Course 02 of 20 · Foundations
Reading the Coat
Coat types, undercoat, and how to check condition before choosing any routine.
Lesson 1. What are the main coat types, and how do you tell them apart?
The main coat types are short and smooth, double, curly, wavy, long and silky, wiry and harsh, and corded, and they are told apart by length, texture, density and how the coat falls.
Lesson 2. What is a double coat, and how does it behave through the seasons?
A double coat has a soft, dense undercoat beneath coarser guard hairs, and it sheds heavily in spring and autumn as the undercoat renews for the coming season.
Lesson 3. What makes a curly coat different from a wavy coat?
A curly coat forms tight, springy curls that trap loose hair and tangle quickly, while a wavy coat falls in loose waves, sheds more visibly and tangles mainly at friction points.
Lesson 4. What do long and silky coats need that other coats do not?
Long, silky coats need frequent, gentle, section-by-section brushing, protection from friction and damp, and careful drying, because fine hair tangles and mats faster than coarser hair.
Lesson 5. What do short and smooth coats need?
Short, smooth coats need weekly brushing to remove loose hair, regular skin, nail and ear checks, and baths only when dirty, since their low tangle risk does not mean low care needs.
Lesson 6. What is a wiry coat, and how is it different from a harsh coat?
A wiry coat is stiff, bristly and often wiry in texture with softer furnishings, while a harsh coat is a dense, coarse outer coat, and the difference affects brushing, hand-stripping decisions and groomer referral.
Lesson 7. What is a corded coat, and why is it a specialist job?
A corded coat forms rope-like strands of matted hair by design, and it is a specialist job because cords must be formed, separated, dried and maintained by a groomer with specific experience.
Lesson 8. How does coat texture change with age, health and clipping history?
Coat texture changes with age, hormones, health, nutrition, season and clipping history, becoming softer, coarser, thinner or patchier, and sudden change deserves a vet check.
Lesson 9. What is the undercoat, and what does it do?
The undercoat is the soft, dense layer beneath the guard hairs that insulates against cold and heat, and it needs regular brushing to stay loose, clean and dry.
Lesson 10. How do you check coat condition by touch and sight?
Coat condition is checked by sight and touch together, looking at shine, evenness and skin, and feeling for texture, density, tangles, dampness and lumps.
Lesson 11. What do coat changes sometimes signal, and when do they need a vet?
Coat changes can signal seasonal renewal, ageing or grooming effects, but sudden, patchy, itchy or sore change, or change paired with illness signs, needs a vet assessment.
Lesson 12. How do you match a grooming routine to a mixed or unknown coat?
A mixed or unknown coat is matched area by area, using the more demanding trait in each area, with a trial routine adjusted from tangle, shedding and drying evidence over a few weeks.