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Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Ask the Ao4 - IX - Snow Noses!

Hi everypuppy! It's me - Amber! We had related questions from our dear and lovely friends Sitka and Holly. Sitka wanted to know, "Juarez, with D'Azul Siberians, posted a picture of his snow nose (which is super cute). My question is, 'Why do some Siberians' noses change in winter months, and others' don’t?' Furthermore, I live where it is hot, although I like to think that I have a snow nose year round (with the pink stripe down the center). So, can you all enlighten me and everyone else???" And then Hollybollyboo asked, "I have another question for you smart Sibes!!! D'Azul is posting pictures of their noses. Samuel gets snow nose in the winter, but it goes away in summer, so his nose then looks like mine - all black. I was wondering if Sibes in the south get snow nose, even though they don't get snow? I wish I got snow nose. It's really cool!!" These were such good questions! Stormy gave the assignment to me - and I had to give the issue a lot of thought.

Hmm.... snow noses.... hmmm......

Before I get started, let me say that I totally agree with Sitka - Juarez has a VERY cute nose! Very cute! :)

I did a lot of research on this. For readers who may not be familiar with the term "snow nose" - please look at my nose in the picture above. See the pink stripe down the center? That's a snow nose, and it's fairly common in Siberians. All four of us get varying degrees of snow noses during the winter. Check out Stormy's!

Check out my nose!

Mom just took that picture last week. She doesn't get the degree of snow nose I do, but it does pinken. In the summer, it turns back into a lovely black gumdrop of a nose! This is very normal and if we were show-puppies like some of our friends at D'Azul, it would not be considered a fault in the show ring.

Like Stormy, Davy gets a modest snow nose. In the picture Dave posted a while ago where he was doing his im-Siberian-ation of Holly's brother Samuel, he pretty much had his full amount of snow nose going. Here is a picture of him from the other day:

I've got a pickle nose ... and a snow nose ... turning back into a black gumdrop nose! Woo.

His black nose color is coming back in, too. The snow nose is thought to be caused by the shorter daylight hours in winter and hence less UV rays. The return to a summer full of sun darkens most snow noses back up. So Sitka, even though you don't get much cold weather where you live, the shortening of the daylight hours in winter would effect your nose! You have a bee-roo-tiful snow nose, as we can see in the Haik-woo you wrote in Ask the Ao4 I. And Holly, that answers your question about Southern Sibes!

The lingering question is why do some of us Siberians get snow noses, while others don't. I couldn't find anything in our books or on the web to answer it, so I took a poll here. Why do some of us get snow noses and some don't? Because we feel like it. Or not. It's the Siberian way.

My name is Zim ... and I have a snow nose. Because I want to.

Zimmie's snow nose is cute, isn't it? Anyroo, I hope that clears things up about snow noses.

Dave is going to field Jazz & Dixie's question about making baths more enjoyable (???) tomorrow. He did a lot of research yesterday, taking photos as he went. Yes, that means Dave had a bath. Guess who else got one?

Have I mentioned I don't LIKE getting baths?

That aside, thank roo for the wonderful questions! Keep 'em coming!

Love,
Amber

20 comments:

  1. Excellent answers on the nose questions. Absolutely excellent.

    The D'Azul Siberians

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  2. Thank woo so much for answering my question. I only wonder why, since Sibes and Mals are so similar, WE don't get snow nose too? I guess you Sibes are just a little bit more special, so get a special nose too! Dave has a adorable nose, I might add. I also love the happy nose picture of Stormy! And Amber, I feel your pain about baths!!! I'm sure I have that same look on my face when bath time is mentioned around here!

    Holly

    p.s. I will e-mail your human that picture of Shula that so reminds her of Stormy tonight.

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  3. Zim's nose is VERY cute. Everything about Zim is cute :o).

    Lola

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  4. Neither one of us have a snow nose. Will we get them when we get bigger? We have "snow paws". I don't think that's a technical term, but some of the pads of our paws are pink and some parts are black.

    Steve

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  5. Anonymous1:17 PM

    ok you guys.. I about got distracted from reading by all of the BEAUTIFUL photos of you 4!!! Wow, all of them are great, especially the one of my sweet Zim! Now, I could give him kisses, but my mom just said, "I would love to plant a big one on that cute nose of his." Don't worry Stormy, Dave and Amber... she wants to kiss yours too!

    Ok.. now to the answers. Very good answer! It does make sense! I wonder with Holly as to why Mal's don't get them.

    Amber.. your face is priceless!!! and Dave.. I can't wait to see your bath photos! ha roo!

    Hugs,
    Sitka

    Zim - Tia here... humm.. I may be a sibe in a cat's coat. And sure, come on over! We will have a blast playing together in between mom kissing and hugging you and Sitka playing with you!
    Meows,
    Tia

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  6. Thanks for the lovely nose pics Amber! YOu do have a beautiful snow nose!!

