Hairbag

Post by **Auddymay** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 4:31 pm

This week, Lily started blowing fur...but only in her mane. I spent 2 hours brushing and combing and basically toturing the poor girl, and still only got abot 2/3 done completely. Could ot be because it's so thick, and I wasn't getting it all, or is this a mini-blow? Bath time when the worst of this is over!

ciaobella · Post by **ciaobella** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 6:04 pm

Mane's the last thing to go, so maybe you're about to round the corner. Sophie still has tufts of fluff coming out. This has been the longest blow season to date, we're usually all done by July... wonder what's causing it?

Post by **Auddymay** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 6:12 pm

She didn't lose much of her mane back 2 months ago when the whole thing started. I was able to keep up with the blow by grooming her twice as often. Her mane will get chunky down deep like a huge mat ( but much easier to work out than a mat) so I wondered if I wasn't getting to the skin, causing the fur to hold in there. She hasnt worn her collar for over a month now, I think that was the start of her mane problems. Now she is losing it like gang busters!

Victory · Post by **Victory** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 6:34 pm

Firesong has done the same thing, her entire undercoat is just about gone, she's never shed it all like this. I think it's the extra hot weather we had.
And I say that because I've even noticed the squirrels looking a lot less fluffy, even though around here they are just as fat.

kiwani · Post by **kiwani** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 5:38 am

Re: "Her mane will get chunky down deep like a huge mat ( but much easier to work out than a mat) so I wondered if I wasn't getting to the skin, causing the fur to hold in there."

That's part of the reason, and because her mane is *so* long and *so* plush, you might consider trying a 'show dog' line of grooming supplies. The 'Chris Christensen' line, has "extra long" rounded tip pin brushes for rough double coat breeds. One of them is called, "Because I am #1" (about $15). Shop around for something similar in quality.

In late winter, a shed cycle is triggered about the time when sap rises. The heavier and longer coat is shed in a certain pattern to allow the shorter and lighter summer coat to come in. Other factors such as stress, hormones nutrition, environment, etc. influence sheds and 'resting phases' of fur growth.

In Autumn, when you start seeing seed pod formation and blooms starting on lower-light perennials such as chrysanthemums, another shed cycle is triggered. The heavier and longer winter coat is starting to come in now, and the shed pattern may be reversed (now *starting* with the mane)

kiwani · Post by **kiwani** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 5:51 am

Re: "I've even noticed the squirrels looking a lot less fluffy, even though around here they are just as fat."

The squirrels also pluck their fluff to line their nests, and they've had several litters by August.

As for Firesong, it's been a very stressful few months, and that does have a great impact on coat and hormones. Even happy stress, (having a new brother) will affect her for a while. All best wishes...

Sharons Chows · Post by **Sharons Chows** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 6:46 am

I don't think that my local squirrels and birds will have a shortage of fur lined nests this year with all the hair that Cheyenne has blown. Maybe because this is her 1st year ever of happiness, good nutrition and excercise in her little 4 year old life.

Sharon

chowfrnd88 · Post by **chowfrnd88** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 8:47 am

Same here Audrey! It's just started about a week ago, he's sooooo fluffy again (almost back to being ready for winter), but at the same time, he's shedding his mane and also near his thighs. However the amount of time elapsed between vacuuming has increased at our place!

All signs that things are settling in for fall!

Kiwani, that's some really great info!! I'm going to look inot the longer supllies because I'm not impressed with the job I do on his mane. Everyone else (like gorgeous little Lily!) has an amazing mane because you guys do such a terribly amazing job and somehow I feel like I don't make Special's look as nice. It's funny that you coordinated the shed with the sap... ah, happy sap memories for a lot us huh?

kiwani · Post by **kiwani** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 1:27 pm

Re: "It's funny that you coordinated the shed with the sap..."

