Coat Types

 

Smooth coat - A smooth coat should appear sleek and shiny and sit close to the dogs body making it feel smooth to touch. The smooth coat sheds relentlessly and continuously replaces itself with new hair growth but has minimal grooming requirements.

 

Examples of breeds with this coat type

       Boxer

        Whippet

        Rhodesian Ridgeback

        Beagle 

                   

Appropriate grooming tools: Rubber brush, nail clippers

 

 

 

Wire coat - The wire coat has a short undercoat covered in a harsh, crisp, Wirey top coat (the primary coat) and a shorter smoother coat (the secondary coat). When the topcoat reaches its optimum length it dies and the root of the hair shrivels making it  easy to pluck out by hand. If hand stripping is done frequently enough and over the dogs entire body it will reveal the undercoat which is a coarse coat ready to protect the dog from the elements. This is called a rolling coat. Further information on hand stripping can be found at the bottom of the page and on another tab.

 

 

 

 

 

Examples of breeds with this coat type

        Border Terrier

        Italian Spinone

        Scottish Terrier 

        Airedale Terrier 

 

Appropriate grooming tools: Slicker brush, combination comb, de-matting tools, clippers or hand stripping knife, scissors, thinning scissors, nail clippers.

 

 

 

 

Double coat - A double coat has 2 very different coats, both in look, texture and function. The top coat is shiny and weatherproof, it protects the dog from the elements while the undercoat is soft, pale, downy, shorter and keeps the dog warm. The difference in the look of individual breeds can be due to the density of the undercoat. For example the rough collie and the border collie both have double coats but different densities.

  

 

 

 

Example of other breeds with this coat type

        Labrador

        Chow Chow

        Pomweanian

        St Bernard

 

 

 

Appropriate grooming tools: Slicker brush, pin brush, bristle brush, combination comb, de-matting tools, clippers and blades, scissors, thinning scissors, nail clippers.

 

 

 

 

 

Silky - A silky coat is generally long and should have a flowing appearance. The silky coat is the most easily damaged of dog coat types and care is needed when removing to not break it.

 

 

 

 

 

Examples of breeds with this coat type

 

        Yorkshire Terrier

        Afghan Hound

        Cocker Spaniel

        Maltese 

 

 

 

Appropriate grooming tools: Slicker brush, combination comb, de-matting tools, clippers and blades, scissors, thinning scissors, nail clippers.

 

 

 

 

 

Curly / wool - The wool coat is soft and is often considered to be a single coat as the two coats are often very hard to see apart, there are great numbers of guard hairs and this coat doesn’t shed and fall out, but it does die so therefore matting can be considerable if the coat is neglected.

 

 

 

Examples of 4 breeds with this coat type

 

        Poodles

        Bichon Frise

        Bedlington Terrier

        Irish Water Spaniel 

 

Appropriate grooming tools: Slicker brush, combination comb, de-matting tools, clippers and blades, scissors, thinning scissors, curved scissors, nail clippers.

 

Corded -  Naturally occurring dreadlocks form in the coat. Only currently 3 breeds with this coat type: Komondor, Hungarian Puli & Bergamasco. Naturally born with crimped hair, until dreadlocks can start to be form by hand at around 1 year old. it can take up to 4-5 years for the coat to fully grow.