# Jack's adult coat?



## cindysilver (May 15, 2005)

Jack turns seven months old on Friday, which I thought was too early to get his adult coat... but along his back, between his shoulder blades and just behind his tail, his hair has become quite coarse and not nearly as soft and cat-fur-like as it used to be... Is this the same place your pups got their adult fur first? And will it always feel so coarse? I love his soft fur and would hate to see it gone... But of course I'd still love him!


----------



## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

That is a little odd...are you sure the coat wasn't pulled out or damaged in some way to make it course? 

I just bathed/blew out the dog every 3-4 days once they started changing coat...usually around 9 months.


----------



## hambys97 (Feb 25, 2005)

I know that it was about 10 months when Frosty began to get thicker in her breast area. She has areas of hair that are so thick, and silky soft. And then other areas that are still cottony. She is now 1.5 years, when will the adult coat be completely in, or will she always be a mixture of textures?


----------



## cindysilver (May 15, 2005)

Actually, JMM, I did notice that the hair that is coarse is the hair that is always mussed by his harness (which he wears pretty much all day long but not at night). Do you think the harness is damaging the hair? Should I use a conditioner to leave in along those areas?

Hmm...


----------



## lethalfire (Sep 7, 2005)

Oh wow, I am glad this topic was posted I was just wondering
myself if their coats change from when they are puppies. My little
Cosmo is only 12 weeks, I have a LONG ways to go I know, but his
coat seems cottony to me and I was wondering if He was just going
to have a cottony coat or if they get silkier as they get older. Either
way I love him and always will, it's just like if one of my skin babies ended
up with thick or curly hair I wouldn't stop loving them or love them any
less either. I was just curious.


----------



## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

From everything I've heard, cottony puppy coats will stay cottony and silky coats can go either way.

Doesn't seem fair, does it?

Did you see Cosmo's parents? That should give you a good idea of what grownup Cosmo will look like, although just like with skin kids, there's no guarentee.

Unless you had your heart set on keeping him a full coat, the good news is that cottony coats look great in puppy cuts since they are so fluffy!


----------



## lethalfire (Sep 7, 2005)

Thanks for replying, I'm actually planning on keeping him in a puppy
cut, but thought if his hair turned silkier I would try the long coat
atleast once. Like I said it won't break my heart his is my precious
Cosmo no matter what. 

I'm not even sure if his coat is cottony he has thick fur and it seems
to seperate in it's own sections so I would say that would fall under
cottony.


----------



## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

> _Originally posted by cindysilver_@Sep 21 2005, 10:11 AM
> *Actually, JMM, I did notice that the hair that is coarse is the hair that is always mussed by his harness (which he wears pretty much all day long but not at night).  Do you think the harness is damaging the hair?  Should I use a conditioner to leave in along those areas?
> 
> Hmm...
> <div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=101722*


[/QUOTE]

Good detective work. I bet the coat is breaking. The harness could definately be causing the breakage and then the coat is dry and brittle. I never used a harness on my dogs. I used with a show lead or a greyhound style martingale collar/lead combo that I had made to fit. 

Every few baths I like to do a heavy conditioner of straight Coat Handler left in for 5-10 minutes (Wrap the dog in a warm towel while you wait), then rinse. I usually leave a light rinse of Coat Handler in the coat after this.


----------



## cindysilver (May 15, 2005)

Jackie, thanks SO much! I knew it was probably something that I was doing wrong, since I knew he's too young still to get his adult coat (and plus, the adult coat is supposed to be just thicker than his puppy coat, and not so much more rough!!)







I am getting Coat Handler to try that, and I will work on controlling Jack's run of craziness at all exciting people and dogs while we're out, so he can wear a show collar/lead instead of the harness (which I just use because he's so lunge-y that he might hurt himself against the lead if I used just a collar).

Thanks again! So much appreciation. (and again, I just wanted to let you know how Mikey's agility pictures are the main reason I chose a Maltese as a pet -- what a glorious beautiful boy he was.)


----------



## Matilda's mommy (Jun 1, 2005)

Where do you buy Coat Handler? Matilda will be 5 months on the 28th, is she to young to use coat handler?


----------



## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Lots of dog catologs carry it. I usually order from Cherrybrook (http://www.cherrybrook.com). I use the Groomer's 15:1 Shampoo and the 15:1 Conditioner. You can really play with the dilution to figure out what works best on your dog's coat for the conditioner. You can leave a really light rinse of the conditioner in as well. I never used whitening shampoo either. I just shampood twice with a less dilute Coat Handler shampoo.


----------



## cindysilver (May 15, 2005)

Well, November 23 was Jack's 9 month birthday, and just as Jackie (JMM) said, the adult coat has begun to grow in!

The roughness of the coat before was the harness breaking the coat across his back; so now I am sure to always extra-condition there, and to take off his harness as soon as we come inside from walks. Problem being that he likes to take brief 2-minute potty-break walks like 10 times a day... so... the hair is still a bit rough there.

But.... the ADULT COAT. Jack has NEVER had a tangle, NEVER NEVER. His hair is now about 4 inches long all over (except for head/face , where I like it short, because if it gets long, then he looks like an ancient old man







) So.... the other day I was brushing him as I do every day, and I noticed the brush kept "CATCHING" on something under his front leg... I looked, and it was a tangle!! A tiny little knot just hidden in his armpit.







