Coat

Question
I have a 3 1/2 yr old Chocolate Lab. His coat is a really light brown- I haven't seen any other coats as light as his. The hair on his back is not straight- They aren't curly like a poodles, but they aren't straight like other labs I've seen. Also, it is not shiny. I feed him Pedigree. Are these abnormalities because of his diet? I read in one of the postings to put a teaspoon of vegetable oil for the Omega Fatty Acids. Should I try that and see how it works? Could you recommend an affordable type of dog food?

Answer
Lab coats and colors vary.  I think I have seen every shade there is between a light cream and the blacks.  Yours may be what some call a fox red.  Some purebred Labs do have curlier hair.  He almost sounds more like a Cheseapeake Bay.  Look up a picture of one at www.akc,org.  

It is unlikely the Pedigree is causing the color or curly hair.  It is possible a little more oil would bring out the shine.

If you want to try another food, both Iams and Pro Plan have very good track records.  Even less expensive is the regular Purina.  The dog will do fine on it, but you will have larger, softer stools to clean up.