the stand off sheltie coat

[Justicemom]

This is a very random thought but I was reading on a FB group and the discussion turned to coat texture. The "correct" sheltie stand off coat. It is hard to describe but when you feel it you know it. The coat that when you brush it, no product is needed to keep the mane up even with little undercoat and nothing sticks to it like Teflon. It is hard without being wiry and they look groomed all the time.

I have had 2 dogs with this coat, Justice and Jamie and I think Celtic is going to have it. Grandpa Grizz definitely has it. Ember has an almost correct coat but it is a bit soft and cottony. Maybe because she is spayed don't know. Birch has a harder feel to the coat but it does not stand off right and tangles on his abdomen sometimes. Its more like a BC. Diva was soft and a bit wavy..

It got me thinking how many shelties actually have the correct coat out there. I don't see as many as you would think. I frankly covet the correct coat, it is beautiful without a ton of work and you are grateful when your dog runs though a field of weeds.

 

[Calliesmom]

I think that Cran has the best coat of my shelties.
Callie's was soft and picked up everything..............
Dixie is kind of like that and I wondered if it was due to being spayed.
The bi boys are still growing up but Jocu has a pretty short coat so not so many issues with him. Destin's is longer but feels very soft to me and he gets tangles in his pants. He always looks good though.

 

[Greenepony]

My sheltie growing up definitely had the coat but the impression I got from his original owner (I was 7 at the time) is that some intention went into his breeding, of course my parents have long since lost his papers.

Olive definitely does not. 5 minutes after I brush she looks like a ragamuffin. We can hold out the at-least-slightly-cared-for look for about a day after a full bath and style. The vet we saw on vacation made a point to tell the vet tech to feel her coat because of how soft it is. I'm chalking her coat issues up to bad breeding and allergies - it's also thin, very wavy, and the undercoat is only really dense along her shoulderline. Her pants however, can be very impressive.

 

[Caro]

Deska has correct coat and Tully doesn't - hers is soft and shiny, although quite full. Because I live in a dry climate I actually find Deska's coat difficult to manage, it matts easily behind the ears and is often dry (although you can't tell on the surface because he has the shine). I can run a fine toothed comb through Tully's fur but not Deska's, he needs aI greyhound comb with rotating teeth. OT - but why are they called greyhound combs - greyhounds have short hair.

I got Deska from a breeder interstate, where it's more humid, Tully as bred in Canberra. So I do wonder if the breeders each adapted for the coat that did best in the climate (they were both long established kennels). Because interestingly when I showed Tully she was never faulted for her coat texture, it looked pretty good in dry Canberra summers. Deska was never show quality (crypto). But for a non-show dog I'd much prefer Tully's coat. Altho it's fun ruffling up Deska's coat so it puffs right out.

 

[trini]

Interesting discussion. None of my current 4 shelties have a "correct" coat. All have coats that are too soft and tend to tangle and pick up stuff easily. Dakota is the worst...Faelee is the best but still not "correct". Of all the shelties we have owned I have only had 2 who truly carried the right coat and they were so much easier to keep groomed and always looking good.

Trini

 

[SheepOfBlue]

Maybe Spitfire he is a puff ball but his fur is neither soft nor course just in between. He has got a bit of wave going to his behind now but some of that is Sca steaming him when he uses him as a pillow

Sca's coat is thick but lays down and his silky feeling. Kind of border sheltie

 

[Jess041]

OT - but why are they called greyhound combs - greyhounds have short hair.

Greyhound is the brand, not the type. I have no idea why the company chose Greyhound, because those dogs don't require much grooming lol.

Missy does not have the correct coat type. It's not very full, and it's very shiny and smooth, not course. But it's not silky and prone to tangles either. I can definitely comb through her coat easily though. It's not stick straight and has a little bit of a wave to it, but barely. My first sheltie had a more dense coat, probably closer to the correct type. But she matted like crazy, it was very frustrating. While I know Missy's coat is not correct, I love it. It's so easy to manage, looks and feels very nice. I always say she has a Texas Sheltie coat- she does fine in our hot, humid summers. Our winters are so mild that she's fine in the winter as well.

P.S. Sca put Missy's coat to shame at CanAm. He was nice and fluffy because he had just been to the groomer. His coat looked much nicer than hers!

 

[SheepOfBlue]

Greyhound is the brand, not the type. I have no idea why the company chose Greyhound, because those dogs don't require much grooming lol.

Missy does not have the correct coat type. It's not very full, and it's very shiny and smooth, not course. But it's not silky and prone to tangles either. I can definitely comb through her coat easily though. It's not stick straight and has a little bit of a wave to it, but barely. My first sheltie had a more dense coat, probably closer to the correct type. But she matted like crazy, it was very frustrating. While I know Missy's coat is not correct, I love it. It's so easy to manage, looks and feels very nice. I always say she has a Texas Sheltie coat- she does fine in our hot, humid summers. Our winters are so mild that she's fine in the winter as well.

P.S. Sca put Missy's coat to shame at CanAm. He was nice and fluffy because he had just been to the groomer. His coat looked much nicer than hers!

But they were similar. Unlike the Orange Horror

 

[Chris]

Beckon has the perfect Sheltie coat. We only know he needs grooming when he starts to smell.