Brush Up on Your Dog's Coat Type

PetSmart - Tracey Fisher/PetSmart
April 24, 2009

Before you invest in a brush, comb or other grooming tool, you'll want to know your dog's coat type. Find your pup's breed below, or if he is a mixed breed, find the breed you believe is most dominant.

For more facts on the breeds below, see Pets.com's Breed Guide.

Flat-coated: Dalmations, Greyhounds, Staffordshire Terriers, Boxers, Pointers and Miniature Pinchers all have this short, tight flat coat.

Short-coated: Labradors, Beagles, Rottweilers, Cattle Dogs and Pugs have this coat, which can be from 1”- 2” inches long.

Combination Coat: Golden Retrievers, Border Collies, Longhaired Daschunds and Papillions are some examples of dogs with this type of coat, characterized by both short and long areas.

Double Coat: Huskies, Elkhounds and German Shepherds have a shorter undercoat of thick, soft hair and an outer coat of longer, harder “guard hairs.”

Heavy Coat: Samoyeds, Collies, Chows and Pomeranians have this thick, dense coat.

Silky Coat: Setters and Spaniels have long, flowing, soft hair that can be shorter in some areas and longer in others.

Curly Coat: Poodles, Bichons, Kerry Blue Terriers, Portuguese Water Dogs and Bouviers all sport a curly coat. Sometimes referred to as non-shedding, the coats on these breeds do actually release hair,  just much less frequently than other coat types. Because the coat is curly, the hairs get trapped in the coat rather than falling out.

Wire Coat: Airedales, Schnauzers, Westies, Scotties, Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens and Deerhounds have this hard hair, referred to as “wiry.”

Natural Long Hair: Sheepdogs, Shih Tzus, Lhasas, Malteses and Yorkshire Terriers have this  flowing hair, which continually grows and is soft to the touch.

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