The 'winter nose'

[Susan Stone]

Does anyone know why dog's noses can change from black to an ugly brown during the winter months? Is there anything I can do to stop it happening (well, apart from using black shoe polish, that is;-))
I am sure it comes from lack of sunishine during the winter but I also assume there is a genetic component. Erin & Glen (mother & son) are affected, but usually not Shannon and Bramble.
I remember a judge once telling me to feed tomatoe puree to the dogs for good pigment - but I never really believed this. Does anyone know more?

[Susan Stone]

...and I guess I could drive dear hubby Thomas into divorce if I fed it to the dogs when he is relaxing on the couch after a long. hard day;-))

[ursula wilby]

I forgot...not only have I smelled Tripe, I have also tried (in vain) to eat it! My own fault, for not knowing chinese and ordering something blindly off the menu. The smell was not quite there, but it was totally unchewable...
I ordered it as I was out in the country and had some difficulty making myself understood (nobody spoke anything but chinese), but I did recognise it once I spat it out again...I then drew a cow and its stomach and pointed to it...and all the chinese where delighted!
Now, had I not had dogs and studied the pattern of dried tripe, I would still be asking myself.
Just goes to show, feeding dogs gives you an all round education!

[Laura Kolbach]

Ok, I would have loved to keep quiet about it but tripe is a wellknown and loved meal here in Hungary as well. Of course not dried but prepared like a goulash soup with not that much paprika-water on it... I hate it but my mum and even some of my setter-owner-friends love it...
Btw, I would NOT eat your surströmming again...

[Susan Stone]

my 'winter nose' is going off subject...

and Ursula - to further your education - watch out if ever in Switzerland: out in the country you could also be offered tripe, cleaned and washed with a tomatoe sauce and very chewy...
But odly enough the butcher will not sell you green tripe (as you can get for the dogs in other countries) due to hygiene (how do you spell that?) regulations.

[ursula wilby]

Hopefully I would be able to understand the menu in Switzerland. I know that tripe is eaten in other countries, I think it was the surprise that got me.
If you order it and know what you are getting, you are prepared...but I tell you this tripe was TOTALLY unchewable! I dont know how anyone could do anything with it. Unless you felt like swallowing a huge lump without chewing.
I had grilled pigs ears as well ( grilled in the street so I knew what I was getting in to).
I thought I would see what the dogs got so worked up about...