Frizzy & Breaking hair - Advice Wanted
 

I'm at work now so I don't have a pic available - I will post one here tonight. I am wanting some tips and advice on what you would do in this situation, please.

At first, I blamed this on the fact that Mandie is young and so her hair is changing from puppy to adult. Now, I just think she has dry, frizzy hair.

Her only issue is along her top of her back/spine/part area. Every other place seems just fine. But the top of her back is always fuzzy and dry and is not growing any longer than the approximate inch (or a little less) that it is. My hubby won't even let me give her a summer cut because: "Do you see how long her hair takes to grow?!" It takes that long because it is breaking off. I mean, the rest grows fine and I trim, but it will never all be one length at this rate because the top frizzes and brakes.

Suggestions on what to do/use to help her hair? I want my Yorkie to have that beautiful shiny long coat that the show Yorkies have. HA! I know that is probably asking too much, but I would at least like it to quit frizzing and breaking along her spine.

Just to note: I use Espree Shampoo & Conditioner at the moment, I spray her down regularly when grooming with Madan grooming spray and various oil sprays that I've tried with argan oil. She has a little coconut oil in her diet every day.

Thanks for any advice...

I will melt coconut oil and put it on Peanut when I bathe him.. it really makes his coat soft and silky!! Also he smells sooooo yummy!! Maybe you can try that when you bathe her?

Worth a shot! I will try anything at this point and I love coconut oil :)

How long do you leave it on him when you put it on him? Do you put it first and then bathe and condition or do you bathe and condition and then put it on him? Do you rinse it out?

Well make sure it is cold pressed extra virgin coconut oil. You can find it at like the organic healthy stores.. I even think GNC has it.

I will shampoo him, then rinse. Then I will add the coconut oil with a tad of conditioner. Then I will rub it in and even adding more coconut oil on his body... I will try to rub it in and massage him for like 5 mins.. or as long as he will tolerate it. If Maddie enjoys it I would try to rub it on her as long as you can!!

Then rinse it out :D

There might be other members that come on and have some better ideas, not sure if the coconut oil will help with the breakage..?? Have you tried to search on YT?

I am thinking maybe it is some thing lacking in her diet..... does her food have enough oils and nutrients or is her skin dry & flaky? It could also be something she is wearing or rubbing against. It is just strange that it is only on her back. Just some thoughts....

Very true! Now that Peanut has been on Canine Caviar, I have noticed a big difference in his skin and coat. His hair is so shiny and silky- even weeks with no baths. He use to be so dry on his tummy, and now his skin looks perfect.

Maybe the food she is currently on isn't doing 100 percent for her?

The food thing is a thought. I might have to look into that some more. She really doesn't wear clothes often. The only thing she wears consistently is the little orange vest I make her wear when we go outside (my little hawk deterent). She wears is EVERY time she goes out (which is probably going to average to be a total of about 1 hour a day). Other than that..she's nekkid :D

Oh, and her tummy used to be dry (not really flakey) until I started giving her the coconut oil (yeah, it is the cold pressed - nutiva).

Has her hair always been like this?

I would really look into what you are feeding her- start from there. The food is everything in a dog’s health, from the inside to the outside.

Does the vest have a seam or some thing causing the breakage? If so maybe a t-shirt under the vest would solve the problem.

It doesn't realy have a seam, but (well, let me explain - it is an inside out pumpkin costume lol). So, it has felt (the green "leaves") at the top, but from shoulders down - no seam or anything. I suppose I could let her go without the vest for a while and see if it would make a difference. I have some other hawk deterent stuff up in my yard now so I wouldn't be uncomfortable trying.

It just makes me think some thing is rubbing and causing the breakage. I would still look into her food, since she has some scaley skin on her tummy. Just some suggestions and trouble shooting!

My Wheaten had a real change of hair growth when I used flea treatment on her- it took a long time to grow normally. (I don't use it anymore..)

I actually don't give her anything for fleas at the moment. Haven't needed to - I believe due to what I give my bigger dog. If I start having an issue, though, I will start.

Sorry, I meant to post a pic of her hair last night but I had a yard nightmare to deal with when I got home. I'll try to post one tonight.

Trim the tips of her hair every 3-4 weeks to help prevent split ends and breakage.

I'll give that a go, too. She already got to go outside the last 3 times with no vest - it was like she was running and singing, "Born Freeeee" lol

Okay, here is a pic from last week and shows her hair all frizzy

Attachment 385118

Now, granted - it's not always THIS frizzy - she had just came back from having surgery, but you get the gist

Awwww I love it! It looks like you crimped it! Its puuuurty!

LOL - that's not exactly the word I would use. You are being too kind me thinks :D

Nope, not that kinda gal to bs someone!

I think its pretty- is her hair like wavey?

When you blow dry her what does it look like?

Her hair is naturally very wavy. I wouldn't say curly, but definitely wavy. It straightens out for the most part when I brush her. Her chest area usually stays with a bit of wave to it even after I dry her.

I think she's darling! Chloe actually does this in the same place...just along the spine. I thought maybe it was just a puppy thing. I am gonna try to coconut oil though.

Well it just sounds that she has a little wave to her hair.. Maybe there is some product that will help with that after blow drying.. Like my hair is a mess, wavy, frizzy, thick, ugh just terrible- however I use Frizzies, and John Frida products, a blow dryer and a Chi straighter! Without those items I would look like a hideous monster! So maybe you can find some doggy hair products that help with her little waves..? Or you can let her rock it. Reminds me of that wavy beach hair, which I love! :D

I think this is how Jackson's hair would look if I let it grow! His gets pretty curly, but I've never let it get much longer than this:

Attachment 385137

So I don't really know what it'd do. It doesn't really get frizzy at this point, but yeah. I never let it get too long. I think she looks cute tho!

hehe..my hair has NO curl at all. I am jealous of her AND YOU!

I don't so much mind the waves or even the frizzies but I just feel like it is dry and breaks. I am going to add some kind of supplement like the halo dreamcoat and also look into some different topical hair products like you are suggesting. Maybe if I come at from 2 angles, it will work :)

ETA: I was typing while Brit was. I love those waves in Jackson's hair! That seems a little bit more wavy than Mandie but yes..very similar.