undercoats...

[cfuh]

don't know if this is the spot to post but here goes...how do you know if your dog has an undercoat? :confused:

[Karen]

Depends on the breed, and you can usually tell just by rifling the fur ... huskies, shelties, rough collies - those I know have an undercoat ....

[dragondawg]

Most of the breeds bred for working, and in particular those bred to retreive game from the water have not only undercoats but multilayered coats. For example take a Lab swimming, and it may take them 8-10 hours before they are completely dry again.

[cfuh]

well, i have a lab mix and a chow/corgi mix. i have a brush for their coats but don't know if i need the comb, etc. they both shed a lot...i didn't think a lab would shed so much but she does.

thanks for your replies!! :)

[KYS]

I know with Sheba and ROcky their undercoat is shorter
and thicker.

[Sudilar]

German Shepherd Dogs have undercoats that shed. That's why we call them German Shedders (a lot!)! LOL

Now that Killian has lost his undercoat due to Cushings, he's lost his fluffy feel. All you feel when you pet him is skin and a little hair, like a balding guy!

[Toller 42]

My Rotti and Toller mix both have under coats but they don't shed too much because I use a shedding blade on them everyday plus I brush them and comb them with a grooming comb made for pulling out the under coat. I took my Rotti to the vet 2 weeks ago for a check-up and he said she has one of the best looking Rotti coats that he's seen in a long time and then we told him that we brush her alot and then he said most people don't because they assume because it's a short-haired breed that they shouldn't need to be groomed that often.

[Rachel]

Originally posted by Toller 42
My Rotti and Toller mix both have under coats but they don't shed too much because I use a shedding blade on them everyday plus I brush them and comb them with a grooming comb made for pulling out the under coat. I took my Rotti to the vet 2 weeks ago for a check-up and he said she has one of the best looking Rotti coats that he's seen in a long time and then we told him that we brush her alot and then he said most people don't because they assume because it's a short-haired breed that they shouldn't need to be groomed that often.

Good for you, keeping your dogs so well groomed. They are probably much more comfortable because of all the hard work. Those undercoats in particular have a tendency to mat. Neither of my dogs enjoy being groomed, so it is a struggle at times. The more I do it, the easier it is.

[Toller 42]

Thanks! keeping them well groomed also helps when it comes time to giva them a bath because then you don't have piles of fur in the tub. for some reason my dogs get excited when they see the brush they seem to like being groomed.

[kimlovescats]

Terriers have undercoats too... such as Cairns, Westies, etc.;)

[stacwase]

I really enjoyed brushing Jake. It was so relaxing to just sit in front of the TV and brush him in the evenings. Kind of rewarding to look at the huge piles of fur I'd get every single time, too!

Max won't tolerated it for very long - I can do maybe 1/4 of him before he says "that's it, Mom, no more".

When you brush the fur backwards and look down you can see the undercoat. On my dogs, it was a lighter color than the guard hairs. Like when I brush Max the fur that comes off on the brush is a light tan, even when I brush the black areas of his coat.

[bckrazy]

Border Collies have very very thick undercoats. we have resorted to shaving Gonzo every summer because he would normally shed his entire coat, basically... tons of long black hairs :rolleyes:. He also gets really hot with all that coat.

[GoldenRetrLuver]

Having a Collie and a Golden Retriever myself, I know what you mean about the shedding! ;)

Molly doesn't have a really thick undercoat, such as some Collies I've seen. If I'm not mistaken, their coat length is 90% genetics, and the other 10% is how much sunlight they're exposed too.

[bckrazy]

Molly doesn't have a really thick undercoat, such as some Collies I've seen. If I'm not mistaken, their coat length is 90% genetics, and the other 10% is how much sunlight they're exposed too.


Really? I had no idea about that.. his sire has a pretty heavy coat, I remember. His dam was a beautiful smooth coated BC. And, he is exposed to a lot of sunlight since we take him out to parks and running every day.. he loves it outside. He has a doggy door and for most of the day he prefers to patrol his yard ;)

[binka_nugget]

Originally posted by GoldenRetrLuver
Molly doesn't have a really thick undercoat, such as some Collies I've seen. If I'm not mistaken, their coat length is 90% genetics, and the other 10% is how much sunlight they're exposed too.

That makes sense.. his Dam had a gorgeous, full, tri-colored coat. Kai's sire had an even fuller coat exactly like Kai's, same shade and all.

[cali]

misty have very litter under coat because she is a smooth BC, but happy has a thicker one, and its liver colored while happys gaurd hairs are black. Ripley has an undercoat, and so does blair, but perky has a single coat and gets very cold in the winter

[CorgiLuvr]

Oh cool!, you have a corgi! Me too. Yeah, he has an undercoat and it sheds quite a bit in the summer time. When ever I give him a bath the water just rolls right over the guard hairs at first, then it takes him at least a day to get dry. I think it's pretty funny. Your corgi-mix is sooooo cute!!!

[lv4dogs]

Originally posted by bckrazy
Border Collies have very very thick undercoats. we have resorted to shaving Gonzo every summer because he would normally shed his entire coat, basically... tons of long black hairs :rolleyes:. He also gets really hot with all that coat.

Actually dogs with undercoats should NOT be shaved anytime of the year.
The undercoat acts as an insulator, keeps the dog cooler in warm weather & warmer in cool weather.

[Toller 42]

most dogs have under coats don't they? and alot of dogs get shaved my grandma's golden has an under coat and he is really hot in the summer, she usually shaves him and after he is shaved he doesn't get very hot.

[lv4dogs]

Originally posted by Toller 42
most dogs have under coats don't they? and alot of dogs get shaved my grandma's golden has an under coat and he is really hot in the summer, she usually shaves him and after he is shaved he doesn't get very hot.

Yes, I would say that the majority of dogs do have an undercoat. But there are also a lot out there that do not.

A lot of people do not realize this and unfortunatly a lot of groomers don't say anything cause they want the almighty dollar.

I'm have no idea why your grandmothers dog is not as hot when shaved. But I do know that the thicker the undercoat the more important it is to keep it, like husky's & the such.

[Toller 42]

I didn't know that! I've learned alot of things since becoming a PT member.