Do You
Know Your Pet's Coat?
Did you know?
Not all dog’s coats are the same.
Are you aware of what coat your dog has and are you following
the correct grooming regime to suit their needs?
There are several different coat types, all varying in length, colour and texture
and not only do dogs coats differ in these variations,
but they can also be single or double coated.
Each distinct coat requires different grooming
requirements and a unique grooming routine.
Whether smooth, short, long, silky or rough,
your dog’s coat does more than just look good,
it also keeps them warm in winter and cool in summer
and can-do magnificent things such as repel dirt
and moisture and most importantly, protect their skin from the sun.
So, it is important that you do your part in maintaining
a healthy coat for your furry-friend so that they can do theirs.
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“The appearance of your dog's coat is a significant indicator of their overall health.”
Puppy Coat
Puppies are born with thin, soft fur called the puppy coat. This hair is usually shorter than the adult coat and will generally be a different colour to its adult coat. As your puppy grows and transitions into it's adult hair, the textures will change into a thicker, rougher texture and the puppy coat will begin to shed as young as 3 months old, although this can vary up to the age of 6 months old and even later depending on the bread, so be prepared to notice these differences as your puppy grows up.
First Time Dog Owner
First things first, your new dog will be completely reliant on you, so it is your responsibility to maintain their coat as they can only do so much to uphold and manage it on own their own. Grooming is an important part of being a new dog parent and having a specific regime for them is essential for not only making them look and feel good but also a vital role in maintaining their health.
Irregular grooming can cause a number of problems and if their coat is left untreated, can lead to complications such as an uncomfortable coat due to a build-up of tangles and knots which can lead to severe matting, causing extreme discomfort for your dog. Always remember, a well-groomed dog, is a happy dog!
Short Coat
Short haired coats are breeds such as Bull Dog's, Pugs, Australia Cattle Dogs, Fox Terriers and Beagles. Short haired coats are a popular choice of breed for busy families as they don’t require a whole lot of attention as opposed to long haired breeds, which generally require professional grooming on a regular basis.
Although short haired breeds do not require a complex grooming regime, they still need maintaining, as simple as a gentle brush over their coat once or twice a week using a slicker or bristle brush adequately removes loose hair and minimises shedding. Furthermore, using a de-shedding shampoo will help reduce the loose hair from the coat, resulting in less moulting around the house, however just using a general everyday shampoo will still leave the coat beautiful and clean.
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Long Coat
Maltese, Lhasa Apso’s, Chinese Crested’s, Yorkshire Terrier’s and Shitzu’s are few examples of breeds with long coats. This coat doesn’t shed as much as other breeds and is even considered non-shedding and with hair that constantly grows, indicates this coat requires regular grooming and haircuts to achieve a desired short length. Long haired dog breeds can vary from soft, curly, wavy or shiny hair, therefore will require more regular grooming. Brushing/combing is required a least three times a week to maintain a knot free coat, which is easily attained when left untreated. To prevent long haired coats from becoming problematic, using a detangler spray can assist with the release of hair fibres. This spray can be used as a pre-wash detangler or as a combing and brushing aid when or after drying.
Bathing long haired breeds can be quite difficult due to the amount of hair, after all there is plenty of it to wash. Once the hair is wet it can be challenging since the hair tends to want to tangle, using a comb in this process can assist with keeping the hair from doing so. Using a conditioner for long haired coats is an important step in the grooming process which replenishes moisture and adds nourishment to the skin and coat. Drying the hair can be time consuming as the hair will likely want to wrap around itself due to its length. Overall, to save yourself time in the long run, brushing beforehand is the key and although long haired breeds may take more time and effort to groom, the results of a beautiful, well-groomed long coat will be well worth it.
Curly Coat
Breeds with curly coats include Poodles, Bichon Frise, Bedlington Terriers, Irish Water Spaniel’s and Barbet’s. Most curly coated breeds are considered low shedding, meaning they shed a little, but regardless of how minimal this may be
compared to other breeds, the loose hair that falls can still get caught in their curly coat and if not groomed regularly or correctly can cause the hair to form tangles and knots. Knots left untreated can cause server matting and in worst cases can trap bacteria underneath the mats, which can cause skin irritations and more.
Regular brushing is necessary for curly coated breeds, at least a couple of times a week and even more depending on the coat type. Using a slicker brush will help to separate the hair without scratching the skin underneath the coat and is also useful for brushing through knots. Also, the use of a wide-tooth comb will assist with breaking up any knots and will nicely comb through the coat as a finish over, while removing any impurities, leaving the coat smooth and soft.
