Caramel to ?

[F, Calla & Luca]

Luca, an ALD, was a caramel puppy who retained this color mainly on his ears, the back of his hind legs and his mid back. The rest of his hair became a lighter , very fine spiral fleece. The mats continue, but fewer and smaller ones, at almost 20 mos. He started awhile back to get fine , much darker hairs primarily in his back and tail and I'm wondering where he'll end up. I don't think they are kemp. The huuuge amount of hair coming out when brushing has decreased but he still loses some hair when brushed, most of the time. I know Nancy and Ned have said coat changes can go on for 2 years and some things I have read suggest 3 years! Any thoughts or experiences?

[F, Calla & Luca]

Thanks, Jane, you can see why I got hooked. Interesting that Sherlock is almost the exact same age as Luca. I wonder if anyone knows the meaning of these hairs.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Ned and I are certainly following this discussion. The darker reddish hairs on Ned's back feel soft to me also but not as soft as the creamier cottony hair on his shoulders. We do still get quite a bit out when brushing. - Well, quite a bit for a non-shedding dog that is; not quite a bit for a shedder like a lab.

[Noble Vestal Labradoodles]

sorry I deleted my prior comment. I was commenting from my phone and the other pictures did not appear.

Your dog is a caramel creme (liver noses are caramel). The hairs you see are kemp or "hair coat"

[F, Calla & Luca]

I thought that kemp was white. Also, these hairs are very fine, not coarse or stiff at all. Sorry I missed your prior comment.

[Julie B.]

I always wondered what those stiffer hairs were in Luah's coat. She started developing them around 3 months old and they are still with her at 4 years old. They are called Kemp hairs huh? I just always attributed them to the lab in her since they are very much like a lab's coat. They do not shed out but they are mixed in with her other softer curls... Interesting.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Suddenly the "kemp" in Ned is long enough and numerous enough to feel when you touch him. If you gently run your hand back and forth on his back you can feel the coarser hairs. The are curlier also. His back used to be a pretty much a non-matting area. Well, now I am having trouble getting the comb through. Yikes - is he losing the softness and still going to mat!?

[F, Calla & Luca]

Luca's hairs aren't coarse and they are straighter than the rest. So I don't know if they are the same but always did have trouble getting a comb through is coat. Many mysteries. BTW, my son saw Ned in the calendar and commented on how much he and Luca look alike.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

There is something about Luca and Ned that does look the same even though Luca has lighter eyes and nose. Maybe the expression and the way the hair grows out from their body.