Grooming Guide: Dogs with Double Coats
There is a wide variety of dog breeds with double coats, including retrievers, terriers, and herding breeds. It’s very important to understand how to properly care for your dog’s double coat year-round to keep it healthy and happy. We want to help you better understand the grooming needs of dogs with double coats.
What is a double coat?
A double coat on a dog is two layers of fur: an undercoat and an outer coat. The undercoat is soft, short, and dense. It keeps your dog safe from both hot and cold weather. The outer coat keeps out dirt and moisture, so it is a lot more tough and protected. These two layers work together to keep your dog warm and cozy in the colder temperatures and cool and comfortable in the warmer weather. Dogs with double coats typically shed twice per year as the seasons change.
Why does my dog have a double coat?
Dog breeds with double coats originated from colder climates. Common breeds include Shiba Inu, Siberian Husky, Australian Shepherd, Newfoundland, Bernese Mountain Dogs, and many others. These breeds have thick, fluffy coats that are very obviously double coats. There are several smaller breeds, like Havanese, Pomeranians, and other terriers, that also have double coats but aren’t as well identified as they have a more wiry top coat.
PRO TIP: The fluffier your dog is on the outside, the more dense their undercoat may be. More grooming is suggested to prevent mats and tangles from forming.
Benefits of Grooming Double Coats
If you keep up with regular grooming of your double-coated dog, you will have a very happy and healthy dog! It’s obvious that a dog with this type of coat will shed far more than dogs with a single coat. Brushing your double-coated dog at least twice weekly is a good routine, but regular professional grooming is highly recommended. There are many benefits to a properly groomed and maintained undercoat, such as:
Ability to repel moisture and keep your dog dry
Releasing body heat to reduce overheating
Allowing the shed fur to fall from the body and reduce warmth in the dog’s body temperature
Reducing risks of bugs and outdoor germ infestation
How to Maintain a Double Coat
We recommend regular visits to the grooming salon for dogs with double coats. These grooms should be regular, about every six to eight weeks.
Outside of the grooming salon, you will need to maintain good home grooming to prevent mats and tangles. Between grooming visits, a slicker brush is a good tool to remove dead hair and loosen any tangles from the undercoat. It’s always best to follow up with a metal comb to check for any missed tangles, and this will also pull any extra undercoat. Undercoat rakes can also be used once the coat is tangle-free but should be used in moderation as overuse can damage or even cut the top coat. Once the dog has a mat-free coat, you can use a bristle brush to give your dog’s coat a healthy shine.
Bathing Your Double-Coated Dog
While brushing is the best place to start before grooming your double-coated dog, baths are still absolutely necessary regularly (every eight to twelve weeks). You may want to increase the frequency of baths during the warmer months when your dog is shedding the most.
Baths in warm water with dog shampoo will keep your dog’s coat healthy. Once your dog is washed and rinsed, we recommend using a blow dryer to help your dog’s coat feel softer. Compared to just a towel dry, it helps prevent the growth of mold or bacteria in the coat and against their skin.
De-Shedding Treatments Can Help
We’ve said it already: dogs with double coats shed A LOT! This is especially true during the changing seasons. We use a special tool as part of de-shed treatments to remove as much loose fur as possible. We do this to help your dog avoid mats and tangles and to help you reduce the amount of hair that the dog sheds in the house. (Trust us—we know your vacuum gets a workout!)
Don’t Shave Your Dog with a Double Coat
We do not recommend shaving your dog’s double coat, even to keep them cool in the warmer weather. It’s tempting, but it’s unnecessary and unhealthy for your dog’s coat. It can cause long-term damage to the dog’s hair growth. We understand that double coats are different and require special care. Still, regular maintenance, like bathing and brushing, is the best way to keep your dog happy and cool during warmer temperatures.
How to Avoid Matting and Impacted Shedding
Many double-coated dog owners do not understand the difference between matting and impacted shed coats. Matting refers to tangled clumps in your dog’s coat. Dirt, sticky substances, or a lack of brushing and bathing typically cause these mats. Mats can be avoided by frequently brushing your dog’s fur. Impacted shedding is as it sounds. It’s caused when a dog is unable to shed its undercoat and it becomes impacted or tangled into the topcoat. This can cause matting. We recommend regular de-shed treatments to prevent this from happening, but in some severe cases, these mats do need to be shaved out.
Even with the best grooming, some treatments are too late to help fix severe matting. The only option may be to shave the coat and start fresh if the matting is too far gone. This type of decision to care for severe matting is not taken lightly, as we want to avoid any unnecessary stress in your dog’s grooming experience. Your dog’s health and happiness is our number one priority.
Grooming Your Dog With a Double Coat
Caring for your dog with a double coat can be a lot of work. Maintaining their basic hygiene and keeping up with their shedding can oftentimes feel like a part-time job. When you’re ready to turn to the grooming professionals, we are ready to step in and make your dog feel healthy and happy at Shear Standards of Grooming.