Curly coated breeds will require the occasion bath, at least every 4-6 weeks, although this could be more regular if necessary due to excessive activity causing dirt and grime throughout the coat. Using a shampoo specifically designed for curly coats and oodly breeds will retain the curls and texture of the coat. Utilising these products and grooming techniques will keep your curly coated dog looking and feeling the way it should.
Double Coat
Pomeranian's, German Sheperd's, Corgi’s, Bernese Mountain dogs and Huskies are a few examples of breeds with double coats. This type of coat consists of two layers, the undercoat, being short and dense (woollike texture) and the topcoat, which consists of longer hair called guard hairs. The purpose of the guard hairs are to protect the skin from sunburn meanwhile repel dirt and moisture, while the dense undercoat protects your dog from both hot and cold temperatures, creating an insulating undercoat effect which protects them in extreme weather conditions.
Double coated breeds require more maintenance than other breeds such as smooth or short haired coats since they have two coats, and these breeds most definitely require more brushing! The thicker the undercoat the more maintenance required. Depending on your dog's skin condition, lifestyle and time of year, a thorough bath anywhere from 1-10 weeks is necessary in maintain a healthy coat, along with regular brushing. Brushing should be done weekly and in some cases daily and more often when the coat is blowing out during shedding seasons. If the coat is not brushed regularly with the correct brush, mats are likely to form, and your dog's skin may not be able to breath, causing moisture trapped beneath the coat, which furthermore creates skin issues such as hot spots.
For short-haired double coated dogs, use a pin or slicker brush to brush the undercoat to remove loose, lifeless hair and tangles. Then brush the top coat in the direction of hair growth. For long-haired double coated dogs, divide the fur into sections and brush out each section from the skin outwards with the use of an undercoat rake and then follow with the use of a wide-toothed comb to remove any remaining loose undercoat. Remember to comb the entire body from head, neck, legs, tail and everything in between. Ue a detangler spray to remove any knots and if you find mats during this process, please don’t cut them out yourself, instead book them in and leave it to the professionals.
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Dogs with double coats shed twice a year, once during summer to make room for their winter coat and again towards the end of winter in preparation for the summer. Shaving is not a solution for keeping your dog cool in summer, but in fact the worst thing you can do. This prevents cool air from getting to the skin and exposes your dog to greater risks of overheating and increases the chances of sunburn and even cancer due to the exposure of sun. A dog’s coat serves a purpose based on what the breed is bred to do. The best way to keep your dog cool in summer is to ensure that your dog is groomed on a regular basis and at the beginning of each season has a thorough de-shed to remove all the loose lifeless hair to ensure the guard hairs can act as an insulator, the way they are intended.
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SILKY COAT
A silky coat is made up of long, soft strands of hair that flow with a glossy shine. You know a silky coat when you see one, their coat flows with a glimmering sheen. An example of a silky coated breed is the Yorkshire Terrier, their silky coat is one of their defining traits. Other silky coated breeds include the Afghan Hound, Cocker Spaniel, Silky Terrier and the Chinese Crested. Silky coats are prone to matts, especially around the ears and armpits, so these breeds require a lot of attention to avoid knots and tangles from forming. Daily brushing is required to prevent this from happening and to help sustain their glossy shine while maintaining an overall healthy coat.
Silky coated breeds require more attention than others and more regular brushing and bathing as their coats easily accumulate dust and dirt, making their coat appear dull. Although, this does not mean that you need to bathe them more regularly than other dogs, unless of course your dog is actively out and about rolling around in dirty environments.
Great products to use for silky coated breeds are detangler shampoo's and conditioner's, these products will assist with combing and brushing, making your job more manageable as well as prevent knots and tangles from forming, especially ideal for long haired breeds.
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SMOOTH COAT
Dogs such as Whippets, Italian Greyhounds, Vizsla’s and Great Danes all have smooth coats and are among the easiest and most manageable coats to maintain. Their so-called fur is more like skin, so sleek, shiny and of course smooth, making it very easy to look after, from brushing to washing and forget about clipping! Smooth coated breeds stay short all year round, therefor don’t require cutting or clipping to maintain a desired length.
