Any Tips For Thin Coated Dog?

[BrianW]

Our 18 m/o blm pup, Rebel, has got a much lighter coat than Magnum to start with and with this recent quick Arctic blast (10 F at 6 AM here yesterday) the cold has hit his summer coat hard.
He's still filling out and literally has no fat on him (71.6 lbs at last vet weigh in) so even w/ a 5mm vest he's really cold in the blind. So much uncontrolled shivering so that I'm hesitant to send him after any birds in the water. He does ok on upland hunts as long as he can keep moving.
I've already upped his food amount but don't want go too much higher and risk the runs. His food is 26/16 Kirkland Super Premium C & R, 2 cups AM & 3 at PM. He also gets a good quality fish oil cap w/ meals. With the extra food he's got energy out the wazoo and is a high drive dog as it is!
Both dogs stay outside during the day but are in with us at night due to predator risks out here in the NI woods.

I'm a mainly solo, run & gun shore hunter so I have to keep it light and easily packable, like I've got Shamwows in my pack to dry him off.
I could just take Mag out but I don't want Reb to miss out on his 1st waterfowl season. Also I can't take both dogs as that's just too much canine to keep track of.

Tia for any help!

[Juli H]

I would consider putting him on a higher protien/fat diet.... somewhere in the 30/20 range (or maybe even higher fat percentage)

Juli

[ErinsEdge]

I would consider putting him on a higher protien/fat diet.... somewhere in the 30/20 range (or maybe even higher fat percentage)

Juli

Ditto, definately.

[lablover]

I would consider putting him on a higher protien/fat diet.... somewhere in the 30/20 range (or maybe even higher fat percentage)

Juli

A diet in the 30/20 range didn't help my dog as far as additional coat is concerned. He's also on 2 fish oil capsules a day. He has allergies and is naturally thin coated. He does wear a vest in the winter and had never refused to go into cold water. I always let him run around and shake plenty before getting him back into the blind. Even then he still shivers.
You can bet, I watch him very closely.
Funny thing is that even with a thin coat, he gets hot in the summer training routine and drinks lots of water.

[1st retriever]

I feed Loyall and it has really thickened all my dog's coats up. Not to mention softened them up.

[copterdoc]

The 5mm vest doesn't really keep the dog any warmer than a 3mm one. The most important thing is that the vest fits snug and covers the most area. If the dog gently enters and exits the water, it's coat should only be damp, when you take the vest off. If the hair is saturated, that means water is flowing between the vest and the skin.

I don't think a neoprene vest does much to keep a dry dog warm, but it sure helps when the dog is in the water!

If the dog is cold and dry, I would sit the dog on a foam mat or elevated stand and keep the dog out of the wind.

[pupaloo]

I would also try 30/20 food-and if you are not already feeding a zinc tablet every day, start now! Zinc helps with haircoats as well as pads. You can also add some meat to his diet-get some ground meat (got anything left in your freezer from last season?) and fill up a glass measuring cup with it, loosely packed. Top off with water and microwave for 45 sec-1 min. Stir it into his food. In order to stay warm he needs more body mass, so he needs to gain some weight, preferably a little fat along with the muscle.

I also agree with the neoprene pad to keep him off the cold ground-and keep some of those car-polishing cloth shammys to dry him when he comes back in from a swim.

[ajcsurf]

So I have never really looked at my dogs food as to what the 30/20 means and what not. I have always fed mine and my girlfriends dog the authority large breed food from petsmart. I heard that the stuff form costco and target is like mcdonalds for your dog so I have never bought the stuff there (iams and pedigree?)

here's a link to the food:
http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...726&lmdn=Brand

from the description of this stuff I guess my ratio would be 25/12?

This whole thread caught my eye because even though I'm in CA, my dog shivers a bunch on the blind and she has a REALLY thin coat. Nothing like my gf's dog who is like a bear. Fish oil pills do what for the dog? make the coat more oily and resistant to water?

I'm going to Kern next weekend (I think, I heard the opener was a nightmare with 20 ressis, 49 allowables and 100+people waiting) and I started to remember last season in Los Banos that she was shivering a bunch on the colder windier days.

Any input?

Thanks!
AJ

[Bug]

Have the tyroid cheaked.

[BrianW]

I heard that the stuff form costco and target is like mcdonalds for your dog so I have never bought the stuff there (iams and pedigree?)

Until recently, the Kirkland label food stated on the bag that it was manufactured by Diamond, which I feel, is a quality food despite having issues in the past. (So have other major mfg'ers)

Fish oil pills do what for the dog? make the coat more oily and resistant to water?

A high quality fish oil, in conjunction w/ Vit E does many good things for dogs such as helping cardiovascular functions & reducing inflammation as well as helping the coat. (Our vet always comments on how healthy Reb's coat looks and the way it shines). Omega-3 fatty acids play crucial roles in the development and function of the central nervous system. There is also research showing that DHA supplementation may reduce or prevent Canine Seizures without the use of medication.

You should ensure that the fish oil is molecular distilled in order to make sure that it's free of toxins which contaminate many fish these days. Also fish oil w/o Vit E can peroxidize in the body, causing free radicals and doing more harm than good.



Any input?

Thanks!
AJ

Just to add:
While Rebel's sire is from Montana, his dam (& some of her lines) is from Western WA where it just doesn't get as bitter cold as it does here. So he may just have inherited his mom's coat genes.

I have had a suggestion to add a teaspoon of olive oil at each meal which I'm trying. Will try the zinc to as we have some of that on hand.
We also have some venison (lean meat) in the freezer that could be used, might have to get a gas mask though

We do use a roll up camo/blaze reversible crate pad to reduce ground conduction heat loss, goes right under my pack like a bed roll!.
I'd "think" that a neo vest on a dry dog would at least help reduce heat loss due to convection/wind chill?!?

My wife also made him a "cape" out of camo pattern polarfleece that I can wrap him in while waiting for birds (a sort of dog blind?) and it folds up pretty compactly. She also put some pockets on right over the kidney area so that I can put some of those hand warmer packets in them.
It's "supposed to" warm up some though this weeked and rain so that might help too.

Thanks for the help here & in pm's!!