is different from what you do with a special body shampoo. Use an eye rinse and an eye wash every day to get rid of stains so dirt doesn’t build up.
Finally, keep the hair around the eyes trimmed so it doesn’t irritate the eyes or cause watering. Do this part only if you are absolutely confident in your ability to handle the scissors and in your dog’s patience to stay still. If you’re even a little worried that one or both of you won’t be up to the task, go to a groomer who knows how to trim fur around the eye socket safely.