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SDL Coat Whitener Survey Results
Here are the answers of the Coat Whitener Survey collected by Paula Tabor. Thanks for the work, Paula! Names and other indentifying info have been stripped out for the sake of privacy. Please remember that these are simply the experiences of the individual users. Your results may vary.
Fellow Listers, Hope it helps you in some way.... enjoy! If you have questions, please feel free to ask.. I'll try to help. Paula I found, quite by accident, a pig shampoo called "Pot-Bellied Pig Whiter n' White". It works very well. Can be purchased at Heartland Exotics 800-325-8414 Far and away the best products I have ever found are the 1st In Line (I think they are at 1stinline.com). She is a Sammie person (my breed), so I ran into her on the internet with questions about dark spots on my babies elbows. She said it was dry coat, & gave me all kinds of great suggestions. She said I needed to get moisture back into the coat so it didn't soak up stain. It worked. Best story: Ran out of the coat whitener (they are going to be millionaires on this product alone) and had it Fed Exed as our specialty was coming. The baby bitch went Best in Sweeps and her mom went BISS. I've never had such plushy coats...it's how moist they are. Judy Davis (the owner) has been wonderfully helpful with any problems I have. Highly recommended...but don't tell any Sammie people! I love my advantage in the ring! I use both the White on White and the Ice on Ice and love them both. I used to use the plum white but I much prefer his stuff. I also use his self rinse, Show Off I think its called, love it too. Excellent products in my opinion. I like Quiksilver, it's a horse shampoo, can be gotten at any feed store. Just DO NOT put it directly on the dog, pour into hand, work into lather, then put on dog. BLEACHING Ok, I'm giving away my show secrets so you have to keep this amongst yourselves or I'll have to hunt you down! <G> But I'm a sucker for a fellow show person in need! Go to any beauty supply and get a bottle of "cream" peroxide. Also purchase one package of "powdered bleach". When your ready to do the dogs put them on the grooming table ( dry! you do this before the bath!). Mix the cream peroxide with the powdered bleach into a thick paste, use your comb or brush and separate out the hairs that need to be bleached. Use a paint brush if you have one it works the best also wear "platex gloves" this mixture can burn your skin. Put the mixture directly on the hair that needs to be bleached, DO NOT GET ANY OF THE MIXTURE ON THE DOGS SKIN! IT WILL CAUSE A BURNING SENSATION AND BE UNCOMFORTABLE FOR THEM! Leave on for approximately 20 minutes, then bath the dog completely and wash out. VERY IMPORTANT after bathing be sure to apply cream rinse to the area you bleached. When bleaching hair it "opens" the hair folicle, if left open the hair will stain even worse than before and be even harder to clean. When you apply cream rinse, the rinse "closes" the hair folicles and keeps the hair in a much better and safer condition. Also no need to leave the mixture on after 20 minutes as most bleaches have stopped any bleaching action after that time. So longer does not mean better. CAUTIONARY NOTE FROM ANOTHER SUBSCRIBER: In the case of say Maltese tear stains, yes, it's great but the dog needs a wee tranquilizer. Why? Because if per chance the dog happens to lick the product there is grave danger of the dog burning his vocal cords & while doing especially tear stains one's focus should at "ALL" times be on the dog not the kids, phone ringing etc..I have had first hand experience in this seeing as I have in the past had Show people come to me for help cause they were scared to do it...but it does work the key word is CAUTION! I HAVE AUSSIES AND THE ONLY THING THAT TRUELY WORKS IS THE NIGHT BEFORE THE SHOW TAKE YOUR CHAUK AND MIX IT WITH 20 VOL. PEROXIDE(SALLYS BEAUTY SUPPLY) AND MAKE A THICK CREAM APPLY IT TO THE WHITE THE NEXT DAY IT WILL BE DRY AND USE YOUR SLICKER AND CONB IT OUT. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO CHALK YOUR LEGS AFTER THIS THE HAIR WILL STAND UP AND ADD BONE. IF YOU CAN'T FIND 20 VOL. PEROXIDE HYDROGEN WILL WORK BUT NOT AS WELL. I have been told, and have tried a solution of hydrogen peroxide and baby powder, make a paste, and leave it on the dog a few minutes and then brush it out - but it can leave the dogs coat more porous temporarily, though. - I use a product which I swear by - First-In-Line. They have a shampoo, conditioner, whiting spray, and a bodifier. None of the products have bleach, blueing, and do not leave any residue on the coat. The shampoo actually comes concentrated and you dilute it according to your area, up to 30 to 1. You shampoo once to get the excess dirt out of the hair, then shampoo and leave the shampoo in for anywhere from 1 minute