Age + Coats
- Thread starter drulzelot
- Start date
Sheila B.
New member
My guess (and it is a guess) is genetics. Star's coat has always been finer, longer, softer and mats easily. Her daughter, Journey's coat is thicker, shinier and shorter. Journey is smaller than her mother and must favor her father, although I never saw him. I've seen no particular coat changes with age but will defer to the experts.
2Paws
New member
It amazes me how different each newf's coat can be. I'm guessing it's more genetics and the fact he is neutered than anything else. Henry's coat is amazingly easy to keep up with. It's pretty uniform on his body and doesn't matt at all. Of course he is intact too and I think that makes a difference.
Glory who is spayed is a nightmare to keep up with. All you have to do is look at her and she will matt. Her coat is very, very thick and I do trim her down some just to keep up with it. She is 8 1/2 now but it's been this way ever since she came into our lives at age 3 1/2. Winston who is 11 or 12 is neutered and is fairly easy to keep up with. His coat is thicker in the rump area and will matt easier than the rest of his body. But it's not nearly as thick or unmanageable as Glory's.
Glory who is spayed is a nightmare to keep up with. All you have to do is look at her and she will matt. Her coat is very, very thick and I do trim her down some just to keep up with it. She is 8 1/2 now but it's been this way ever since she came into our lives at age 3 1/2. Winston who is 11 or 12 is neutered and is fairly easy to keep up with. His coat is thicker in the rump area and will matt easier than the rest of his body. But it's not nearly as thick or unmanageable as Glory's.
ardeagold
New member
I also think it's a combination of genetics and being altered. We call Addie "Pig Pen" because her whole coat, except for her back (which is silky and shiny) is coarse, dull, and easily mats, plus it attracts every leaf, twig, burr, etc, which is in the vicinity. Chance's coat, however, is silky, shiny and rarely mats, and doesn't attract dirt. Both are altered rescues.
Molly's coat has changed a great deal since she was spayed. It was always thick but now it's THICK. Not coarser, but definitely harder to maintain. Mira's coat is about the same.
I even noticed with the Goldens that their coats would change over time, once they were altered. They'd get more coat as time went on, and some got a lot of weird fluffy undercoat. Lucy looked like a mix between an Afghan Hound and a Llama. Her hair would actually grow all the way to the ground. She wasn't like that before. However, others, like Ray, Chandler and Benny have nice Golden coats and altering hasn't made a difference.
Age does seem to make it worse, but each dog is very different.
Molly's coat has changed a great deal since she was spayed. It was always thick but now it's THICK. Not coarser, but definitely harder to maintain. Mira's coat is about the same.
I even noticed with the Goldens that their coats would change over time, once they were altered. They'd get more coat as time went on, and some got a lot of weird fluffy undercoat. Lucy looked like a mix between an Afghan Hound and a Llama. Her hair would actually grow all the way to the ground. She wasn't like that before. However, others, like Ray, Chandler and Benny have nice Golden coats and altering hasn't made a difference.
Age does seem to make it worse, but each dog is very different.
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AngusMcDubhsMom
New member
I'm agreeing with the others about genetics and altering. Gracie is spayed and she has that infamous Yak Butt....it's awful. Very thick and matts like the dickens.
victoria1140
Active member
since Beau has been neutered his coat tends to mat more easily so he has to be regularly brushed for half an hour daily and yet I still find potential mats aforming
newfam
New member
I don't know..Tsunami has a dream coat. Twice a week brushing is all that is needed to keep him tangle free, Typhoon is a complete different story. A wind blows him and he is a mat mess. I am starting to think he is trying to find some Jamaican roots by dread-locking his tail weekly. Neither one is altered... if that makes a difference than Ty is NEVER going to get snipped. We would never stand a chance in keeping him mat free.
janices
New member
Brooke's coat didn't really change after she was altered. Just changed shedding cycle not having hormone cycles interfering with her coat shedding. She has a dream coat, easy to keep. I just keep her brushed and bathed. Molly has spay coat - long and thick. She never kept coat when intact. Now it's everywhere.
Georg and Jaycee have a combination of Brooke's coat and sire's coat. One has sire's coat and one Brooke's coat. Both easy to keep. Both intact.
Georg and Jaycee have a combination of Brooke's coat and sire's coat. One has sire's coat and one Brooke's coat. Both easy to keep. Both intact.
NKlein
Member
Byron's coat is a little course, but easy to maintain. At least it was--he's a little over 6, too, and I've been finding more mats on him. I feel like part of it is that he's less active--for instance he'll mat on his chest since now he's lying down more. I guess I shouldn't complain, he stays relatively mat-free.
Bo has a very soft coat, which is nice to the touch, but awful in terms of matting. I have to de-mat him about once a week--I mostly find them around his collar and the infamous bum area. He's only 2, so I hope it doesn't get worse!
Bo has a very soft coat, which is nice to the touch, but awful in terms of matting. I have to de-mat him about once a week--I mostly find them around his collar and the infamous bum area. He's only 2, so I hope it doesn't get worse!