Course 02 · Reading the Coat · Lesson 10 of 12
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.
Coat condition is checked by sight and touch together, because appearance alone can hide tangles, packed undercoat, dampness and skin problems, while touch alone can miss colour, flaking and patchiness. A good check looks at shine, evenness, colour and skin, and feels for texture, density, tangles, dampness, heat, swelling and lumps. It should be done in good light, in the same order each time, with the dog relaxed and the coat dry unless a bath check is intended. The check takes a few minutes and gives a baseline for what is normal for that dog, so change can be spotted early. It is part of every pre-groom check, not a separate occasion.
What should sight tell you?
Sight should show a coat that is reasonably even in length and texture for its type, with a natural shine rather than a dull, greasy or dusty appearance. The coat should part to reveal skin that is a normal colour for the dog, without widespread redness, flaking, sores or parasites. Hair loss should be even and seasonal rather than patchy or one-sided, and the coat should not have bald patches, broken hairs or a musty appearance. Colour change, such as reddening of light hair from licking, can indicate that the dog is worrying at an area, and that area deserves a closer look. Photographs in the same light, taken weeks apart, can help judge whether a visual change is real, since memory of shine and colour is unreliable.
What should touch tell you?
Touch should find a coat that feels clean and consistent for its type, with no sticky, greasy or gritty patches, no damp areas that should be dry, and no heat or swelling under the surface. Running hands through the coat should reveal tangles, mats, burrs and debris, and parting the coat should show skin that feels smooth and dry. The undercoat, where present, should feel soft and loose, not packed or felted. Lumps, bumps, warts and tender spots should be noted by location and size, without pressing hard or squeezing. A dog that flinches, turns or moves away from touch in one area may be sore there, and that area should be left alone until a vet or groomer has advised. Touch is an inspection, not a massage, and it should be gentle and systematic.
How do you use a comb as a checking tool?
A comb is a checking tool as well as a grooming tool, because it finds what a brush misses. After brushing, a comb should pass through each section of the coat without snagging. Snagging shows a tangle, packed undercoat or debris that needs more work or professional help. The comb should be used with the teeth pointing in the direction of growth, with the coat held above the section so the skin is not pulled. For curly and long coats, the comb check is essential, since the surface can look neat while tangles hide underneath. For short coats, the comb check is quicker but still useful for finding burrs and skin changes. A comb with smooth, rounded teeth and no sharp edges is the right tool, and it should be cleaned after each use.
How often should condition be checked, and what should be noted?
Condition should be checked at every grooming session, with a fuller check monthly that includes notes on coat, skin, nails, ears, teeth and weight. Notes should record the date, what was seen and felt, where any finding was, and whether it has changed. A monthly review of notes often reveals gradual change that daily observation misses, such as a coat becoming duller, shedding increasing, or a lump growing slowly. If a finding is worrying, the note should include when it was first seen and a photograph if the dog is comfortable, so a vet can judge change. Records should describe observations, not diagnoses, and should prompt professional help rather than replace it.
What does a workable checklist look like?
- Good light, same order, dog relaxed. 2. Sight: shine, evenness, colour, skin, hair loss pattern. 3. Touch: texture, density, tangles, dampness, heat, lumps. 4. Comb check every section after brushing. 5. Note findings with date and location.
When should you stop and get help?
Get vet help for sudden, patchy or one-sided hair loss, red, sore or broken skin, lumps that are new, growing or painful, bleeding, discharge, or coat change paired with itching, lethargy or appetite change. Get groomer help for tangles or mats that cannot be combed out safely. Do not treat skin or coat problems at home, do not cut out mats, and do not use medicated products without vet advice. Stop grooming over sore skin and seek professional assessment.
Sight and touch together give a fuller picture than either alone, and a few minutes of systematic checking at each session will catch most coat problems while they are still small and simple to address.
Further reading
- PDSA, dog care guidance
- American Kennel Club, grooming guidance
- RSPCA, pet care guidance