Question about hair texture

[jenn D]

Mac has pretty coarse "goldish" hair sprinkled along his back. Mixed in is a softer cream fleece type of hair. So it's kind of 1/4 coarse straighter hairs and 3/4 fleece cream wavy hair. I've brushed and brush him with relatively no shedding. What comes out on the brush is similar to the amounts I get from my other doodles.
But my other doodles do not have any coarse hair. Brisby and Pickles are soft wavy fleece. Jake is soft very curly wool but the texture of those 3 are consistent on their bodies.

So I'm thinking this is just how Mac is made. I'm wondering if any fish oil would help his coat. Lord knows he loves his Acana food now after being on Kirkland/Costco food. It doesn't really matter how soft he is on the outside because his heart is soft. But I just want to make sure his fur quality isn't an indication of something else.

A little over a week here and he is doing really well. Starting to enjoy playing ball with us and has learned to lay on the couch.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'm pretty sure that's just the texture of his hair, and has nothing to do with diet. Adding fish oil will help with dry skin or coats, but it isn't going to make coarse hair into a different kind of hair. 

What you're describing might be something called "kemp", which is something that is apparently unique to doodles out of all dog breeds in the world. I've never heard anyone except doodle breeders talk about it, and if you try doing research on it, you get information about sheep, lol. It seems that some doodles have these coarse hairs interpersed in their coats, and the coarse hairs are often another color than the rest of the coat. If you do a search, you'll find some discussions about it. 

At any rate, I wouldn't worry about it, it's not an indication of any kind of health or diet problem. 

[Enid Ferner]

Kemp comes from the Poodle coat.... Poodles that have coarser, tighter curls have more kemp in their coat. These coarser coats are the more desirable coats in the Poodle show world, they are much easier to get the desired cuts and styles that Poodle owners use when showing.
Millie had coarser hair down her back as a pup, and still does actually, as an adult. It's heavier and slightly curlier than the rest of her coat.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Sorry, but I have been unable to find one single reference to "kemp" on any poodle website. This is a term that doodle breeders use, not poodle breeders. "Kemp" is unheard of in the world of well-bred poodles. A correct poodle coat doesn't have different kinds of hairs, all of the hair is the same, and yes, it is coarse. But it is not "kemp". 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Here's a definition of kemp, it's found on Angora goats: http://www.cagba.org/mohair.shtml#kemp

Goats are the only kind of animal with which "kemp" is associated. Not dogs. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Jenn, here's an older discussion which is very similar to yours, in which these wirey hairs were discussed: 

http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/in-your-experience-with-do...

Bottom line then and now: They don't mean anything and don't matter. 

[jenn D]

Ok thanks. I figured it was just "who Mac is". But you never know with these guys because you rarely get their full true history.

[Leslie, Yogi & Maci Bear]

Yogi has these coarser hairs. It started when he was a pup as a small patch on his back near his tail when he was maybe 3-4 months old. It slowly spread up towards his neck and down his sides. It is now as you said, interspersed in with the lighter colored, softer fur on his body. It is not on his head, legs, or underbelly.
I have seen others on this website mention it.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

When Spud's adult coat came in, it was exactly like you describe.  His ears, tail, and much of his legs are soft and tight fleecy curls, where his body is tight wooly curls, especially the back and rump. 

The line down his back, also known ( at least on DK) was called Kemp.  Yes, it is a bit wild the first time you see that rump area but it blends well if you don't brush that area and when the coat is long.  

Honestly, I never or rarely brush Spud in this area.  I will comb when the coat is short  but I found poofing out that rump rather ridicules looking. Looks like an old lady with a bad perm.    I just use my fingers to separate the curls.   This way it matches the rest of the coat.   

When the coat is long, it is not noticeable and at least for us, the craziness of this area has become less with age.  Or maybe I just notice it less

[Marie and Hoka]

Hoka has this more coarse, curly hair down his spine as well. It is a little deeper in color than the rest of his fur.  He is a curly coated doodle generally.

[Enid Ferner]

"Kemp" most certainly is found in the Poodle coat, it is what makes the Poodle's coat coarser than other dog breeds. I had to laugh about it being a "Doodle thing".......did it occur to you that a "doodle" is merely a cross between a Poodle and another breed? It is actually a made up term, not a created breed. Anytime you cross two breeds you of course are going to get characteristics from both breeds, hence some "Doodles" will end up with "kemp" in their coat, which they have gotten from the Poodle parent.
The proper Poodle coat has kemp in it, but some of the more dilute colours such as the apricots and creams have been bred to have softer, looser curls which to me are nicer but as I have said, are not desirable when showing. They are harder to groom and keep in a proper Poodle cut.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'm well aware that "doodle" is a made up term, and is a cross between a poodle and another breed. 

The fact remains that nobody in the poodle world uses the term "kemp", it is used strictly by doodle breeders (which is what I meant by "doodle thing") and stems from Beverly Manners' description of labradoodle coats, which is also something that was "made up".

Poodles do not have kemp in their coats. That's a fact. They have coarse, wirey dense hair all over their bodies, and the cuts were designed around that. If you have evidence to the contrary, from any source other than a doodle breeder, please post it here. 

I am sure that these wirey coarse hairs people find in their doodles coats come from their poodle genes, but it's simply poodle hair, it's not "kemp". 

Again, kemp is a term used to describe certain types of goat hair, it has nothing to do with dogs of any breed, and certainly not poodles. 

Your statement about the proper Poodle coat and some of the colors being bred to have softer looser curls is also incorrect. No reputable Poodle breeder is deliberately breeding for softer, open coats. Again, if you have evidence to the contrary, please post it. I will be happy to post the Poodle breed standard and a discussion of proper coat type, which applies to all colors.