Opting for a shade different from white could be a wise decision if you’re thinking about getting a purebred. Many vets advise that white dogs tend to be more susceptible to skin conditions and hearing problems. It’s essential to consider various aspects tied to owning a purebred — like the number of times they shed and the attention they need for grooming. If you’re pondering over the idea of adopting or purchasing a white dog, it will be beneficial to go through this article before you make your final decision.
Purity and Prenatal Care
Many breeders will refuse to sell a purebred dog with white fur to people who don’t plan on breeding them. That’s why most poodle breeders won’t sell their dogs until they have a couple of years of good breeding behind them. But the same isn’t true for white poodles or any purebred dog with white fur. To breed a dog with a white coat, a breeder doesn’t need to know anything about its family’s genetic background-just that the dog lives and breathes.
Another problem is that breeders who sell white dogs to people who don’t understand the purity process are irresponsible. Some breeders will sell white dogs to anyone because they think the dog is cute. The problem with this is that sometimes puppies can be aborted or stillborn if the genetic background of both parents isn’t pure enough.
Shedding and Skin Health
There are many potential problems associated with white fur when it comes to dog health. One of the most common is that white dogs are more likely to develop sunburns and skin cancer than their tan counterparts. To prevent this, owners should always keep their white dogs out of the sunlight during peak hours and apply sunscreen if they’re outside for long periods.
Sunscreen isn’t the only thing that can affect a dog’s skin. Many dogs, especially those with white fur, form dandruff, and their skin becomes flaky and itchy as they age. These problems are usually remedied by bathing the dog once or twice a week and applying oatmeal-based shampoo to help soothe the skin.
Grooming
White dogs also tend to get dirty faster than their tan counterparts. This is because they’re harder to clean, and dirt shows up on them more easily. Even though white fur tends to be longer, it’s not necessarily more difficult to groom, but you should still expect to bathe your dog once every week or two.
White dogs also need their nails trimmed more often than tan dogs. Most white dogs have black or dark brown paw pads, so it’s easier to see the quickness of the pin. This means you’ll need to trim them a little closer to prevent blood from getting everywhere.
Potential Problems for Puppies
Though some breeders say that certain breeds shouldn’t be bred with each other because of genetic reasons, they also say it’s OK to breed white dogs together. The main reason for this is that puppies are harder to sell when they have strange colours in their coats. For example, a black puppy with tan paws or a brown patch around its eye will be more challenging to sell than a white dog with black patches.
Breeders say that it’s safe to breed white dogs together because they’re usually closely related. Still, there could be problems when it comes to the puppies’ colour genes. This means you could get a litter of all-white pups or one with tan, brown and black patches throughout.
There are thousands of white dogs in shelters, and most of them have been abandoned for a reason. If you’re going to adopt a dog from a shelter, you need to be aware of the problems that white fur can cause.
Before you even get your new puppy home, make sure it gets the necessary immunizations and check for any skin issues or parasites like fleas or ticks. If you adopt a dog with white fur, take it to the veterinarian as soon as possible for a check-up and make sure that its eyes are bright and clear.
Breeders will tell you that the problems associated with purebred dogs, like skin conditions, aren’t limited to white canines. But if you’re looking for a purebred that won’t give you as much trouble as a white dog can look into getting one of the following instead:
- Labrador Retriever
- Golden Retriever
- Doberman Pinscher
- German Shepherd
- Great Dane
- Yorkshire Terrier
- Boxer
- Beagle
Sound and Vision
White dogs also tend to have more problems with their eyes and ears than other dogs. This is because they’re more likely to have vision and hearing problems due to many generations of inbreeding. If you choose to buy a purebred with white fur, make sure its eyes are bright and clear.
Conclusion
Remember that all dogs are bound to have some sort of problem if their parents have the same issue. Even though this article has outlined some of the most common things that purebred white dogs may experience, other factors play just as significant a role.
So, before you bring home your new white dog, make sure it’s healthy first, and its other features aren’t something to be concerned about. Make sure its eyes are bright and clear too.
