Puppy Grooming by Coat Type: Grooming Needs by Coat Type

What Are the Smooth and Short Coats?

Smooth-coated breeds include Labradors, Beagles, Boxers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Dachshunds (smooth variety), and Whippets. These coats appear low-maintenance but still require regular grooming. Weekly brushing with a rubber curry mitt or soft bristle brush removes loose hair, distributes natural skin oils, and allows you to check for skin problems, parasites, and lumps.

Smooth coats shed year-round with heavier shedding seasons in spring and autumn. During heavy shedding periods, increase brushing to 2 to 3 times per week to manage loose hair. A rubber curry mitt is particularly effective for smooth coats as it lifts loose undercoat while massaging the skin, promoting healthy circulation.

Bathing smooth-coated puppies should be infrequent: once every 4 to 8 weeks or when visibly dirty. Over-bathing strips natural oils and can cause dry, flaky skin. Use a dog-specific shampoo formulated for sensitive puppy skin. Smooth-coated breeds generally do not need professional grooming unless you prefer someone else to handle bathing and nail trimming. Start handling your puppy’s coat, paws, ears, and mouth from 8 weeks so grooming becomes an accepted routine. Our grooming schedule guide provides a complete timeline.

What Are the Wire and Rough Coats?

Wire-coated (also called rough or broken-coated) breeds include Border Terriers, Wire Fox Terriers, Schnauzers, Airedale Terriers, and Wire-Haired Dachshunds. These coats consist of a harsh outer coat and a softer undercoat. Proper maintenance involves hand-stripping: manually removing dead outer coat hairs by pulling them out by the root, which encourages new, healthy coat growth with correct texture and colour.

Hand-stripping should be done every 6 to 8 weeks and can be done at home with practice or by a professional groomer experienced with wire coats. Start introducing your puppy to the sensation of gentle coat pulling from 12 weeks so they are comfortable with the process when their first proper strip is due at around 6 months. Many pet owners opt for clipping instead of stripping, which is quicker and easier but changes the coat texture over time, making it softer and potentially altering the colour.

Between stripping sessions, brush wire coats 2 to 3 times weekly with a slicker brush and metal comb. Focus on areas prone to matting: behind the ears, under the legs, and around the beard and eyebrows (which are characteristic features of many wire-coated breeds). Facial hair may need regular trimming to keep it tidy and out of the dog’s eyes. Our grooming schedule details when to start professional grooming for wire coats.

What Are the Long and Silky Coats?

Long-coated breeds include Shih Tzus, Yorkshire Terriers, Maltese, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Afghan Hounds, and Rough Collies. These coats require the most daily maintenance of any coat type. Without daily brushing, long coats mat rapidly, causing painful skin pulling, restricted movement, and hidden skin infections. Matted coats are a welfare concern and may require complete shaving under sedation in severe cases.

Daily brushing with a slicker brush followed by a metal comb through the entire coat is essential. Work through the coat in sections, starting at the ends of the hair and working towards the skin to avoid pulling. If you encounter a tangle, hold the hair between the mat and the skin to prevent pulling, and work the tangle out gently with a dematting comb or by separating with your fingers.

Professional grooming every 6 to 8 weeks is necessary for most long-coated breeds. This includes bathing, blow-drying (essential for preventing matting in long coats), trimming, sanitary clips, nail trimming, and ear cleaning. Professional grooming for long-coated breeds costs 30 to 60 pounds per session in most of the UK. Many owners of pet (non-show) long-coated dogs choose a shorter puppy clip that is easier to maintain between professional sessions. Our grooming schedule covers building a grooming routine from puppyhood.

What Are the Double Coats?

Double-coated breeds include German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Border Collies, Siberian Huskies, Akitas, and Corgis. These breeds have a dense, insulating undercoat beneath a longer, weather-resistant outer coat. The double coat provides insulation in both winter (warmth) and summer (protection from heat and UV), which is why shaving double-coated breeds is not recommended by UK veterinary dermatologists.

Regular brushing 2 to 3 times per week with an undercoat rake and slicker brush keeps the double coat healthy and manages shedding. During the twice-yearly coat blow (when the undercoat sheds heavily, typically in spring and autumn), daily brushing is needed for 2 to 3 weeks to remove loose undercoat. Deshedding tools like the Furminator are effective during heavy shedding but should not be used excessively as they can damage the outer coat.

Double-coated breeds do not typically need professional grooming unless the owner prefers assistance with bathing (drying a thick double coat thoroughly at home is challenging) or during the heavy shedding season. Professional deshedding treatments (bath with deshedding shampoo and conditioner, thorough blow-dry, and brushing) cost 30 to 60 pounds and can remove a significant amount of loose undercoat in a single session. Our grooming schedule covers seasonal grooming adjustments for double coats.

What Are the Curly and Wool Coats?

Curly-coated breeds include Poodles, Bichon Frises, Cockapoos, Labradoodles, Portuguese Water Dogs, and Bedlington Terriers. These breeds have continuously growing hair (rather than fur that sheds) which must be trimmed regularly. The advantage is minimal shedding; the trade-off is high grooming maintenance and regular professional grooming costs.

Daily brushing with a slicker brush is essential for curly coats. Without it, the curls mat rapidly and severely. Brush to the skin, not just the surface of the curls, as mats form at the base where they are invisible. A metal comb run through the coat after brushing confirms there are no hidden tangles. Ear care is especially important in curly-coated breeds as hair can grow inside the ear canal, trapping moisture and causing infections.

Professional grooming every 4 to 6 weeks is necessary for curly-coated breeds. This typically costs 35 to 70 pounds per session, making curly coats the most expensive to maintain professionally. Puppy’s first professional groom should happen at around 12 to 16 weeks to introduce the grooming salon environment positively. Many groomers offer puppy introduction visits where the puppy experiences the sights, sounds, and handling without a full groom. Book early as experienced groomers for curly coats often have waiting lists. See our grooming schedule for a complete coat-type grooming calendar.