# Sending Show Dogs To Colder Climates



## Gharrissc (May 19, 2012)

I've heard of some people who show their dogs sending them to colder climates for a several weeks to make their coats more full before showing. I was wondering if anyone has done this before if you live in a warm climate?


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Haven't done it because I live in Michigan, but I do prefer showing Nikon in Nov and Dec, his coat comes back in and he looks better.


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## Saphire (Apr 1, 2005)

When I used to show my Siberian Huskies, many breeders and handlers kept their dogs in air conditioned areas all year round to promote and keep coats.


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## marbury (Apr 3, 2012)

In a book on professional handling, a technique was mentioned in passing for getting dogs in good coat for showing. Basically, the handler's staff wet the dog down in the evening with cold water then put them in kennels in a dark, air conditioned room straight out of the tub for a few weeks. Soaking dog, dark cold room... the theory is it forces them to build their coat.

Would I do that? NOPE. But sending my dog north sounds like a great idea instead!


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I think it's more a function of the hot, humid summer causing the dog to totally blow coat than the cooler temps encouraging more coat, if that makes sense? I think Nikon's Oct - April coat is is "normal" coat, not that it's especially thick. On the whole I think the GSD breed is more comfortable in those temps than the 80-100 and beastly humid (the humidity is really what wears down my dogs here).


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## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

marbury said:


> In a book on professional handling, a technique was mentioned in passing for getting dogs in good coat for showing. Basically, the handler's staff wet the dog down in the evening with cold water then put them in kennels in a dark, air conditioned room straight out of the tub for a few weeks. Soaking dog, dark cold room... the theory is it forces them to build their coat.
> 
> Would I do that? NOPE. But sending my dog north sounds like a great idea instead!


I've heard of people doing cold water baths to force coats to grow. Brrrr. I'll just deal with the ups and downs of coat, instead of freezing my dog with baths!


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

I hope their owners are forced to join their dogs in these "treatments". And all of this to boost egos and pockets.


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## Andaka (Jun 29, 2003)

Instead of cold baths, I would mix about 1 tablespoon of a good coat conditioner with one cup of water and put it into a spray bottle. I would then "back brush" (brush against the way the coat grew) the coat with a pin brush with knobs o the pins. Spray the mixture onto the skin as much as possible and back brush again. The brushing stimulates the blood flow to the skin, and the conditioner moisturizes it.


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## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

Andaka said:


> Instead of cold baths, I would mix about 1 tablespoon of a good coat conditioner with one cup of water and put it into a spray bottle. I would then "back brush" (brush against the way the coat grew) the coat with a pin brush with knobs o the pins. Spray the mixture onto the skin as much as possible and back brush again. The brushing stimulates the blood flow to the skin, and the conditioner moisturizes it.


That's what I do with the "Naked Care" conditioner. Dilute in a spray bottle. Brush it in.

Naked Care


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

so, you go to a cold climate to make the coat fuller. when you
come back to the warm climate wouldn't the coat start to shed?



Gharrissc said:


> I've heard of some people who show their dogs sending them to colder climates for a several weeks to make their coats more full before showing. I was wondering if anyone has done this before if you live in a warm climate?


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

My dog's does, but in west Michigan the temps tend to change very fast. It snows and is freezing (literally) until May and then all the sudden it can be 80s or even 90s within a week. Sometimes it is 80s and humid and snows within 48 hours. The first really hot, humid days sort of shock my dog and he blows his coat for the summer, quite drastically.


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