# Black Schnauzer beard stains



## vgva (Sep 14, 2011)

Hello. I have a 7 month old black miniature schnauzer, and lately his beard has been turning kind of brownish/rusty. Is there anything I can do to make his beard black again??


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## Ms. HoundDog (Sep 20, 2011)

Ah, now here's a question I have LOTS of experience with ;D 
It's generally from their food and saliva. After he eats, wipe or wash his beard with a cloth and some warm water & a mild soap. Also, check his dog food- red dye in the dog food will cause constant staining, so you might want to switch brands or formulas. 

Another thing- if he eats out of a plastic or ceramic dish, bacteria in invisible scratches can turn a dogs' fur red. Or if he has a stainless steel dish, make sure to replace it if it rusts. And lastly, some dogs- especially Schnauzers- tend to change color as they grow. Bailey is a purebred black Schnauzer. He was black when he was born, turned brown at 1, back to black at 2, brown AGAIN-lol at 3, black at 4, and now, with his turning 5- he is getting silver-gray with some white hairs mixed in there


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## mom24doggies (Mar 25, 2011)

Everything Ms. HoundDog said, plus one thing: sun damage can cause a reddish tint on black fur. My black poodle gets it.


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## RubyFeuer (Mar 30, 2010)

Hard water may also be causing this. It caused my black mini schnauzers beard to turn reddish brown when she was alive.


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## vgva (Sep 14, 2011)

Thank u all very much for your tips!


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