Possible causes of coat discolaration with your dog

How does your dog's coat discolor?

That's strange. From one moment to the next, your dog's coat seems to be a different color. Of course, we're not talking about Hollywood-worthy scenes where dogs get a flush of pink. About your faithful four-legged friend who suddenly seems to have a red, orange or yellow glow instead of intense black or stark white.

Coat discoloration in adult dogs

Your dog's coat can change throughout his life.
For example, young puppies often do not have their final markings and older dogs sometimes get gray hair. But adult dogs should in principle not change color. Do you see a noticeable coat discoloration in your white or black dog? Then it is smart to find out why. We list 4 changes and their possible causes:

1. The coat has a red or brown glow

If a dog changes its hair between the seasons,
there are many dead hairs between the coat. Dead hairs always color lighter, so that your black dog suddenly appears to have a red or brown glow. This is nothing to worry about. Once the moult is over, you will see the familiar black coat reappear.

2. The coat is dull or dry

Diet has a major impact on your pet's coat.
A shortage of easily digestible proteins, amino acids, vitamins, minerals or trace elements is immediately reflected in the condition of the coat. It becomes dull and can feel dry. The solution is to switch to a high quality complete feed. Within a few weeks you will see the first improvements. Not just in the coat, but in your dog's entire well-being.

3. The coat has an orange glow

Do you see an orange glow in your dog's coat?
Then the food may contain beta-carotene. Yes, this is indeed the substance that gives carrots their orange color. Especially in dogs with a white coat, beta-carotene can quickly show through in the coat. The solution for this discoloration is to look for a food without beta-carotene.

4. The coat has a yellow glow

A yellow glow in the coat is usually caused by copper in the food.
This substance is used, among other things, to make chunks last longer. However, copper is an essential mineral for dogs. Therefore, it is not possible to avoid it completely. However, a different type of food – with less added copper – can reduce coat discoloration.

How to solve coat discoloration in dogs

As you can see, the cause of coat discoloration in dogs is usually caused by food.
Switching to another, high-quality food is therefore usually the solution to restore your dog's coat to its previous condition. Sometimes a natural supplement with extra nutrients is needed to stimulate new pigment formation. Your vet can advise you on this.

Fokker dog food contains all the nutrients your dog needs to be healthy.
In addition, our food does not contain beta-carotene and only contains the minimum required amount of copper.
For sensitive skin, we recommend our Fish-Fit, based on salmon and Sensi-Fit, based on lamb chunks.
These contribute to healthy skin and a shiny coat.