Smooth coated breeds have short hair that lie close to the skin, forming a dense layer of hair growing close together, this works to keep them warm. Consequently, this results in heavy shedding due to the loss of old hair falling out to make room for new, fresh hair to come through. When shedding occurs, switch from your regular everyday shampoo to a de-shedding shampoo to assist with the release of old loose hair, this will result in less moulting around the house.
While smooth coated breeds have an easy and manageable coat to maintain, these coats still require specific grooming nonetheless, as simple as a quick once over with a bristle brush and as often as a few times a week. This will help to keep that coat looking shinny and healthy.
WIRY COAT
Breeds such as Minatute Schnauer’s, Irish Wolfhound’s, Fox Terrier’s, Australian Terrier’s and West highlands are breeds that have wiry coats. This coat type feels exactly as the name suggests, rough and coarse to the touch, with stiff, bristly hairs in contrast to a smooth or silky coated breed. Wiry coated breads were originally bread for hunting, their rough coats were built to protect them from sharp plants and other objects as well as insulate them in harsh weather conditions. Now days, wire coated dogs are a preferred choice of breed for people who suffer from dog allergies as this coat does not shed, unlike most other breads. Due to the lack of shedding these coats requires a unique grooming regime suited especially for them called hand stripping.
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Hand stripping is a styling technique mostly performed in the grooming of wiry haired dogs, these breads have two types of coat layers, the undercoat, which is made from soft, thin hair fibres, while the topcoat is longer, made up of thick hair fibres and quite dense in volume, which result in the wiry texture. This unique grooming technique involves removing the topcoat of loose, dead hair from the rest of the coat. Some pet owners prefer the hand stripped look to the clipped look as it is performed to avoid wire coats appearing dull and woolly, it is also helpful in preventing itching in these breeds. This grooming technique can be achieved without the use of any tools and just by simply hand plucking away the dead wiry coat, although some groomers prefer to use a stripping knife or shedding blade to assist with the release of the
coat.
COMBINATION COAT
A combination coat is a unique type of coat, breeds such as Golden Retriever’s, Border Collies, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel’s, Chihuahua’s and Papillion’s are among some of the breeds with a combination coat, meaning that the coat is a mixture of long, short, smooth and silky hair, consisting of
areas of short hair, generally around the face, paws and body, while areas such as the tail, ears and/or legs often have longer hair.
Seasonal shedding can occur with these particular breeds of a combination coat, so it is recommended to use a de-shedding shampoo during shedding seasons to assist with the release of old loose hair and throughout the rest of the seasons where shedding isn’t too bad, using an everyday shampoo and conditioner is suitable. With multiple textures in a combination coat, it can look beautiful and fluffy but it does require necessary brushing on a regular basis to keep up with this amazing coat, daily brushing or at least brushing a couple of times a week will prevent knots, tangles and mats from forming, which in turn will keep the coat looking amazing, the way it is intended to look.
Heavy Coat
Heavy coated breeds have undercoats also referred to as a double coat, consisting of two layers. This coat has short dense hair underneath the topcoat that acts as insulation, protecting them from hot and cold temperatures while the topcoat is designed to repel dirt and water. Heavy coats can be short, long or a combination of different textures and lengths like the Golden Retriever. Some examples of breeds with heavy coats are Shetland Collie's, Bernese Mountain Dog’s, Samoyed, Collies, Shetland Sheepdog, German Sheperd's, Chow Chow’s, Pekingese, and Pomeranian’s.
Grooming heavy coated breeds require a lot more work compared to breeds with a smooth or shorthaired coat. Since this coat type is a combination of long, thick, short, smooth, and silky hair, this makes it prone to forming knots and mats therefore requires a lot of attention and daily to weekly brushing.
During the colder seasons, the coat will grow nice and thick to keep the body temperature warm and as the temperature starts to increase coming into the warmer seasons the
undercoat will begin to shed. Shedding is completely normal and expected, especially during the warmer months but the amount of shedding will vary according to the exact breed, age, where you live and how much time your dog spends outside. During this time of excessive shedding, loose hair will fall out and can cause knots and tangles in the topcoat which can lead to matting if left unbrushed. It is important that you maintain the coat by brushing more than usual to avoid this from happening.
Bathing heavy coated breads require a thorough scrub to get through their dense coat. Do not bath your dog until you have removed all loose hair from the undercoat first. If you skip this step and start washing your dog's coat that has knot or mats this will only make it worse by tightening the hairs, making it almost impossible to brush out. It is recommended that you wash heavy coated breeds at least once a month and no more than once a week depending on the condition of their coat and how much time they spend outdoors.