Explain Blowing Coat, Please!

Blowing coat is when a sheltie sheds a huge amount of fur within about a 1 month period. Females usually blow their coat twice a year because of going through esterus (their breeding stage). Males usually blow their coat only once a year, but because the males usually have a fuller coat, they usually shed even worse. Typically, shelties blow their coat in the Spring and/or the Fall. The sign that this is starting, is when you find a lot of dog hair around and when you pet your sheltie you get covered in it. Sometimes it can clog up your vacuum. What you do at the first indications, is brush, brush, brush your sheltie. The more you brush, the less it gets on your clothes, furniture and carpet or floor. Fortunately this lasts about a month, the rest of the year isn't nearly as bad.

At 10 weeks, Fergus may miss this Spring's shed, but might catch the fall blow out. My 5 month old sheltie, Buddy, just finished his Spring blow out.

It's not as bad as it sounds!

 

yip crystal is right, however the puppy coat blow is the worst I think. Its when they loose all the wolly soft fur and that sticks to EVERYTHING!!! I am constantly going pffftt after I pick them up because it sticks to everything including your mouth after that its usually not as bad and I only notice really bad when I am blowing them with the super duty metro dryer and it flies everywhere!! Thats when they get done outside if I can help it! brushing does help alot though.

 

The "suddenly shedding" is especially thrilling when it starts in the car during a long trip. Whee -- travelling in a snow globe!

 

Instant visual!

 

When we had basset hounds, I always described 'blowing coat' as when I had more dog hair on me than the hounds did.

 

I can believe that! No dog can shed like a hound! Short, sticky hairs that get into everything!

 

There was actually a sheltie lady in our club that does that...I havent seen her in awhile though...She used to make everything with the fur...I was always kinda creeped out by it though like how clean is the fur she was using and was it poop chute fur?!