I took my time and combed it out (actually it just kind of pulled out the knot and it was just stuck in the comb, poor baby Jack did not like this at all).... 

I thought it was a one time thing, but now, he has little knots like that under his belly EVERY DAY and under his legs, and on the middle of his belly!!







He is so unhappy when I'm trying to comb them out, and I know they're small, but I just keep imagining them getting bigger and becoming TRUE MATS as the coat continues to change!! I use Ice on Ice, and spray liberally, but they always just seem to RIP out in the end. Poor Jack.

Anyway, I didn't want to really get advice so much, as ask: HOW LONG before the change is done?? How much longer will I have to torture my puppy nightly ??









He's a cutie pie though... love him. :lol:


----------



## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

> Well, November 23 was Jack's 9 month birthday, and just as Jackie (JMM) said, the adult coat has begun to grow in!
> 
> The roughness of the coat before was the harness breaking the coat across his back; so now I am sure to always extra-condition there, and to take off his harness as soon as we come inside from walks. Problem being that he likes to take brief 2-minute potty-break walks like 10 times a day... so... the hair is still a bit rough there.
> 
> ...


What kind of brush are you using? I believe the small slicker brush is recommended for under their arms, etc.


----------



## MeandMyMalt (Sep 25, 2005)

> From everything I've heard, cottony puppy coats will stay cottony and silky coats can go either way.
> 
> Doesn't seem fair, does it?
> 
> ...


When i first got Obi his hais seemed to be in between cottony and silky but since then it has gotten much silkier, i know he doesn't have his adult coat yet because hes 7 months but i hope it stays this way, that way i can keep it long because im afraid the cottony coat with give him to many tangles. After Obi wears his halter all day i do notice the hair is more tangled so i have to brush carefully so having the hair ripped makes sense. I wouldn't worry about the coat because you cant predict whats gonna happen unless your breeder knows that their lines will come out a certain way, otherwise just wait and see!


----------



## cindysilver (May 15, 2005)

I use the CC systems 27 pin brush and the buttercomb... I had a slicker brush, but it seemed to REALLY hurt Jack's skin, and when I tried it on my arm, MAN it was like scratching me to death.... so... I stopped using it. Maybe I just need a fancier one.


----------



## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

> I use the CC systems 27 pin brush and the buttercomb... I had a slicker brush, but it seemed to REALLY hurt Jack's skin, and when I tried it on my arm, MAN it was like scratching me to death.... so... I stopped using it. Maybe I just need a fancier one.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I highly recommend the CC slicker brush. Catcher seems to really like it!! 

Here is what JMM says on her Grooming Pictorial thread:


> Slicker brush. On a coated dog, I only use this on the feet and underarms. My favorite slicker brush is the small one by Chris Christensen (not the one pictured). Otherwise get a very soft slicker and not a rounded one. On a dog with a puppy cut, you can use this on the body. JMM's Grooming Tools Pictorial[/B]


Chris Christensen Slicker Brushes


----------



## Boobookit (Dec 3, 2005)

Boy, do I love this site...now that you have answered my question on when does their coat change but I am a bit confused. (or maybe just slow!! LOL). But.....I don't know WHAT type hair Pacino has...all I know is that since I have had him and he is now 6 months old, his hair is very, very soft, straight and feels like a feather to the touch. It blows in the wind and it is beautiful...so my question would be...which type is that?

Marie & Pacino.

Oops, jhust me again with another question...what is a show collar/lead?? I just changed from a collar to a harness because Pacino gets so excited when he goes outside that I was afraid of him choking himself and/or hurting his throat.......
Marie & Pacino


----------



## Gemma (Jan 19, 2006)

I had no idea that their coat changes !







No wonder he is getting so matted. he is 16 months old and just got a real short cut, again. So is there hope that he will get less matts in future? could that have been the reason for extra matts. I sure hope so. I would love to keep his hair at least 2 or 3 inches long. No luck so far.


----------



## ConnieVa (May 9, 2005)

> Well, November 23 was Jack's 9 month birthday, and just as Jackie (JMM) said, the adult coat has begun to grow in!
> 
> The roughness of the coat before was the harness breaking the coat across his back; so now I am sure to always extra-condition there, and to take off his harness as soon as we come inside from walks. Problem being that he likes to take brief 2-minute potty-break walks like 10 times a day... so... the hair is still a bit rough there.
> 
> ...



I almost had to look and see if I had written that Cindy. Tucker is the same are and I seem to find new matts everyday. His coat is a little over 6 inches long and we really like the long coat. Most of the time he looks and feels silky but even at that his hair is so very soft. I had another malt owner look and she says he is silky but you could have fooled me. We don't have him in a harness or clothes but even at that there are always matts. I bought the tools jmm recommended and still matting. My question is........... how long does this coat change take? I really don't want to cut Tucker but I am getting closer and closer by the day.


----------



## nemo (Jan 2, 2006)

> I had no idea that their coat changes !
> 
> 
> 
> ...


OH MY GOD IS SPARKEY CUTE!!!! I HAD TO TELL YOU!!!!


----------

