Do you own a schnauzer and then you must know it is pretty hard to keep its white facial fur pristine?
Schnauzers are a German dog breed and well-known for their bearded muzzle and fluffy eyebrows. Some schnauzers come with white facial fur, which adds to their innocent charm.
However, if your schnauzers do have white facial fur, it is ideal you regularly check the fur because oxidation caused by saliva, artificial coloring coming from dog food, tear stains and diet can cause stains to develop on their beard and face.
Fortunately, there are ways to help keep your schnauzer’s face white and here they are below:
Changing their diet
Certain diets can trigger beard stains for schnauzers, like grains and cereals. Ask your vet as to how much grain and cereal should be included in your pet’s diet to prevent stains from occurring.
If you tend to give your schnauzers commercial dog food, you may need to consider their content because a majority of commercial dog food come with artificial coloring. When it comes into contact with your schnauzer’s fur, the artificial food color may die the fur completely.
Try giving them alternative treats without artificial coloring.
Let your pet drink drinking water
Water comes with various minerals and the higher the minerals are, the more it can stain your schnauzer’s beard. Unfortunately, it may be difficult to determine which type of water your schnauzer has a bad reaction to so you may need to test it. However, if you want to save your schnauzer’s fur and reduce your headache, it is ideal you feed them bottled drinking water due to its low mineral content.
Use stainless steel pet bowls
While you feed your pet some water and their food, it is ideal that you use a stainless steel or ceramic food and water bowl to prevent further fur staining.
Plastic bowls would often absorb the color and scent of the food and water you would like to feed to your pet. When your schnauzer uses these types of bowls, the color the plastic bowl absorbed would be transferred to their fur and cause staining.
Give them probiotics
As you change your pet’s diet, you should also support it with probiotics to keep their coats shiny and healthy. Ask your vet for their advice with regards to the probiotics you should give to your schnauzer before you give them some supplements.
Clean their fur with milk of magnesia
You can also use milk of magnesia to help you keep their faces white.
Simply combine milk of magnesia with an equal amount of hydrogen peroxide and starch. Once it is a paste, you can apply the paste directly on the stained part and let it sit overnight. The following day, wash the affected part with warm water.
Make sure you take care when applying the paste to your pet’s face because it should not reach their eyes. The component of the paste can irritate your pet’s eyes and cause further tearing.
Repeat the procedure every other day until your pet’s face is back to its pristine color.
Use baby wipes
Baby wipes are actually another great way to clean your pet’s face and ensure it doesn’t get stained after every meal. Some schnauzers also tend to tear up a lot, so you need to wipe it gently before it stains their face.
Make sure you use unscented wipes and keep using it daily to reduce the stains from growing further.
Use dog whitening shampoo
You can also use whitening shampoo to keep your schnauzer’s hair white.
Follow the instructions prescribed in the shampoo since some shampoos would need to be diluted before you use it. When you apply the shampoo to your pet, squeeze it gently to your pet’s fur and rinse thoroughly with warm water.
You should also use a detachable shower head when washing your pet’s face since it will help you direct the water directly on the beard.
Once you are done giving them a bath, dry the beard properly with the help of a towel and squeeze the excess water out.
Trim their facial hair
While you groom your dog, it is ideal you also keep its facial hair trimmed to prevent potential irritation and tearing. Try to keep their facial hair trimmed every five to eight weeks, or if you are uncertain, ask your groomer to check it for you so they can trim it if necessary.
Trimming your schnauzer’s facial hair would also enable new hair growth.
Ask the assistance of a professional groomer
If you need further help in keeping your schnauzer’s face white, you can seek the assistance of one of Singapore’s numerous pet grooming salons. These pet grooming salons have professional groomers available to help you groom your Schnauzer and help you keep their fur in pristine condition.
If you want your pet to be groomed at home, you can hire a professional mobile dog groomer to do a home service. No matter where you are in Singapore, these groomers would come to the rescue if your pet needs grooming!
Warning: Red Yeast Infection
When you are grooming your schnauzer, observe if their face is discolored because it may be a sign of red yeast infection. Usually, red yeast develops in dogs due to excessive tearing and as it grows, your pet’s fur would get a red-brown color under their eyes.
If you see any sign of such discoloration, consult your vet immediately since you may need medications to get this problem sorted out.
Remember
Like other dog breeds, schnauzers deserve your tender loving care to ensure that they remain happy even if they do have certain features that require strict monitoring and extra love.
For schnauzers, their facial fur is one of their defining features and allowing it get tears may indicate to others that we do not know how to take care of them.
With the guide above, we hope that your schnauzer’s fur remains pristine and that you will be able to prevent further staining from happening!