My first question would be, what are you feeding him? Food is the most critical factor in a nice coat. If you're feeding him a nice high-quality food that doesn't contain any ingredients that he's allergic to, then perhaps he needs a supplement.
I think that there are also many nice conditioners out there for dogs. I use an oatmeal one for my Newf X because he does tend toward itchy skin. We haven't had too many problems with that now that we've got him on a nice food, though.
Just some suggestions!
He eats just a maintainance formula. He will not eat canned food or any types of supplements, I've tried. He takes pills well, but I don't know of any that would work for the coat. He isn't allergic to anything as far as I know, and his skin is in great condition.
Does he swim a lot? how old is he? what are you feeding? do you bathe him a lot? if so with what?
what is the climate like there? is he lacking undercoat due to the heat of summer or due to the climate you live in?
all good questions to ask, also, i frown on open coats for showing, and all the frigging scissorwork that is done on our beloved newfs, that would sink if brought to a lake to swim while in show groom, anyway, to best find out if you want to GO WITH THE CROWD is to hit a local newfoundland club that has regular grooming seminars that only encourage the horrible scissorcutting and blasted open coats for the breed ring that only encourages type and nothing else but harmful fads.
Believe it or not, he hates water. He just turned 3 in January. We were giving him time to grow up before deciding to show him or not, and what we decided was for me to train him for Juniors, so I'm not looking for any maniac hair clipping, just how to blow the coat and make the hair look shinier and healthier. He doesn't get bathed very often due to his hatred of water, but has been bathed a few times. He is an outdoor dog(has marking issues), so I spray him down with the hose daily in the summer heat. I use Black Pearl on his coat, and then just a concetrated conditioner, that can also be left in the coat, but I rinse it out. It's Pennsylvania, so 80-100 degree summers, 10-30 degree winters. That's another problem I have. His coat maintains the undercoat during shedding season, and it is so thick, the shedding rake goes right over the top layer of hair, instead of getting the undercoat. He also hates staying still for more than two seconds, which also makes it hard, but we have the grooming equipment to help that.
Hi,
I got this link off www.newf.net they have a grooming forum and this is a link with pictures of newf grooming. They are a Newf only forum with plenty of Breeders and Show folks that might be another resource for you.
http://www.logrus.trivium.blink.pl/groomingnewfengl.html
Rich
That is the next thing I'm reading. Thanks.
We give Drake fatty acid pills in his food and use Mane & Tail shampoo. That seems to keep his coat nice and conditioned. From time to time, especially when he's been swimming in clorinated swimming pools, we put on some Buddy Rinse after we shampoo him. Here's a link so you can see what it is, you should find it or something just like it at most pet stores.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002YFQ7G/002-4118878-4423252?v=glance&n=284507
Lots of brushing and the spray conditioners, like Earth Bath Spritz, help too. Good luck!
I have this new spray conditioner stuff that I got free samples of from a show that I used on his coat once, and the coat just looked amazing, but the next day, it was back to dry and dull. I'll take a look at and do some research on that Buddy Rinse. What about the fatty acid pills. Brand? Umm.. where I might be able to find them in my area maybe.
Thanks for all your help. I really appreciate it.
-Rose-