Double Coat Questions

[HollieDaze]

From what I've read even smooth coat Border Collies typically have a double coat. (This might be misinformed, if so feel free to correct me.)

 

Hollie isn't a purebred Border Collie, but rather a first generation Border Collie and Australian Cattle Dog cross.

 

From what I've read on the ACD breed standard, it too typically has a double coat.

 

Hollie doesn't have a double coat. I'm familiar with the double coat from other dogs,and she just doesn't have it. What I don't remember is whether the other dogs had a double coat as puppies or whether it came in later.

 

Is she likely to get a double coat later in life? (She's 4 months now.)

Is she likely to never have a double coat?

The coat she has now seems to have the more Teflon like qualities of an outer coat--although it is very soft.

 

Mostly, I'm just curious. I can't think that it would matter much for her except that having undercoat would give her a little more insulation from the cold.

[MyTDogs]

The coat will come. Usually they are about 3 before you see the full coat. It often gets curly as they age too.

[Journey]

Give it time. She has to loose the puppy coat and then the adult coat will start to come in. You'll have to wait and see what it will be in another year plus. Think of it as a surprise!

[Gloria Atwater]

Our dogs over the years, BCs, Aussies, and crosses thereof, don't seem to have come into their full coats until about 3 years of age. My old BC girl, Rose, had a LOT of coat on a very petite frame, but we didn't realize just how big and fluffy (and very fine, like baby hair) it would be until she turned 4. (Photo below is Rose at age 10.)

 

Both my current smooth-coats felt almost naked, when they were puppies, but Nick has plenty of coat as he nears age 3, and his 1-1/2 yer old sister has nice winter plush, too.

 

So, I'd say wait and see. You'll find your pup's coat will evolve as she matures.

Cheers ~

 

Gloria

[Mark Billadeau]

We've had smooth coated dogs with no and heavy undercoat. As the others have stated you won't know until the dog is mature.

Mark

[HollieDaze]

Thanks! It'll be fun to see her coat evolve. I can't imagine her ever being a big fluff ball, I'm pretty sure she'll be a smooth, but a little undercoat would keep her cozy--although, she's usually inside with us, so I guess it doesn't really matter.

[PSmitty]

I have two smooth coats. One has a dense undercoat, the other has none. The one with the undercoat I've had since he was 3 months old, and it was obvious then.

[SouthOfSouth]

Two of my dogs have had minimal undercoat. The first was my first BC, who had a fairly long, slightly wavy top coat, which made him look as if he had a thick coat; but when you turned it back, he only had undercoat in his "pantaloons" (as my mother-in-law calls it). Currently, my older GSD has so little undercoat that this year (at 7 - 8 yo) is the first time she's had a visible moult, and then only in her "petticoats" (see pantaloons). Neither seem(ed) to feel the cold (although that's not really an issue here), but both have felt the heat more than any other dog I've owned. Conversely, my husky never reacted to the heat, despite all her coat, and she used to sun-bake in temperatures in the 30s (Celcius) / 90s (Fahrenheit). The lack of undercoat certainly makes for easier care (almost self-cleaning) grooming, as dust, dirt and burrs usually fall out.

[Sue R]

I have three "medium rough coats". Celt and Megan both have some undercoat. So far, Dan (at age 2), has shown virtually no undercoat. Bute's coat was like Celt and Megan's, some undercoat, but not a lot.

 

Since I love the silky coats these dogs have, and am not into heavy undercoats with all the attendant shedding and grooming, I am happy with what I have. I do have to be careful in very cold conditions when we are out doing chores for extended times and the dogs are either not having to be active or must be pretty settled, because Dan in particular will get chilly.

[geonni banner]

Sorry, double post.

[geonni banner]

My girl has what I call a flat coat. Longish, but close-lying, with little undercoat except for her petticoats, tail and a couple of odd places - her upper arm and "second thighs," - where the wispy undercoat is longer than the top coat.

[RigoCR]

Hi, I want to get in on this, My dog, Nico, he has smooth coat, and he is changing it right now, he's only five and a half months old, but there's an awful lot ot hair in my house... how long does it take him to change his coat.

 

And about the double coat, I'll let you know how Nico's coat comes along, maybe it depends on the weather, and we live in Costa Rica, we have very nice tropical weather here, very sunny and warm during the day and quite cold at night around the area I live in, so I'll let you know, jeje.

[HollieDaze]

Thank you all. It does seem that along her spine it is beginning to thicken and feel like an undercoat may be coming, but I'm not sure. It will be interesting to see. Geonni, that picture you attached is BEAUTIFUL. She looks so silky and has such healthy sheen.

 

Sounds like her coat could go either way. I'm thinking maybe she'll only have the selective undercoat in pantaloons and a few other areas, but we'll see.

 

Thanks all for weighing in. We live where it gets pretty cold in the winter, here on the windswept Wyoming planes, but except for our daily outdoor romps, most of her work and daily life are inside, so she'll probably be fine either way, we'll just need to be extra attuned to her in the cold if the undercoat is lacking.