Types Of Coats

Welcome to grooming week!

Today we are going to talk about coats. This is also a very important topic if you don’t have a dog yet! Every coat has different care, and it can be rather intensive care or a very simple one.

Let’s start by identifying the kinds of coats:

Smooth Coats

Smooth coats are the easiest of them all since they are short and as the name states, smooth. They can benefit from regular brushing to help remove any loose hairs and keep the dogs naturally clean. They don’t need to be bathed often, but it’s recommended to do so when needed. Meaning after a dirty walk or if you notice any funny smells. If the smells remain after a bath, please contact your vet. You should be warned: Short-haired dogs can shed a lot! Brushing them with a good de-shedding tool and looking into a good diet can help with the problem.

Double Coated

Double coated dogs as mentioned on the info-graphic have two coats.  It’s very important to know that the double coat acts as a protective layer, shielding the dog from UV rays in the summer and helping to insulate them in the winter. Because of this, you should never shave a double-coated breed. Now, Tomy has a double coat. Just in case it’s not obvious, they shed A LOOOT!! It’s supposed to be twice a year, in reality, I do think it’s a lot more. Especially when he is shedding, we brush him at least once a day, when not it’s every one or two weeks. There are a lot of different breeds that have double coats and might need more or less maintenance than what we do, so try to look for the specifications of your particular dog. This also applies to bathing, we do it every 3 or 4 months with shampoo, and all when we notice his coat is dirty or he becomes smelly, but look into the specificity of your dog or breed. We do make sure to wash him with just water when we go to the beach or a very muddy walk. After a bath for a lot of these dogs, it’s beneficial to first dry them with a towel and finish off with a dryer. The dryer can help remove hairs that are stuck beneath. It’s especially beneficial during the shedding. Warning: Drying during shedding can make a really big mess.

Silky Coats

Silky coats need constant brushing since they can become tangled really easily. Make sure to make and keep up a good brushing routine. Regular washing is recommended to keep the coat look healthy, shiny, and tangle-free. For silky coated dogs it’s very beneficial to hair dry for keeping it looking smooth.

Curly/Wool Coats

Curly/Wool coats tend to be non-shedding but require regular grooming as the coat can easily mat and tangle, reason why brushing is very important. These breeds usually require a lot of visits to the groomer, since it’s common for them to have their coat trimmed and their maintenance is better done by a professional. This type of coat also absorbs lots of water, so when bathed or after a water trip be sure to dry all the excess water.

Wire Coats

Wire coats can be complicated to groom, but dogs with these coats don’t shed a lot and once they are groomed they stay neat for a while. In order to remove old and loose hairs from the coat, it’s recommended to strip it instead of clipping it. Clipping this type of coat might damage the texture. Dogs with this coat shouldn’t be bathed frequently.

Puppy Coats

One last note is puppy coats. You need to be gentile around their coat while brushing and bathing. Usually, they don’t need to be bathed often, make sure to get a shampoo specific for puppies. It’s important to create a positive and calm association with grooming, bathing, and clipping nails. A lot of dogs suffer great stress when it comes to grooming, and it could be avoided by exposing your puppy correctly through the process. Note; Adult dogs can be conditioned to grooming, but it might take some time depending on their level of stress.