to 5 depending on just how stained your dog is. I then rinse really good and put conditioner on his coat - this is the first conditioner that does not make the dogs coat soft and limp and it has sunscreen in it to protect from future sunburning. The only thing I have noticed is that once you use the conditioner it takes longer for the dog to dry. I usually plan close to a couple hours to blow dry the dog. Just as he is getting close to dry, but still damp, I spray the whitner all over the coat and brush it in and blow him the rest of the way dry. And in between shows I keep conditioner on him, by using a spray bottle, to keep him from staining. And the neat thing is that it does not pick up dirt, again as so many conditioners do. The dog still gets dirty, but not like he would using a regular conditioner - he gets dirty because he loves to dig and lay in the pile of dirt. But when I bath him, he comes clean - no staining or yellowing. Milk of Magnesia and Hydrogen Peroxide in a 50/50 solution. Add corn starch to thicken to paste. Apply liberally, work well into coat, allow to dry completely, brush out. My two cents worth, the best and fastest way I Have found in my travels to remove stains is to get a moisturizing conditioner. Dilute it in hot water and spray or apply with cotton to the area that is stained. Repeat this process three days in a row. Then wash out and repeat this process till all the staining is gone. This forces the moisturizer into the hair shaft causing the stain to surface so that you can wash it out. Sometimes you will need to keep conditioner on the area so that he staining doesn't come back. Rule of thumb debris will roll off the conditioner and not collect on the hair. This formula was given to me by a cocker spaniel lady who lived in Georgia and had a problem with the red dirt and in my travels I experimented and came up with the above formula. HOT WATER helps acitivate the conditioner so it can pentrate the hair. Staining can also be cause by some dog food I have found that alot of stains are cause by Sams eating canned dog food. Don't understand why but everytime I ask what the dog is eating when I have noticed staining they all say in their dogs diet canned food. Saliva stains are caused by the composition of the saliva itself. The staining starts with the fold of the lip by the lower eye teeth and spreds from there. With Westies I have had some success Pulling or trimming the stained hair from the fold of the lip before the stain spreds further. Other suggestions are feeding a Rolaids once a day, adding Ester C (a buffered form of Vet C) to the food, adding lemon juice to the water the dog drinks. Don't know if any dog people do this but, just a suggestion. I have white show cats and my Rott slobbers on them all the time. They get the same yellow stains from the drool. We use Orange Goop or Gojo hand cleaner and it works so well. Before we bathe them, we rub the Gojo into their dry coat and let it sit for about 5 minutes then put them in the tub. We also use a solution of baking soda and lemon juice. Gets the stains out and doesn't damage the coat. (the baking soda/lemon should only be left on for 5 minutes because it will irritate the skin if left on too long) I haven't read all the replies, so I don't know if anyone mentioned this, but on my gray horse I use "Cowboy Magic" stain remover -- it helps get green and yellow stains off before shows so I don't have to give him a bath all over again. You just spray it on and then wipe the stains away! I've never tried it on my Sammy, but I assume it would work the same. & this is what I use myself just for show baths........ Orvus in a 4-cup measuring cup: mix the above together then stir up. dump into the gallon jug. Keep adding the warm water in the measuring cup & dpmping into the gallon jug until jug is full. (because of the suds factor) bathe at least twice!!!!! Then bathe once w/Equess If needs to be a flea shampoo, you can add one "lid" cupful of citronella or tea tree oil found at a health store. add warm water I bathe 2X w/this leaving the Orvus on for about 5-10 minutes during the 2nd bath, then I give a 3rd bath w/the Equess (sp?) shampoo leaving that on for 5-10 minutes. Once I blast her *almost* completely dry, I spray on the Equess moisturizing spray & comb that in, then I finish drying her. :o) First Impressions has a great whitening spray. Write to Judy Davis. firstsoap@aol.com. I have a 13 month old male Samoyed that I have been showing for 6 months. I receive comments all the time about his coat, how white and healthy it is. I use PurePet Whitening Shampoo on him and nothing else. I think a lot has to do with his health & nutrition. I feed a high fat/high protein diet - National Pet Products. He also only gets water that has been filtered beyond belief. I think that what is in one's water will also show on a white coat. Hope this