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KNOW YOUR PUP'S COAT

Coat Types & Breed Grooming Guide

Coat type drives everything: which shampoo we reach for, how long the dry takes, and how often your dog should come in. Find your dog’s coat below and see what works.

SIX COAT TYPES

Which one is your dog?

Smooth, short coated

Beagle, Boxer, Frenchie, Bulldog, Pit Bull

  • Shedding: Moderate to heavy
  • Brushing: Weekly
  • Bathing: Every 6 to 8 weeks
  • Tools: Bristle brush, rubber curry

Low maintenance, but they still shed. Regular baths keep skin healthy and loose hair off your couch.

The best dog grooming tools.

Medium coated

Golden Retriever, Labrador

  • Shedding: Heavy, worse in spring and fall
  • Brushing: 2 to 3 times a week
  • Bathing: Every 4 to 6 weeks
  • Tools: Slicker brush, undercoat rake

Feathering behind the ears and legs tangles first. A good blow-out clears the undercoat before it ends up on your floor.

Long, silky coated

Shih Tzu, Yorkie, Maltese

  • Shedding: Minimal
  • Brushing: Daily
  • Bathing: Every 3 to 4 weeks
  • Tools: Pin brush, metal comb

Hair grows like ours and mats without daily brushing. Tell us early if tangles are forming so we can catch them gently.

Curly and wavy

Poodle, Doodles, Bichon

  • Shedding: Minimal, but mats very easily
  • Brushing: Daily, down to the skin
  • Bathing: Every 4 to 6 weeks
  • Tools: Slicker brush, metal comb

The most mat-prone coat we see. Read the Doodle section below before your next visit.

This is a dog that is receiving a grooming treatment as the seasons change from winter to spring. It is important to give dogs professional dog grooming services during this time of shedding.

Double coated

Husky, German Shepherd, Corgi, Pyrenees

  • Shedding: Heavy, blows coat twice a year
  • Brushing: Daily during shedding season
  • Bathing: Every 6 to 8 weeks
  • Tools: Undercoat rake, slicker brush

Never shave a double coat. This is exactly what our DeShed Bath was made for.

This person is following our guide for essential tips for dog grooming at home on their dog.

Wire and rough coated

Schnauzer, most Terriers

  • Shedding: Minimal
  • Brushing: 2 to 3 times a week
  • Bathing: Every 6 to 8 weeks
  • Tools: Slicker brush, stripping tools

That crisp texture needs the right products; over-softening shampoos flatten a wire coat.

DOODLE OWNERS, READ THIS

Why Doodles mat so easily

Goldendoodles, Labradoodles, and Bernedoodles have the coat we untangle most. It is not your fault, it is genetics: curly and straight textures mixed in hair that never stops growing.

Why it happens

  • A mix of curly and straight hair textures in one coat
  • Hair grows continuously instead of shedding out
  • Soft, cottony fur that tangles fast when damp
  • Collar and harness friction creates instant mats

How to prevent it

  • Brush to the skin daily, not just the surface
  • Follow a slicker brush with a metal comb to catch hidden tangles
  • Line brush: part the hair and work in layers
  • Brush before bath time, since water tightens existing mats
  • Don't let grooming visits stretch past 8 weeks

Our honest advice: if daily brushing isn’t realistic, keep your Doodle in a shorter puppy cut. It looks adorable and saves your dog from painful de-matting. Our full de-matting policy explains how we handle matted coats humanely.

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CHEAT SHEET

How often should your breed be groomed?

General guidelines for the breeds we see most. Your dog’s lifestyle and coat condition can shift these, so ask us at your next visit.

BreedBrushing at homeBathingPro grooming
Shih TzuDailyEvery 3 to 4 weeksEvery 6 to 8 weeks
GoldendoodleDailyEvery 4 to 6 weeksEvery 6 to 8 weeks
Golden Retriever2 to 3x per weekEvery 6 to 8 weeksEvery 8 to 12 weeks
German Shepherd3 to 4x per weekEvery 6 to 8 weeksDeShed every 6 to 8 weeks
PoodleDailyEvery 4 to 6 weeksEvery 6 to 8 weeks
YorkieDailyEvery 2 to 3 weeksEvery 6 to 8 weeks
Husky2 to 3x per weekEvery 8 to 12 weeksDeShed every 8 to 12 weeks
Cocker Spaniel3 to 4x per weekEvery 4 to 6 weeksEvery 6 to 8 weeks
BeagleWeeklyEvery 6 to 8 weeksAs needed
Schnauzer2 to 3x per weekEvery 6 to 8 weeksEvery 6 to 8 weeks

Heavy shedders in spring or fall? That’s exactly what our DeShed Bath is for.

COMMON QUESTIONS

Breed grooming questions

Please don’t. A double coat insulates against heat as well as cold and protects the skin from sunburn. Shaving it can permanently damage how the coat grows back.

What actually helps: removing the loose undercoat so air can circulate. That’s our DeShed Bath, a deep bath, undercoat treatment, and high-velocity blow-out.

Almost certainly. Huskies and other double-coated breeds “blow coat” twice a year, usually spring and fall, releasing huge amounts of undercoat over a few weeks.

Daily raking during a blow and a DeShed Bath or two will get most of it out in the tub instead of on your furniture.

Yes. Their hair grows continuously, just like ours, so without regular trims it keeps growing, tangling, and matting. Most curly coats need a trim every 6 to 8 weeks.

Between haircuts, regular baths with a full brush-out and blow-dry keep the coat healthy and buy you time before the next trim.

We put comfort first. Light matting can often be worked out during the bath. Severe matting is painful to brush out, so the humane option is usually a short trim and a fresh start. We’ll always talk it through with you before doing anything; the full policy is on our FAQs page.

New here? Start with the Check-In Guide, or browse the full FAQs.

We know your dog's coat

Doodles, Shih Tzus, Goldens, Huskies, Shepherds, and every mix in between. Tell us about your pup and we’ll build the right bath around them.

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