# My dog's black fur is turning copper?



## Godog

I have a 8 month old male border collie/black lab mix. About 2 months ago the fur on all his legs started changing a copper colour. His fur was pure black before that(with a white chest), I have tried washing him and continuously brushing his legs but nothing is working? I know he's meant to be black and this colour is.. 'undesirable', lets say


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## Xeph

Where do you live? Sounds like sunburned coat to me


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## Godog

*Definitely* not a sunburned coat! I live in Ireland, where the weather is mainly cold. Should have mentioned I also have an 11 y/o black labrador who never experienced this problem.


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## Xeph

Coat can be sunburned without it being hot out. The UV rays shine through, even on a cloudy day  Some dogs are also more prone to sunburned coats than others.

Another thing that can cause red coats is (IIRC) copper deficiency


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## Willowy

Border Collies can be tri-colored. . .maybe he's just showing some tan now with his adult coat? Might just be his natural coloring.


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## kafkabeetle

Willowy said:


> Border Collies can be tri-colored. . .maybe he's just showing some tan now with his adult coat? Might just be his natural coloring.


That's what I thought. It's pretty common for dogs to have tan legs and a black body. A lot of Sydney's tan coloration didn't come in until she was about 6 months old (although some of it was there at 8 weeks).


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## Godog

Xeph said:


> Coat can be sunburned without it being hot out. The UV rays shine through, even on a cloudy day  Some dogs are also more prone to sunburned coats than others.
> 
> Another thing that can cause red coats is (IIRC) copper deficiency


If this is the case how do you suggest I resolve this problem?

I'm pretty sure it's not a tri-coloured, because this is an orange-ish brown colour, and at first glance looks like dead hair. I've already been told it was dead hair before and to just brush it out but it didn't work.


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## Labmom4

Is he blowing his coat? My black and chocolate lab's have gotten patches that look like what you've described, when they're shedding.


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## abi88

Labmom4 said:


> Is he blowing his coat? My black and chocolate lab's have gotten patches that look like what you've described, when they're shedding.


That was going to be my question! I know when I was growing up we had a black lab who's fur turned a funny colour when she was blowing her coat...and Im figuring that both my BC boys now will as well!:wink:


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## Labmom4

It is the season to blow their coats. Mine all just did. Remy, my chocolate lab, had rust colored patches on him too. They dont look like tufts of loose hair, but rather discolored fur.


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## Tankstar

could just be the coat changing to its adult colour. dogs coats change a TON when young. My collie was a very light sable when a puppy, now he is a very dark sable.

my beagle was all black and white as a puppy, now at 9 months old he has tons of brown on him.


You have a mixed breed dog, so who knows what the coat wil look like. not sure why its "undesirable" to you. dogs coats change alot from puppy to adult


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## Indigo

Any way you can get a picture up here? Might help in figuring it out.


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## Godog

Hmm, yeah he more than likely is shedding! How long does this go on for does anyone know? I haven't experienced it with my other dog so I don't know anything about it. Also, when do collie's fur become fully grown? I guess I'll just have to wait and see if the brown goes away, because it's not _as_ bright as it used to be.

Oh yeah, Indigo, silly me should have thought of that before :L I'll have it up later today!


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## Labmom4

Try a bath and a brushing to loosen the hair up.


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## kafkabeetle

You could use a zoom groom brush for the bath too, and that will help get the fur loosened. It has rubbery bristles that help with deshedding.


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## Godog

Well I'm ordering a Furminator soon, really want one of those! Pretty sure they do the same job anyway.


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## kafkabeetle

Godog said:


> Well I'm ordering a Furminator soon, really want one of those! Pretty sure they do the same job anyway.


A furminator might actually be really rough if you want to use it on his legs. It's basically the blade from sheers fastened onto a stick and it can actually ruin the coat by cutting the outer coat instead of just removing the undercoat. I've actually messed up Sydney's fur in a few places using that thing, so now the fur looks kind of choppy and broken on her back thigh. Plus she hated it.


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## Xeph

I hate furminators x.x They destroy the top coat. Lots of cut hairs. I personally recommend just sticking with a regular undercoat rake.


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## abi88

Xeph said:


> I hate furminators x.x They destroy the top coat. Lots of cut hairs. I personally recommend just sticking with a regular undercoat rake.


I agree! I ONLY use furminators on dogs with hair like our Pug/x or my parent's Frenchie! Other wise it is my slicker brush for the my Border Collies!!


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## FilleBelle

I love the Furminator and have not noticed that it causes any damage to the coat when properly used, but I also would not recommend it for a BC. It's really a tool for breeds with a short, double coat. BCs have the double coated thing going, obviously, but not the short hair. I can't imagine it would serve any purpose at all, since it would be quite incapable of getting through the long overcoat to the loose stuff beneath, which is what it's intended to remove.


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## Godog

Wow really? Thanks for the reviews, I was going to go off and buy a furminator without knowing that! I was hesitant on buying a zoom groom because I thought, How could this piece of plastic get rid of dead hair?, and that this job could only be done by a bladed furminator, but after researching it I think I'll get it  Plus it's much cheaper! Ha! My dog's coat isn't as long as a pure bred BC(Yet, anyway..), but will the zoom groom work on his coat no matter what length? I need something that will work for both lengths as I have a black lab too. Also, while we're on the subject, what type of brushes does a dog owner need? I've been getting into grooming lately and want to get all the supplies I need 

Oh, I forgot to add a picture of what his fur looks like:


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## Sighthounds4me

I this on all legs? It almost looks like saliva staining to me. Does your dog lick a lot?


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## Godog

Yeah, but he has some blended in on his ears too. And no, he barely ever licks himself!


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## RoughCollie

This happened to a friend of mine's 8 year old Springer Spaniel -- I think the copper hair was on his stomach and leg, and had formerly been white. We Googled it and found several ideas for causes -- sunlight, red yeast, hard water, food (sometimes containing chicken, specifically), saliva.

I'll ask her if she ever got it cleared up, and how.

Godog, my friend said: _For my dogs it was yeast. They are on a dog food with prebiotics and take more pre/probiotics mixed into their food.

They take Petco's "Digestive Enzymes and Probiotics" in pill pockets.

If you google "dog red yeast infection" you'll get information on it. _

She said this is worked for both of her dogs. The redness has faded away and is entirely gone.


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## Godog

Okay, Thanks RoughCollie, I'll try and get that soon and see if it works!


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## RoughCollie

I think that is a good idea, Godog. I'll ask my friend how long it took for the redness to go away, so you'll have an idea.

Here is her reply: 

_It was at least 2 weeks before we could notice a difference and at least 2 months before it totally disappeared. BUT our dogs had been red for a long time before we started the treatment so I'm sure it makes a difference how soon you start treatment. _


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