7 Different Dog Coat Types (Tips for Brushing)

Quick Summary

• Brushing your dog, regardless of the length of their hair or their type of coat, is an important experience that benefits their skin and coat health as well as growing your bond with them
• Each type of coat is extremely different, so it is extremely important to get the correct brush so your furry friend doesn’t get hurt
• Brushing your dog’s hair prevents matts, fur tangles that can cause your dog to be in serious pain. If you see a mats in their fur, bring them to the vet to get it removed, as removing it yourself can lead to your dog being in more pain than before

Brushing different dog coat types is a daily necessity for some long-haired breeds—it’s a major part of grooming. Unlike other tasks like trimming dog nails or bathing which you must do once every month, I advise you to brush your dog’s hair more regularly. Even for my short-haired dogs, brushing them can provide benefits—both for them and for me.

There are several types of coats that our four-legged friends can have. Examples include a smooth coat, a short coat, a combination coat, a double coat, a heavy coat, a silky coat, a long coat, and a curly/wavy/fleece coat. To properly brush your pooch, it’s important to know different dog coat types and which dog brushes to use to groom them.

Benefits of brushing your dog

First and foremost, brushing obviously removes tangles from your dog’s coat. Small knots and tangles can lead to painfully matted dog hair if they aren’t brushed out properly, which will then need to be cut out by your vet or a professional groomer. Brushing will also remove dirt and debris from your dog’s coat.

Brushing distributes protective and nourishing oils through your dog’s coat, helping to keep their skin healthy and fur shiny. It also helps keep shedding under control. Furthermore, the time you spend brushing your dog can be a special bonding time for you both.

Here’s the thing. Brushing an Afghan hound [1] or Chow is very different from brushing a Labrador or Pug. You need to use different types of dog brushes and different brushing techniques for each dog coat type. Take note of the following information and advice for different coats:

What are the different dog coat types

If you’re a dog owner, then you may have wondered about the different dog coat types.

Dog coats can be categorized into two main groups: long coats and short coats. There are a variety of types of dog brushes, such as a bristle brush, that are used for the subcategories of long-coat and short-coat dogs.

Short and smooth coat

Dogs with short and smooth coats do not need much brushing – once a week is enough. Using multiple dog brushes will help remove shedding fur, dirt, dead hair, and dead skin cells, and will stimulate nourishing oils and disperse them throughout the coat quickly and evenly.

A grooming glove with a rubber palm area is good for smooth-coated dogs. The bumps will collect the dead loose hair while also giving your dog a nice massage. Alternatively, use a smooth bristle brush. Start from the head and work your way to the tail, brushing in the direction of the hair.

Smooth Coated dog breeds include Dalmatian, Basset Hound, Coonhounds, Weimaraners, Pointers, Pugs, Dobermans, Bulldog, Labradors, Greyhounds, Beagles, American Pit Bull, Staffordshire Terrier, Boston Terrier, Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, Boxer, Short-haired Chihuahua, Fox Terrier-smooth, Bull Terrier, Great Dane, Miniature Pinscher, Rottweiler, etc.

Silky

Breeds such as Yorkies need a lot of attention to keep their long, silky coats in top condition and free from matting.

Start by brushing out tangles in their silky coat with a pin brush. Then use a soft bristle brush to make the coat shiny. You may want to part the hair in the middle, brushing downwards on either side. This not only ensures that their fur is healthy and happy, but it also ensures that their skin stays healthy too!

Silky breeds include: Yorkshire Terrier, Shih Tzu, Tibetan Terrier, Lhasa Apso, Maltese, Silky Terrier, etc.

Long coats

Long-haired dogs need daily brushing with specific dog brushes such as a pin brush. Start with a pin brush to untangle matting, but remember, never cut matts out with scissors as that can be extremely painful. Make sure to use soft bristle brushes afterward to get out any extra matting. Use a wide-tooth comb to finish. The Bernese Mountain Dog and all kinds of Collies have double coats, as do many other long-haired canines, so you may need to spend some extra time brushing their coat every day.

Long-coated breeds include: Long-haired Dachshund, Old English Sheepdog, Long-haired Chihuahua, Cocker Spaniel, Flat Coated Retriever, Newfoundland, Afghans, etc.

Double-coat

A double-coat is one of the many types of combination coats that need certain treatments and brushes to be taken care of. To assist with shedding, brush double-coated dogs once a day with firm bristle brushes. This not only ensures the health of your dog’s skin and coat, but it also helps to remove loose hair. Your dog’s undercoat may have a lot of dead hair which can cause easy matting if it isn’t taken care of regularly. Daily brushing is essential, as matts will form in the undercoat, which are painful against your dog’s skin. For this, use an undercoat rake to get out any tangles and matts without damaging your dog’s skin. You could also use some double-sided dog brushes to get in a better brush for both layers of your dog’s coat.

Double-coated breeds include: Collies, Malamutes, German Shepherds, Keeshonds, Husky, Akita, Chows, Pomeranians, Golden Retriever, Shiba Inu, Samoyed, etc.

Wire coat

Brushing 2-3 times a week will help keep wiry coats made of fine hair free of tangles as well as helping to remove loose hair. A stiff brush is best for wire-coated dogs since they often have a lot of loose hair. Brushing will not make the coat soft and silky, as wiry coats are meant to be rough. You can also use a slicker brush to remove any extra matts that may be in your dog’s fur. These coats need plucking or stripping of the dog’s hair, as well as combing and washing. Plucking is just what it sounds like: plucking off wild, old, or unwanted hairs. This will encourage new hair growth and thin out an excessive coat. This may be done using a stripping comb/brush or by hand.

Wire-haired breeds include: Wire-haired Dachshund, Fox Terrier-wire, German shorthaired pointer, Irish Terrier, Scottish Terrier, Brussels Griffon, Irish wolfhound, West Highland White Terrier, Affenpinscher, etc.

Curly

Brushing a curly coat tends to turn the curls to frizz, so it is best to brush only during the shedding seasons, though regularly so. Curly coats can tend to be dry and they often have a lot of loose hair, so you may want to spray your dog with a conditioning spray before brushing to avoid breakage. This makes sure that your dog’s hair health is maintained throughout the year. If you want to prevent matts, you should use a slicker brush every few days during shedding season. Also, a curly coat is more prone to fleas, so you must be very careful where your dog goes when you don’t pay attention to them. In order to make sure you know where your dog goes, purchase the best GPS dog fence.

Curly breeds include: Curly-coated Retriever, Poodle, Poodle crosses, Bichon Frise, Komondor, Irish Water Spaniel, etc.

Hairless dogs

Dogs with no hair are simply that! They have little or no hair on their bodies, however, they may be coated with a fine down. To avoid dry skin, these breeds should be bathed often with a gentle dog shampoo and moisturized with a dog-safe moisturizer. Breeds like the Mexican Hairless Dog (Xoloitzcuintli), Chinese Crested, and American Hairless Terrier are ideal if you don’t want to brush your dog.