helps. I use CINDRA-Cleansing Shampoo. Works great for red stains-slobber. It's pricey, about $5.00 per bath on a Saint Bernard. But it works! Use 1st IN-LINE's Snow White Whitening Spray. This product was developed by a Samoyed Breeder. You can get the product at just about all the shows but you can call her direct at 1-800-723-5375. I think she has a web site [www.1stinline.com] but I could be wrong. Good luck, On my blue merles, I use any brand of "old ladies" bluing shampoo when a show is coming up. It gives the white a lot more sparkle as well. A customer who owns a bichon brings her own shampoo for me to use. I am so impressed with the difference in her dogs coat color after using it. The brand name? Believe it or not, Hartz! Think I just might get a bottle to try. I like Lambert Kay's Snowy Coat shampoo for my Bichons, both for whitening and texture. I also agree that it is easier to keep the fur clean than to try to whiten it after it is stained. We have fenced off the garden in the back yard so that the dogs have only grass underfoot. For keeping stains from eye tearing and saliva under control I have been amazed at the difference diet makes. Since putting my older Bichons on Hill's Tartar Control Diet, the stains have almost disappeared (as the fur growth replaced the old stained fur.) Their teeth are also nice and clean. I've got the youngster (almost 2 years) on a mix of T/D and Nutro Natural and he's got a bit more eye staining than the seniors, but seems to need the extra energy from the Nutro. Interestingly, I've had to take the Sheltie off the T/D completely - his coat got poor, he gained weight and he had more digestive problems. I was beginning to think about testing his thyroid function. Since he's back on straight Nutro his coat is great, weight is good and stools are firm. Very weird. Obviously, no one product works for every breed or individual dog. It sure confirms the importance of diet on good health. I guess I should knock off the junk food snacks myself! Oh, by the way, the Sheltie's white markings are lovely I was desparate and out of shampoo and standing in Walmart late one night and decided to try the Hartz brand whitening shampoo at like a cost of 3 dollars for 16oz....cheap enough, but how bad can it be? I was amazed at how well it worked when forced to give my parti-white Greyhounds a bath after both of them dove into a 4' nasty pool of stagnant water.... I was impressed with the shampoo. No dry skin, cleaned them right up. If this keeps on working this good, then I've found an expensive shampoo that seems to work. Now I don't have to save my pennies and buy one that costs 25.00 a gallon! :) Believe it or not, the product "Tar-iffic" works wonders on white coats. It smells horrible, looks disgusting, but leaves my white dogs BRIGHT WHITE. I use good ol' 8 in 1 Perfect Coat Whiter Pearl Shampoo & Conditioner...you can see it whitening as you're lathering it up on the coat! The effect is stunning I think! Can be found at any pet supply store also. The best coat whitening shampoo that I have found is Quic Silver. It is made by Exhibitor Laboratories, Inc., Newbury Park, CA, 800-377-7963. It is actually for horses and can be found at places that sell horse supplies. However, it should not be used around eyes. Mix Quic Silver and Mrs. Brown's Blueing for stained paws. However, don't do this just before showing as there is a slight blue tint for a couple of days. Two other excellent equine products, that I use on my Westies are Mega-Tek Coat & Hoof Rebuilder, it accelerates and rebuilds coat, mane & tail. Both of these products are made by Eqyss International, Carlsbad, CA, 800-526-7469 or www.eqyss.com. The following is just a general shampoo, no claims were made to whitening specifically: In a one-gallon container, mix: I mixed it in the gallon container then put some in a spray bottle. It rinses very well due to the vinegar, and it leaves Misty shiny and squeaky clean! Both of my show cats are white and I have a heck of a time keeping them that way. Did you know that dog drool stains yellow? LOL. To whiten them we use a mixture of lemon juice and baking soda. We make a sort of paste and rub it into the coat, let it set for about 5 minutes then wash thoroughly. You have to be sure to get ALL of it out of it can irritate the skin, but it works wonders. Followed by a degrease in Gojo, shampoo, VO5 treatment, conditioner, and rinse in vinegar and water, their coats look amazing. I wish I had this much time to spend on my hair. I have a Borzoi who is white (well should be ) and was told to use plain old household peroxide on his feathers etc. Works like a charm and I use a 50/50 solution to spray on everytime he comes in. This is only on his under side and legs. I then wash him in AG shampoo for white hair, in a 40/60 mix. Does NOT turn him purple no matter how long it is left on. On the advice of someone