Just wondering if there is anything to protect a chocolate coat from melting (fading) in the sun. Admittedly we try not to spend too much time out in the blazing sun, esp. now that it's so darned hot, but if there was something natural to protect the coat, I would use it.

This dog's tail is half straw colored and her head is lighter than the rest of her.

Never found anything that really worked other than keeping them in from the sun. I have some chocos that bleach and others that do not. Depends on the coat.

How interesting that some chocolate coats bleach and others do not. Perhaps there is something I could feed to help her coat....

I give my chocolate dogs Brewer's Yeast to help keep their coats dark. I was not a believer until I started it. It takes a few months to get it completely into their system but well worth the wait. My showdogs are not fading at all this summer. My other dogs who actually spend more time in the house than the show dogs are "melting" terribly because they do not get the brewer's yeast. it is a cheap supplement.

Wow! Something natural. That's great! It might help to repel fleas and even mosquitoes too!

How much do you give each dog?

Mink Oil is a natural sunscreen and you can get it in a spray form from several places online or a dog show vendor

Cool! Thanks. Probably adds some sheen too!

But SOME no matter what you do will bleach anyway. I have light and dark chocolates. Coats are different. Light ones bleach out, the dark ones do not.

The mink oil will make the coat really soft, so if you are showing, consider that. Chocolates either fade or they don't.

I searched around for mink oil and discovered that it can smell awful. I'd hate to put anything on my dog that she might take objection to. Will probably visit the local grooming shop and ask if they use it and whether their customers are happy if they do!

bio groom mink oil spray smells OK, but seriously, don't expect miracles. i had a chocolate puppy who is very light and his first summer turned a lovely shade of orange. mink oil will not cure that. I had a groomer recommend a different mink oil spray and she swore by it. honestly, i saw her light chocos, just as burnt as mine. keep them out of the sun. there is no miracle cure.

Thanks for the info. I'm not expecting miracles, just thought I could try an ounce of prevention with the Mink Oil and Brewers Yeast and attempting to keep her in the shade might help.

She is a dark chocolate and so was her mother - who's coat looked orange when we picked up our pup. {It's ok, I realize they aren't going to look great at that stage, but the orange coat came as a shock!)

At least this pup doesn't go out and sunbathe like my black girls {LOL}

I have used the Bio Groom mink oil and it smells fine.
I also agree that keeping them out of the sun is probably the best remedy and there is no magic cure for fading.

I like the biogroom mink oil, it is great for dry shedding coats and smells nice. The dogs don't seem to mind it. I may make the coat feel sleeker but it really doesn't affect its true texture, it soaks in really fast