The shed cycle and the rising sap are related. The sun's rays have to become strong enough to cause sap to rise in late winter/early spring, and the same stronger rays stimulate follicles to communicate with hormones to start a shed cycle. Sunlight affects hormones.

kiwani · Post by **kiwani** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 6:56 am

TTT

Autumn shed cycle 2007

chowfrnd88 · Post by **chowfrnd88** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 7:42 am

Thanks for bumping this Kiwani. Special has started the fall blow. He's started on his sides near his tail and his belly area. The od thing is this year he's scratching a lot more than he did last year. He scratches his sides with his back leg and I brush and brush each day and there's still more!!

Post by **Auddymay** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 7:57 am

Well there you have it. It was last August Lily had her shed. Thanks for looking it up, lazy turd that I am, I never thought to do it! Now I know she is being consistent, anyway.

vicster605 · Post by **vicster605** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 9:33 am

Well, now ya'll went and done it.....you've got me wondering......hmmmmmm
Being a newby to the blow outs down here, I wonder if that also applies to those of us down South....the sap in the trees???
As you may remember Kearra lost so much of her coat that she was almost down to see thru fur.....her main was the last to go.......she is now growing in a beautiful undercoat but her main isn't growing in as fast, it was only about 3 weeks ago that her main thinned out......Kyra on the other hand is starting to loose some of her baby coat and is growing in some of her adult hairs......she looses about 4-5 rakes full of undercoat every other day.
Do you think Kearra is going to loose her undercoat again, for her fall blow out or do you think MAYBE that was it???? Shes finally starting to look like my Chow Girl again....... Kinda early though......and I did change her diet and added some leave in conditioner.......hummmm I wonder.........should be interesting around here soon

So I guess I need to go get a tune up on the vaccum cleaner, buy some extra bags etc

I would love to know the time difference from the North and South when they do their change of season shed??? Or if they do this at the same time.....I'm sure the temp difference must affect it???? Although it has been very hot up there lately too......
Just courious what you think????

kiwani · Post by **kiwani** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 11:19 am

Re: "I wonder if that also applies to those of us down South....the sap in the trees?"

The 'body-clock' in the brain is linked to the circadian rhythm of the environment. Whatever your environmental seasonal rhythms are, in terms of temperature, intensity and wavelengths of light, the brain is aware of changes. The body also has light receptors, and the body has a chemical clockwork.

Re: "I would love to know the time difference from the North and South when they do their change of season shed??? Or if they do this at the same time.....I'm sure the temp difference must affect it?"

I've tried to use the keyword, 'shed cycle' whenever we discuss seasonal coat turnovers, that way it's easier to pull up similar threads from the archives. Whatever the season, I've noticed that reports of 'blowing coat' tend to come in waves, as if by geographic region.

kiwani · Post by **kiwani** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 11:31 am

Re: "The od thing is this year he's scratching a lot more than he did last year."

Here in the north-east, it's been a much hotter and wetter summer than last year. All of that affects the coat. I remember you mentioning that Special's coat started to fade to rust earlier this summer too.

vicster605 · Post by **vicster605** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 2:43 pm

Very interesting Kiwani, I just wonder and will let ya know if Kearra looses her coat again or if that was her shed cycle and since I've never seen one I freaked and thought something was wrong with her.......

or if it was just diet related....and she is gonna shed her undercoat again for the fall.....

kiwani · Post by **kiwani** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 5:50 am

Re: "...or if that was her shed cycle and since I've never seen one I freaked and thought something was wrong with her..."

She had *other* symptoms too, giving me the impression that more was going on than just a coat turnover. It takes a great deal of hormone power to turn-over a coat, and a 'resting phase' follows a hairgrowth phase; so I don't think her bodyclock would turnover a coat again this season. If she goes into her 'heat' soon though, then the hormonal changes can trigger another coat change.

vicster605 · Post by **vicster605** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 3:01 pm

Thanks Kiwani, I sure hope not, she is finally looking like my Kearra again and not so much like a Lab.