Coat Characteristics of Dogs Ms. Simunich Small Animal Care II Louisa County High School

9 Types of coats 1. smooth-coated 2. double-coated 3. short-haired coat 4. silky/combination-coated 5. wire-haired coat 6. heavy-coated 7. long-haired coat 8. curly/wavy coat 9. corded coat

Smooth-Coated Dog Very short hair that lies flat and sleek against their bodies. Most lack undercoats, despite popular belief, all of them shed. Some breeds, such as the Dalmatian, shed year-round. Groomed to exemplify the breeds physique

Examples: Boxer Bulldog Greyhound Great Dane Staffordshire Bull Terrier Whippet Weimaraner

Double-Coated Dog dense coats, very straight short to moderate in some areas and of medium to long length in others guard coat -harsh and tough fur along with thick, downy undercoats that are soft and fluffy, the hair provides insulation sheds excessively during their seasonal shedding periods natural body oils combined with their harsh coats can cause them to produce odor that can be unpleasant

Examples: Alaskan Malamute Cardigan Welsh Corgi Collie (Smooth-Coated) German Shepherd Dog Pembroke Welsh Corgi Siberian Husky Labrador Retriever

Short-Haired Coat Much like the smooth-coated dog, but 1-2 inch longer hair Requires different brushing/bathing regimens Back-brushing= very effective Coat protects from elements “Harsh” look to coat

Examples: Australian Cattle Dog Beagle Bullmastiff Pug Rottweiler

Silky/Combination Coat Combination-coated dog has combination of both long, silky hair and short, smooth hair. A silky-coated dog also has a combination of both of these types of hair Difference between the two is that the silky-coated dog’s hair is finer, and it requires both carding and hand-stripping. Their grooming processes are similar as combination- coated dogs also benefit from carding Do not bathe too often-can strip coat of natural oils that aid in the silky texture of coat

Examples: Silky: English Cocker Spaniel English Setter Combination: Australian Shepherd Border Collie Brittany Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Chihuahua (Long-Haired) Dachshund (Long-Haired) Golden Retriever Tibetan Spaniel Silky: English Cocker Spaniel English Setter English Springer Spaniel Irish Setter Welsh Springer Spaniel

Wire-Haired Coat Coats are wiry, coarse and lie flat against the dog’s body when done properly Wiry guard coat over their entire body Soft but dense undercoat over the majority of the body Tangle/Mat easily if not groomed regularly Soft undercoat sheds seasonally Carding/Stripping is necessary [pluck undercoat out, leaving guard coat intact]

Examples: Dachshund (Wire-Haired) Fox Terrier German Wirehaired Pointer Irish Wolfhound Miniature Schnauzer Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen Scottish Terrier

Heavy-Coated thicker than double-coated dogs coat should not be clipped→undercoats can grow over the guard coat unevenly and may never look the same again Most of their grooming revolves around combing and brushing [linebrushing and line-combing are essential), de-shedding, de-matting, bathing and drying

Examples: Bernese Mountain Dog Chow Chow Great Pyrenees Newfoundland Pekingese Pomeranian Saint Bernard Shetland Sheepdog

Long-Haired Coat drop-coated one hair per follicle no undercoat reduce the amount of shedding decreases the level of dander =less allergenic Tangle and mat very easily!

Examples: Lhasa Apso Maltese Old English Sheepdog Shih Tzu Yorkshire Terrier

Curly/Wavy Coat every breed has a pattern that should be followed proper grooming procedure is hand-stripping-except for the Bouvier des Flandres the correct and proper way to complete the patterns is to hand-scissor pet grooming procedure is a clipper trim for every breed in this category Considered a “nonshedding breed” (hypoallergenic?) Do shed a bit, but curly coat holds on to the shed hair….thus the need for carding/stripping

Examples Bedlington Terrier Bichon Frisé Bouvier des Flandres Irish Water Spaniel Kerry Blue Terrier Poodle Portuguese Water Dog Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier

Corded Coat No clipping pattern Pet dogs can be clipped down and their cords removed Downfall of grooming-coat may take up to 12 to 24 hours to dry completely Water or bacteria can stay in the cords Must squeeze shampoo in to cords- cannot scrub cords! (ruins them…) Komondor: Cords must be one-half to an inch wide and flat at the base Puli: Cords are thinner, but more abundant

Examples: Komondor Puli Havanese (variation) Poodle (variation)*

Which coat type?