Not all dog coats are created equal. Here's how to identify and work with every major coat type — from smooth and short to double, wire, and curly.
A groomer's ability to read a coat before picking up a tool is one of the most underrated skills in the profession. The same approach that works perfectly on a Poodle will damage a Husky's coat. Understanding coat types isn't just academic — it directly affects the quality of your work and the outcomes you produce.
Smooth-coated dogs — Greyhounds, Boxers, Beagles, Vizslas — have a short, close-lying coat with little to no undercoat. These are the easiest coats to maintain and require minimal professional grooming: a bath, blow-dry, nail trim, and ear clean. The coat lies flat and doesn't tangle or mat.
What owners often don't realize: smooth-coated dogs often shed more than they expect. A rubber grooming mitt or hound glove used during bathing dramatically reduces shedding and stimulates the skin. It's a quick add-on service that owners appreciate.
Double-coated breeds have a dense, soft undercoat beneath a coarser outer coat. This combination regulates temperature in both directions and provides protection from elements. Examples include German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Huskies, Malamutes, and Chow Chows.
The primary grooming challenge with double coats is managing shedding, particularly during seasonal coat blows in spring and fall. Professional deshedding treatments — thorough brushing, proper bathing technique, and high-velocity drying to blow out loose undercoat — are the high-value service for these breeds.
Never shave a double coat. The structure that makes these coats functional is permanently disrupted when shaved, and regrowth is often uneven and textually different from the original coat.
Breeds like Yorkies, Maltese, Shih Tzus, and Afghan Hounds have a single-layer coat that grows long and silky. These coats don't have the insulating undercoat and tend to drape rather than puff. They mat easily in high-friction areas and require regular brushing to maintain.
Working on single-layer long coats requires light-handed detangling — the fine, silky texture can break easily with aggressive brushing. Detangling spray and working in sections from the ends up to the roots prevents unnecessary damage.
Poodles, Bichon Frisés, and most doodle crosses have curly or wavy coats that grow continuously and don't shed in the traditional sense. The loose hair stays caught in the surrounding curls, which is where mats originate. These coats require the most frequent professional maintenance and the most at-home brushing.
The tighter the curl, the faster it mats and the more frequent the grooming appointments need to be. A wavy doodle can go 8 weeks between appointments with good home care. A tight-curled standard poodle left 8 weeks without brushing will be significantly matted.
Wire-coated breeds — most terriers and schnauzers — have a harsh, bristly outer coat over a softer undercoat. The correct way to maintain these coats is hand stripping: pulling out the dead outer coat rather than cutting it. Clipping softens the coat texture over time but is acceptable for most pet dogs.
Wire coats have a specific feel — they should feel harsh and bristly, almost prickly, when in proper condition. If a wire coat feels soft, it's been clipped rather than stripped, and the correct texture will only return through stripping and full regrowth.
Online booking, automated reminders, deposit collection, and client management — all in one place built for groomers.
Try Free for 14 Days →