I noticedin the past month or so that Tuckers nose (so cute) is turning brownish right in the middle. It use to be so so black and cute. Is this normal? He is cream GD.
The harboring bacteria theory is what I found in my search. I just don't think that makes sense.... Dogs stick their nose in dirt, poop, ponds, other dogs butts, and puddles. I can't imagine the bacteria from the scratches in a plastic bowl would bother the average dog. I think it has more to do with the chemicals that are used to make the bowls.
Another link about the plastic bowls: http://www.woofreport.com/archive/index_tip.php?id_story=93
"Color changes. Believe it or not, the food and water bowls your dog eats and drinks from may affect the color of his nose. Plastic bowls can react with the skin, causing a color change. For this reason, and because they’re less likely to harbor bacteria, it’s highly recommended that you serve your dog’s food and water in stainless steel, glass or ceramic bowls."
It is called plastic dish dermatitis. It is an allergy to the plastic. I think Tucker has "snow nose"/. The plastic dish syndrome sounds more severe than a little discoloration. A Plastic dishe is not good because of the bacteria it can harbor, let alone the allergy that it can trigger. http://www.doggedhealth.com/puppy-care/334.html
Oh my - I never heard that about plastic water/food bowls. That's what we use for Tori. She wouldn't eat or drink out of the metal ones... Is that bad? I shied away from glass and ceramic because she used to play with her bowl, and we leave the water bowl out when we're not home and I'm afraid they will break. I just looked at her nose....Her nose is still black - Whew! By the way April - Those puppies are so adorable!!! what type of doodle are they?
To me, all of those noses in the first group basically stayed the same color. Brown dogs' noses always stay brown; I don't think you'll ever see a chocolate doodle, poodle, or lab with anything other than a brown nose at any age. And the same with the blacks. In this litter, the one creme pup kept a brown nose, although granted it did darken; but it didn't turn black.
I would really like to see an apricot or creme pup with a light nose that turned black as an adult. Photos, anyone?
I think they all darken by 8 weeks if the photos above, I added a second set which you may not have seen, are any indication. Some of the browns start off with significantly lighter, rosy noses but they darken by 8 weeks. Stefani has many past litters you can see at Ocean States. this is the only site I can think of offhand with this kind of archive.
This is a pup from the photo that you posted above. He is 4 days now. I JUST took this picture. See how he has a black spot? In 4 more days his nose will be completely black.