coat changes

[Rosalyn Ancrum]

Hi guys.  My daughter asked me this question today and I told her that I would check with my expert buddies.  When will  the adult coat start coming ?  I know I saw it mentioned before but I can't recall at what age.  Also when should she begin taking her pup to the groomers for professional grooming?

[Stacy]

Katie doesn't mat either. Except her armpits. And she turns into a whirling dervish when I try to comb there. It's like she's guarding the queens jewels in there or something. She always comes back from the groomer with them shaved. But you can't see it, so it doesn't look bad. 

Maggie is the one who mats. And she absolutely hates being combed, so it's hard. I think she looks so cute longer, but it's such a struggle it's not worth it. She's doing better with her ears and face. I refuse to have short ears. But her tail. She hates it being combed. Even when there aren't tangles. She doesn't like her tail touched ever. We get through it. But because she doesn't like it I don't do it frequently enough, so it's a bigger battle when I do. It's hard to know what the right thing is. It would be easier to comb if we did it every day, but I'm not sure she would like it better. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Maggie has the curliest coat of your three, so that makes sense. 

[Stacy]

I've talked to the groomer about it before too. She said the texture is just different. Freshly groomed Maggie's hair is as soft as could possibly be. I don't think Katie's hair is ever quite as soft. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The softer coats are the ones that tangle the worst. 

[Rosalyn Ancrum]

Stacy,

I went back and viewed some pictures of your Maggie.  Her coat does look so soft. It makes you want to just run your hands through it.    Do you all think the lighter color coats factor into the matting too?  I see Maggie is light color and Koda is light  too.  i know Koda will lighten up even more since she's just a baby.

[Stacy]

I actually do think that the white tangles more than black, but I know not everyone agrees with that. I just know that when I had black and white papillons the black was silkier and the white was cottonier and tangled more. I have a theory that the melanin in the darker coat effects the texture. But that's really just a random theory that may not have any basis in reality. 

[Rosalyn Ancrum]

Yes Stacy, I am no expert but from what I am observing it seems like the lighter colors mat more. The darker colors also appear silkier.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

No basis in purebred Poodles. Dark coats are the same as light in terms of texture, tangling and matting.

[Rosalyn Ancrum]

Here is a picture of Koda.  Sorry I can't rotate it correctly.

[Stacy]

Such a sweet face!

[Rosalyn Ancrum]

Thanks she is a sweetheart.  She is 4 months this week. Even my yorkie, Khloe loves her and that says a lot.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

She's just adorable!