Is this the "awkward stage"?

[Ylaartim]

Quick question...

My boyfriend and I noticed that Apollo's fur is thinner that what it used to be.

Somehow the coat on his lower body (mid-back to tail) seems rougher than those around his head. Before all of his fur was smooth and fluffy.

I was told that Chows go through some kind of awkward stage. Where they tend to shed a lot and change from puppy coat to adult coat.

Apollo will turn 4mos this 23rd.

So is this normal? Is he really going through the awkward stage?

And if he is, do you have any suggestions on what to do and don't?

[Rory's Dad]

From my experience, 4 months is early to be changing out from puppy to adult fur. But it may be due more to temperature change than age. If it is really hot or humid where you are, it could be related to that.

Rougher coat on the rear may not be an issue at all though. As long as there are no bare spots, he may just be developing that 'lion' look. Again, depends on the type/style chow. The front end will almost always keep that ruff look, if he is the long haired version, while the rear transitions to the silky hair.

[Blackbear]

Just need to make sure he is not developing a food allergy or similar. Our boy started loosing his coat at this age and he quickly became bald in some parts. It turned out that his puppy food contained wheat and corn filler.

[queeniethequeen]

Hi! it happened to my chow too and I noticed it a few weeks ago. Since we live in a tropical country (Philippines), she shed a lot these past few months (April and May marks the summer season). I think it is perfectly normal and I thought that she just continues to grow till I realized that her coat is changing. Therefore, I think it is normal.

[Ylaartim]

@ Rory's Dad, I think it also has something to do with our weather there are only 2 seasons in our country, wet and dry. Haha. And I also noticed that the mane around his head has more volume, I think you're right that he's developing the 'lion' look, although he is a bear-type chow.

@ Blackbear, fortunately he doesn't have any bald/hot spots and he's not experiencing any food allergy.

@ Queenie, we also live in the Philippines. Manila to be exact. I also think it has also something to do with our temp. I think our chows are adapting to our weather

[Cam Atis]

Hahaha. Ylaartim, they dont know about our "lion" and "bear" type chows. That is our own Pnoy brand of you know labeling something. Officially, there's only the Rough and Smooth coat chows. Anyway, Tychowgirl seemed amused by that as she have a chow that we called Lion Type.
Anyway, Cassie also started to loose hairs about 3.5 months old. Until nOw she is shedding and the coat on her back is already of dark cinnamon color and rough to touch. But the mane is still fluffy and soft to the touch. Apollo will loved to be brushed because of that. So perhaps it has something to do with the weather.

[Ylaartim]

I feel embarassed! Hahaha. I had no idea those names are only known to us. Pinoys do love giving names and labels. Lol

We brush Apollo often enough that sometimes I wonder if that is the cause why he'a shedding heavily.

His fur is somewhat lighter now

I guess I just miss his fluffyness!!

[Rory's Dad]

Brushing often is a good thing. Using the right combs and brushes anyway, dont overuse a 'rake' type tool. Also, dont bathe more than once a month unless he gets into some nasty stuff.

[Cam Atis]

@Ylaartim
Throw that in the box along with these:
1. Take our kodak now please as a group, circa 60's-80's. (as in Kodakan na! = picture taking)
2. Have these xeroxed copied please. (photocopied) My! never mind if the machine's brand is Fuji or Kyocera.
3. Did you send a text message already? Please text me. (proper: sms - anyway the rest of the world have caught the "text" bug)
4. Put that spaghetti in the ref so it won't get spoiled. (ref in australia means referee. Fridge is the correct word)
5. Where's the c.r. ? (toilet or bathroom as the case may be)
6. Save it in your usb. (as in flash drive or thumb drive)



@ Rory's Dad
Not to antagonize you though, but we normally bath our doggies weekly even if they did not get into nasty stuff. We can't take the doggy smell any further than a month! As for ourselves, most other are surprised we take bath daily or twice daily 365 days a year. So you have an idea how clean we are with regards to our beloved pooch. I'm not saying you aren't. Just saying your advice is something of an "Eww!" moment for us here in my country. Don't take this against me. The weather is hot here. So...

[Ylaartim]

@ Cam, that made me laugh! Hahaha. And that Kodak thing, I remember my Mom telling us to pose nicely so that we won't be wasting our film. lol.

@ Rory's Dad, Yes Cam's right I bath Apollo once a week the wet season here entered just now but I could tell you the weather here is like summer almost all year long! Temps here can get as high as 37 degrees C! Every summer I usually take a bath 3 times a day! Us humans are so uncomfortable with that kind of weather what more animals with thick fur as Chows. so we have to wash them more often than you guys do with your babies hahaha. It also somehow helps them feel refreshed and its one way to avoid having heat stroke

[Rory's Dad]

i will stand respectfully corrected. I did not take into account the different climates that some of you may experience. My advice was based on what we recommend here in the NE US. My apologies to those in other areas.

My concern, was to avoid over bathing and drying out the dogs skin. Naturally, that is different in other areas. My oops on that one.

[612guy]

The key to bathing is rinsing out all the shampoo and conditioner out. Then one more rinse and drying with a blower dryer with no heat. The shampoo and conditioner should be diluted at least 50/50 and up to 1 to 8 parts of water. That are the keys for dogs that are bathed weekly for dog shows. Plus using good quality products of course.