Pros and Cons silky vs coarse coats.

[BarbV]

Wow- reading all these posts, I think my sheltie Miles totally got the short end of the stick. He has a soft, short coat that gets curly and wavy and gets all manner of things stuck in it. He also has no undercoat but sheds like crazy (so I got the short end of the stick in that regard!). Is there any way to get a soft coat more harsh?

You might believe that be true, but in reality, there are always ways to groom around the "faults". For instance, I use different brushes on Bacca then I do on Indy, and I layer the products differently, as well.

And the brushing technique is a little different too. With Indy, I try to smooth him out, whereas with Bacca I try to puff him out (I use CC Coat Dressing to help that, but sparingly, because it does leave residue).

Mostly I accept that my pups they are what they are and do my best to keep them tangle free, trimmed feet and fresh smelling!

 

[xerospin]

This is so interesting! I wonder if alfie has the correct coat. When he swims his coat doesn't get wet easily, and it dries off quick too. When i bath him i need to put the nozzle directly on the skin or it just doesnt get wet all the way through. The undercoat once its wet takes forever to dry...Overall his coat feels very harsh to me, I wouldn't call it silky at all. Does that sound like a correct coat to anyone? Lol

 

[Chris]

This is so interesting! I wonder if alfie has the correct coat. When he swims his coat doesn't get wet easily, and it dries off quick too. When i bath him i need to put the nozzle directly on the skin or it just doesnt get wet all the way through. The undercoat once its wet takes forever to dry...Overall his coat feels very harsh to me, I wouldn't call it silky at all. Does that sound like a correct coat to anyone? Lol

To me, it sounds exactly what the standard calls for: a harsh outer coat, dense undercoat. It's exactly what Beckon's coat is like. It's just perfect for the all-purpose farm work Shelties were originally bred for -- and that kind of coat sheds dirt like crazy!!! I have to smell Beckon to see if he needs a bath.

Coat
The coat should be double, the outer coat consisting of long, straight, harsh hair; the undercoat short, furry, and so dense as to give the entire coat its "standoff" quality. The hair on face, tips of ears and feet should be smooth. Mane and frill should be abundant, and particularly impressive in males. The forelegs well feathered, the hind legs heavily so, but smooth below the hock joint. Hair on tail profuse. Note: Excess-hair on ears, feet, and on hocks may be trimmed for the show ring. Faults-- Coat short or flat, in whole or in part; wavy, curly, soft or silky. Lack of undercoat. Smooth-coated specimens.