    Loves,
    Tofu

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  7. I "nose" you are all wonderful. I just "knows" it.

    Handsome and beautiful nose pics, love and loving licks Your pal, Marv xxxxxx

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  8. Thanks for the info Amber...I don't have a snownose...but I have a lab friend and we always wondered why his nose changes color! Now I nose - hee, hee, hee.

    When I came to live with my Mom my nose was partially white but after a few weeks went all back. Weird.

    Lots of Licks, Ruby

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  9. Well, there ya have it! Our silly lady has never stopped to take notice of our noses. We had her read this post & now she's going to go back through some of our winter pictures to see if we get a snow nose or not. Right now they look like gum drops. We'll have to let you know.
    Face Licks, M&M

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  10. Thank roo, D'Azuls!

    Holly: You're very welcome! I think you should be able to have a snow nose if you wanted one! Maybe Meeshka could file a lawsuit for you?
    Baths. EVIL!
    We can't WAIT to see the picture of Shula!!!

    Lola: Hee hee hee! I'll tell him you said that! :)

    Steve: You'll get one if you feel like it. That seems to be how it works.
    You still have some pink puppy paws!!! That made my mom do the happy squeal=y sound. You'll have pads in that sort of greyish color soon enough; cherish the pink while you have it! It's very sweet. I mean that in a manly way for you!

    Sitka: There's something about Zim's nose! Biped females always want to smooch him on it. Anyone who matters, anyway.
    Can you tell I wasn't happy about the bath?
    And if Dave can be a Lab in a Sibe suit, there's no reason Tia can't be a Sibe in a cat suit!

    Tofu: Thank roo! And thank roo for reading! Come visit again!

    Marvin: The nose knows! Hee hee hee!

    Ruby: Now you "nose"? Hee hee hee! You're funny, Ruby!
    I wonder why your nose was white?

    M & M: Inquiring minds want to know!

    Love,
    Amber

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  11. woo that was informative! I have a question, does it bother you guys that when um slightly overweight kids have to buy clothes they are called HUSKY sizes? Do you think there is some sort of slander or libel lawsuit you guys could look into????

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  12. HAROO! We luv those pics! Esp the one giving the evil eye about baffs. Baffs are evil. Mom says she has also read some things about plastic bowls, and sometimes other kinds, taking pigment out of black noses. She noticed this in General. His nose turned back to black after he got a ceramic bowl.

    Shiloh has snow nose all of the time. Misty's is midnight black all of the time. Guinness' is black and pointy - mommy calls her Poke-a-Nose cuz Guinness gooses daddy after he gets out of the shower. hee hee

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  13. Wow, I just learned something! I had no idea that snow noses even existed!

    Thanks guys!!!

    Love,
    Bogart

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  14. Wow that was an interesting read about the snow noses. Wonder why we don't get them? Mum is going to Australia tomorrow but she is going to check in first for Dave's advice about making bath time enjoyable. We are not going to let her leave the house until she has checked out that advice.
    Licks
    Jazz and Dixie

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  15. Thanks for clearing that up! You should consider publishing a Siberian Encyclopedia. Mom finds our various noses quite helpful in identifying who is sticking their muzzle up to the table over her lap while she's trying to eat. I have freckles on my muzzle just like my Mom - Sissy. She calls me "Sissy Freckles". Meeka's snow nose is quite prmominent sometimes so she calls him "Bunny Nose". Silly!
    ECHO

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  16. Thanks for posting about snow noses. My human always teases my cousin (Kana another Siberian Husky) and tells him that he has a snow nose because he licks his nose so much. Silly girl.

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  17. Joe: Hmm... this sounds like a good Ask the Ao4 question! Tune back in!

    Guinness & Shiloh: "Poke a Nose"? Hee hee hee! That's a good one!

    Bogart: Now you know ... the rest of the story!

    Jazz & Dixie: I don't know why, but I don't think Beagles get snow noses. Maybe because your noses are already totally adorable!

    Echo: That's sweet that you have freckles like Sissy! She is so bee-roo-tiful! Dave has freckles, too, and Stormy does a little bit!

    Hi Lee! Thanks for stopping by our blog! I like people and puppies who are silly! :)

    Love,
    Amber

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  18. I was fascinated by the snow nose info until I got the that scary picture at the end. I immediately hit the floor in submission!

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  19. Cubby: Hee hee hee! Too bad that didn't work on my mom! I could have avoided getting a b-a-t-h!

    Love,
    Amber

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  20. Hey! First I want to say... Zim, I love your nose. It is so adorable!! Amber, I have a related question. Are there other breeds that have snow noses? If so, what breeds?
    -Goergie Girl

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