Your Guide to Dog Coat Types

A close look at 6 different types of dog coats

Just as us humans have distinct hair textures, each breed of dog can be classified with the type of coat it wears. Colour, pattern, and other distinguishing marks of the hair help us identify our own fur baby from others.
Their coat however serves a far greater purpose than contributing to their overall cuteness. From regulating body temperature, to protecting the skin from scratches and cuts, there’s many reasons why your dog’s coat is the way it is because of their breed, biologically obtained because of its ancestorial environmental conditions and the role it had within nature, before they became domesticated.

Having a better understanding of the different dog coat types will help you know what approach is best for providing your furry friend with the best grooming care, contributing to their overall health and wellbeing.

Does My Dog Have Hair or Fur?

On a chemical level, and if you look at both under a microscope, hair and fur are exactly the same. Three distinguishing factors define the difference between hair and fur.

• How it grows,
• The length it grows, and
• The life cycle of the coat

From a hypoallergenic point of view, it’s how often the dog ‘sheds’ its coat that will determine if a person prone to allergies from dust mites (asthma as an example) may be affected.

Hair grows in a single layer that goes through a longer growth cycle. While it grows longer than fur, hair falls out less frequently. Fur is still hair, but it commonly grows in a double layer and does not grow as long. It tends to be thicker and falls out more often than hair does. So, if you always find dog hair all over your couch, black pants, or freshly vacuumed carpet, your buddy likely has a beautiful coat of fur!

Despite popular belief, allergies are not a reaction to the dog fur type but rather the frequency at which it comes out. Dogs with fur are perceived to be worse for allergy sufferers because they shed more often. While it might seem that shorter hair means less grooming (and less shedding), that isn’t always the case, and why it’s important to understand the different dog coat types.

Short Dog Coat

You may have heard the terms ‘short coat’ and ‘smooth coat’ used interchangeably, and that’s because this hair type is best described as both short and smooth!
With hair that lies close to the body, the coat is sleek and shiny, almost like the dog is covered with silky skin rather than fur. While short-haired breeds are great for people who want relatively lower maintenance than other coat types, these pups still need regular grooming, especially during seasonal changes when hair thickness may vary.

Grooming tips: Grooming smooth coat dogs is easy! While they don’t require daily brushing, we do recommend using a brush a few times a week, along with occasional baths to release excess hair.

Examples of Dog Breeds having Short Coats:

• American Staffordshire Terrier
• Beagle
• Boxer
• Greyhound
• Labrador Retriever

Medium Dog Coat

Medium coat dog breeds typically have fur that’s about 3-5cm long. With this dog coat type, the fur may stand slightly off the body, which could give a fluffier appearance. Depending on whether they have a single or double coat (an extra layer of fur beneath), dogs with medium fur don’t necessarily shed more just because they have longer hair.

Grooming tips: Medium coat breeds require a moderate amount of brushing. To prevent the fur from matting, we recommend using a bristle or slicker brush every other day. This will also help distribute your dog’s natural oils throughout their coat for a shiny, smooth finish. When a dog with a double coat, such as a Siberian Husky, enters shedding season, they lose their undercoat. In this case, daily brushing is important to help prevent any itchiness or discomfort.

Examples of Breeds having Medium Coats:

• American Eskimo
• Border Collie
• Corgi
• German Shepherd
• Golden Retriever

Long Dog Coat

There’s a reason they nicknamed the Komondor the ‘mop dog’. Long coat breeds can have hair so long that it sometimes reaches the floor! When we think of long dog fur types, we often think of the distinctive coats on show dogs such as Afghan Hounds and Shih Tzus. While long, flowing locks certainly help these dogs stand out from the crowd, their coats do require regular brushing and grooming to maintain.

Grooming tips: Long hair dog breeds need careful daily grooming, as they can easily develop tangles and ‘mat’. Due to the level of grooming required, owners of long coat breeds often take them to professional pet groomers for annual or bi-annual haircuts, especially before Summer in Australia to make home maintenance that much easier.

Examples of Breeds having Long Coats:

• Havanese
• Maltese
• Pekingese
• Shetland Sheepdog
• Yorkshire Terrier

Wire Dog Coat

As the name suggests, wire coat dogs (also known as wirehaired dogs) have a wiry outer layer of rough hair. You’ll notice these coats feel quite different than the soft silkiness of a smooth coat. Even a properly groomed wire coat will be rough and bristly!

Grooming tips: Wirehaired dogs unique coats do not shed, making them a good choice for some allergy sufferers. A common way to groom a wirehaired dog is to ‘hand strip’ the coat.
Hand stripping is an alternative process of removing a wirehaired dog’s excess coat by manually plucking out old or unruly hairs using your fingers. The hand stripping is done by holding the hair and pulling from the root, so a new coat can grow.

A professional pet groomer can do this for you, until you’re ready to try it at home yourself.

Examples of Dogs having Wire Coats:

• Jack Russell Terrier
• Kerry Blue Terrier
• Schnauzer
• West Highland White Terrier
• Wire Fox Terrier

Curly Dog Coat

Curly coat dogs, also known as wavy coats, are characterised by those adorable curl patterns. Curly coat dog breeds have hair ranging from soft waves to tight curls. The types of curls your dog has can vary within individual dog breeds, which is particularly common with Poodle mixes.
These breeds are also typically taken to professional pet groomers who can shape as well as cut the hair to produce ultra styled looks.

Home grooming tips: Even though these breeds tend to be low shedders, grooming wavy coat dogs does require special attention. Before brushing your wavy or curly coat dog, always spray them with a pet conditioning spray to avoid hair breakage. A pin brush will help detangle and keep your dog’s curls looking bouncy with a natural shine.

Examples of Dogs having Curly Coats:

• Airedale Terrier
• Bichon Frise
• Curly-Coated Retriever
• Poodle
• Portuguese Water Dog

Hairless Dogs

Despite their name, hairless dogs are still important dog coat types. Even though they lack furry coats, hairless dogs still require proper grooming to maintain healthy skin. Hairless dog breeds’ skin, which would otherwise be protected by a layer of fur, faces more exposure to the natural elements. Because they lack fur as a resource, hairless dogs need extra protection from the sun and often require jackets while outside in the Winter.

Grooming tips: Just because hairless dogs have no coats does not mean they are always clean, so keeping a bath schedule can come in handy when you can’t feel the fur for dirt. With greater sun exposure, hairless dogs need all the moisture they can get! This means frequent baths with a skin sensitive dog shampoo.

Examples of Dogs having No Hair:

• American Hairless Terrier
• Argentine Pila Dog
• Chinese Crested
• Peruvian Inca Orchid
• Xoloitzcuintle (Mexican Hairless Dog)

Summary

If you’re not sure what hair type your dog has, ask your veterinarian or local pet groomer. With a little grooming patience, you and your fur baby will soon find the perfect routine for maintaining their specific coat!

Oliver (Senior Dog Reporter)

Hi to all my fellow canines, I’m Oliver, the Senior Dog News Reporter here at PetsBook.
I will endeavour to bring to dog owners’ informative and educational articles to help make the bond between you and them even stronger.