with lots of experience grooming white Tibetan Terriers, I bath my boy first in regular shampoo (# 1 All Systems) then do his whites with AG Sterling Silver, which I get from a local hair salon (the people type). Would love to hear other tips though as some of the yellow staining on his feet (I hate concrete runs!) does not come out. I have used shimmering lights and found it helpful, but it does damage the coat. Soap the dog up with any good whitener shampoo. Then add a can of club soda. Shampoo him. Rinse. For a final rinse, use white vinager. He may smell like a salad for awhile, but the smell goes away. It does work. I used to use it on Borzoi. Have been meaning to share this OLD trick I stumbled on quite by accident MANY years ago. My original breed was the Saint Bernard. In early 1970 we traveled through a horrible snowstorm to show our new puppy. Finally being unable to proceed because of zero visability, we found a motel. We were drenched, as was the dog from climbing stairs etc. We tumbled into bed hoping the next morning we could continue. This was not the Hilton! The carpet was red shag. Need I say more? The pooch was a nice bright pink. Again, remember, we were "children" attending one of our first shows. I don't even remember if we owned a crate! The only thing I had to bathe the dog in was Head and Shoulders. It worked liked nothing since has!! Don't know why but that was a rough job and it certainly performed. The only thing I can add is Clairol Shimmering Lights shampoo. It is gentler than most of the dog shampoos & does very well on fresher stains & grass. Hi there! WHEW! I almost missed the survey! I'd like the results and receipies as well. As for myself (pardon me if this has already been sent to you) my recipie is: 1 small bottle of Dawn (original) Liquid Dishwashing soap I empty 1/2 of the bottle of Dawn into another bottle w/a lid of the same type. Then add 1/4 cup of the Blueing and fill the rest w/water and then put the lid back on and shake until well mixed. I have collies and have noticed that if I just apply approximately 1/4 cup on top of the coat, then wet the dog down this soap will spread evenly and rid the coat of all yellowing and urine stains. It also rinses out easily (can you believe something rinses out of a collie coat easily?! LOL!). Thanks for your time and I'll be looking forward to those other recipies and vendors, etc. Thanks for all your hard work, I know it is certainly appreciated here! I have Bichons, and for a really dirty (MOM We were helping you DIG the garden up!) coat, I use Davis & Lawrence Animal Paste shampoo, this stuff cleans like the dickens! I then reshampoo with a very good quality shampoo that will give a bit more texture back as the paste shampoo softens the coat a bit much for scissoring. In a couple of posts I read about the laundry bluing product I have occasionally used, however ..it was called Mrs. Browns and another name that escapes me right now. The old time and trued product that "grandma' used back in 1940 was "Mrs. Stewarts Bluing." It's still on the market, I have Kees and we live in the mountains with dirt and pea gravel for the dogs..when they really get stained from the wet dirt, it works great, however depending on the texture of their coat I have to adjust the drops I put into the rinse water. I have two that tend to 'grab' it more..less is more in this case.. On a side note when 'grandma' lived with us until she died at 89 she had lovely snow white hair..Dad was a chain smoker and the smoke "yellowed" her hair..She would really fret about it, and immediately use Mrs. Stewarts.....a few drops in her rinse water after her shampoo and she was back to her lovely snow white hair...also with the combination of wolf grey and silver in the Kees I find it only enhances the black/wolf -grey..and ever so cheap to use... Hubby likes "Ring 5" blue tinted shampoo and he often skips using the bluing.. My preference for whitening is to apply a shampoo (and rinse, of course). I've tried whitening shampoos from Ring 5, Biogroom, and some "dishwashing" soap recipes. My longtime favorite is Fearing Super Whitening Shampoo for Horses. It has a nice berry scent. I dilute the shampoo about 2 to 1, spray it on, lather, and rinse about 3 minutes later. Also brightens gray and black - so its perfect for a blue merle! I've also tried All Systems Pure White Lightening shampoo. It works very well, too but is a little expensive. We have a lot of white dogs and use QuicSilver which is a horse shampoo. You can purchase it at any animal supply store that also carries horse products. Does wonders, has a sun screen factor, and is easy to rinse out [unless you really use too much;-)] I swear by Clariol Shimmmer Lights for White/Grey hair. I dilute it and leave on the coat for 20 minutes then rinse with lukewarm water. Don't use hot water or the dog will be a shade of purple. |