# Pale nose



## Kohanagold (Nov 5, 2008)

Here we call it "snow nose" and it really isn't anything to worry too much about. I honestly dont know why, and it sounds pretty far fetched, but I read once (and discussed it with a trainer once) that if you let them eat or drink out of plastic bowls, somehow that can make it "worse". Like I said though, I dont know why or how. A friend of mine also swears by kelp to keep her dogs pigment dark all year round. I've been told that its largely a genetic thing, so if your dogs parents noses were lighter, chances are your dogs nose will be lighter too. Sydney's goes pretty light in the winter and then darkens in the summer again and so far Paige's has held its darkness all year (but this is only her 2nd winter). I hope that is of some reassurance.... I certainly know what it is like to worry!  LOL. BJ


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

Kohanagold said:


> I honestly dont know why, and it sounds pretty far fetched, but I read once (and discussed it with a trainer once) that if you let them eat or drink out of plastic bowls, somehow that can make it "worse". Like I said though, I dont know why or how. A friend of mine also swears by kelp to keep her dogs pigment dark all year round. I've been told that its largely a genetic thing, so if your dogs parents noses were lighter, chances are your dogs nose will be lighter too. Sydney's goes pretty light in the winter and then darkens in the summer again and so far Paige's has held its darkness all year (but this is only her 2nd winter). I hope that is of some reassurance.... I certainly know what it is like to worry!  LOL. BJ


That's weird. I've never heard of plastic bowls having anything to do with it. I steer clear of those anyway, though. All of ours are stainless steel.

His father's nose was black, but if I remember correctly, his mother's nose was pretty light. I think his grandfather's was, too, so maybe it is just a genetic thing.


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## Kohanagold (Nov 5, 2008)

It does sound weird but I remember reading it once when Sydney was a puppy and then when her nose faded, I asked our trainer about it and she brought up the plastic bowl thing too. It really sounded like one of those "yeah right" things, but maybe somebody here knows the reasoning behind it. My dog dishes are ceramic anyhow. 

He sure is a pretty boy though. I also love your shep... I miss having those shepherd ears. I keep telling myself that I'll get another...... one day. In the meantime, I'll awe at the pictures of yours and others here and continue to wait. BJ


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## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

Riley is a beautiful pupper. never noticed the nose til you made me compare.

Lucky's nose stays dark but our winters are on the balmy side. I hear that european dogs often have the lighter nose, most likely because of the harsher weather.

I did see a GR website that talked about a genetic pedigree of "year around dark pigment" and really I thought that silly and the least of priorities.


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## jwemt81 (Aug 20, 2008)

I have heard about the plastic bowl thing too. We only use stainless bowls and both of our dogs have nice black noses. I wonder what it is about plastic bowls that does that. It sounds really strange.


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## Riley's Mom (Jul 6, 2008)

My Riley's nose changes color too. He had a jet black nose till he was about 9 months old. Then one day I noticed it was a lighter brown color.
Now it's pink. It does get somewhat darker in the summer but not the jet black it was . I have heard the plastic bowl thing too. I also tried Kelp this summer. He was on it for about 4 months and I can't say that I saw a big difference.


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

Riley's Mom said:


> My Riley's nose changes color too. He had a jet black nose till he was about 9 months old. Then one day I noticed it was a lighter brown color.
> Now it's pink. It does get somewhat darker in the summer but not the jet black it was . I have heard the plastic bowl thing too. I also tried Kelp this summer. He was on it for about 4 months and I can't say that I saw a big difference.


 
Okay, that makes me feel better. I've seen that lighter brown color, but I was wondering if the pink-ish might be a little _too_ light to be considered normal. I was afraid that it might have faded a bit too early, as well, since he's only 16 months old and Cooper's didn't fade until he was quite a bit older. 
Thanks guys!!


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## Faith's mommy (Feb 26, 2007)

Faith has had a stainless steel bowl from day one in our house - and her nose has faded. her buddy Tucker has a plastic bowl and his nose did not.

i believe the whole plastic bowl thing is something that folks spout as "truth" when there's no basis for it.


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## Awk930 (Feb 11, 2020)

Our 6 month old's English Cream pup's nose is pink. Seems it's common with the lighter breeds? I'll be interested to see if it darkens this summer. We don't use plastic bowls but how interesting that plastic could have an effect like that! first pic is when we got her about 8 weeks old and last pic is at 6 months. It happened pretty quickly.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Majority of the time - nose pigment is genetic. It's not the dog bowls, etc.

If the breeder is not breeding for all areas of the breed standard, including good pigment... it slides... and good luck breeding it back into what they breed. 

If a dog's nose fades prior to age 3, usually that means the dog will have a little more trouble keeping a black nose. It may fade to brown every winter, and come back... but as they get older, it may stay brown.


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