Coat Types and How To Maintain Them

12 Mar

Written By Julia Kambouropoulos

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Double-coated dogs

Double coated dogs can be long haired, such as Pomeranians, Pekingese, Huskies and Rough Collies or short haired, like Labradors, Rottweilers, Beagles and Corgis. They have a soft and thick undercoat that provides insulation, keeping them warm in winter and cool in summer, as well as a coarse and tough top coat which shields against moisture and dirt. Dogs with this type of coat often shed with the changing of the seasons, losing hair as the weather gets warmer and shedding less as the year gets colder. To maintain their condition, you should brush your dog regularly throughout the week.

Brushing double coated dogs

Undercoat brushing needs special equipment! Start with the undercoat to remove loose hair and gently tease out tangles, work your way out to the top coat. After working on the undercoat, you can then brush the top coat in the direction of hair growth. A slicker brush is great for dogs with a long-haired double coat.
Using the Rake followed by a wide tooth comb - it removes the thick undercoat and helps manage shedding. A Leave in Conditioner Spray is a must have! If your dog has a curly or long coat that frequently tangles, adding a Comb into the mix will help manage their mats while preventing future tangles.

Short hair:
Use a zoom groom or furminator equivalent for maintenance between grooms. When using a Zoom groom, be sure to use circular motions to loosen up the fur that is caught in the undercoat, making it easier to remove. The furminator is a blade, and excessive use can cause scratches and bleeding, so please use it very carefully!
Long hair:
Divide their fur into different sections and line brush (brush out each section from the skin outwards) from the bottom of the dog to the top with an undercoat rake. Then use a metal comb to take out the loose undercoat. Remember to comb their whole body from their head, neck, legs, tail and everything in between. Use a detangler to remove knots.

Smooth-coated Dog

Smooth coat dogs have silky hair that lies close to their body. Some have single coats, like Dalmatians, others, like Pugs have double coats. Dog breeds with a smooth or short coat include Dachshunds, Boxers, Italian Greyhounds, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Miniature Pinschers and French BullDogs. While these coat types require the least amount of grooming, it is important to make sure you are not only taking care of the coat, but the skin as well. These breeds are prone to shedding and issues such as dry and flaking skin. Making sure the skin stays moisturized will help to combat a lot of these issues.
Long-haired dogs need brushes with longer bristles and combs with long, wider teeth, whereas short-haired dogs need short or soft bristle brushes and combs with fine teeth. All dogs will benefit from a soft massage brush or mitten!
Talk to your groomer and veterinarian for more information.

Brushing smooth and long coated dogs

Work in the direction of hair growth, starting with a soft brush or wide tooth comb to remove any dirt or debris and loosen any knots. Then use a brush or comb with finer teeth to remove any stubborn tangles, gently holding the fur at the base to avoid causing pain.
If you notice any matts or stubborn knots, these may need to be removed with safety scissors, being careful to avoid the skin.
If your dog struggles, the matting is close to the skin, or you aren’t confident, this is best left to a professional to minimise injuries and issues.

Drop-coated dogs

Drop Coats, like smooth coats, are usually very easy to spot due to their flowy and silky hair. Breeds that fall under Drop coats include Afghan Hounds, Maltese Shih Tzus, Yorkshire Terriers, and Papillons. It is vital that these breeds keep their strands strong and healthy to prevent split ends, frizz and tangles. They need a lot of moisture to keep the cuticle smooth and flat, as their hair can easily become tangled and matted — an uncomfortable and sometimes painful experience for your pet — so it is important that you brush your dog every day.

Brushing drop-coated hair

Gently brush in the direction of the hair growth using a slicker or pin brush to untangle any knots. Once all the tangles are gone, finish by going over the coat with a metal comb to make sure there are no small tangles left. Remember to take your dog to a professional groomer if there are any mats and never attempt to cut them out on your own!

Curly-coated dogs

Curly-coated dogs are those that have hair in tight spirals, soft curls or waves that lie close to their body. Curly haired dog breeds include Poodles of all sizes, Portuguese Water Dogs, Bichon Frise, Labradoodles, Irish Water Spaniels and most Poodle mixes. Though this type of coat tends to shed less, the loose hair can easily be caught within the coat, making regular brushing necessary to remove the trapped hair before it causes knots and matting. It’s necessary for dogs with curly hair to be professionally groomed as their hair needs regular trimming to prevent it from growing too long and tangling up.

Brushing curly-coated dogs

The best method to keep your curly haired dog’s coat fluffy and healthy is to use a slicker brush and gently brush against the direction their hair grows. Part their fur until you can see their skin so you can brush the strands from root to tip, in order to get all the loose hairs out. Ensure to brush around the neck, under and around the armpits and their rear as these areas tend to get matted.