A Double coat is referred to as, a coat that is made up of a soft undercoat and a coarser topcoat. The top coat is used to repel water and shield dirt, whilst the undercoat is used to keep the dog warm in winter and cooler in summer. The topcoat can also protect the dog from the heat and UV rays.


Often the term 'fur' and 'hair' is misunderstood amongst dog owners. However the term 'fur' is actually used to describe a double coat, whilst the term 'hair' is used for single coat.


Double coated breeds need to be regularly brushed to maintain their normal shedding process. The majority of their shedding occurs during the springtime to prepare the body for the warmer months. You can often see this process happening by the tuffs of fur beginning to show through the top coat

If the coat is NOT regularly maintained the undercoat becomes impacted and matted. This then inhibits the air from circulating around the coat, causing the dog to become too hot.

Unlike humans, dogs are unable to regulate their bodies by 'sweating it out'.Instead they cool down by panting. With this in mind it is important to maintain their coats to prevent them from getting too hot to begin with.


Often clients ask to have their double coated dog shaved down for the warmer months to "keep them cool" or to "stop them loosing their fur".

In fact is highly recommended to NOT shave the double coated dog. The ONLY time it may be necessary to shave a double coated dog, would be if the dog's coat was severely matted, causing pain to the dog, to otherwise brush the matts out.

Myths surrounding shaving double coated breeds.

  1. Double coated breeds will be cooler by shaving their coats off! As mentioned previously, double coated breeds will in fact be hotter as they do not have the topcoat to shield off the sun. They are also more susceptible to sun damage to their skin.
  1. Shaving a double coated breed dog will stop their fur from shedding - A double coated breed dog will continue to shed whether they are shaved or not. The shedding fur will however be a lot shorter. Shorter fur can be more difficult to clean off your carpet or sofa.
  1. If i shave my double-coated breed dog, the coat will just grow back - Sometimes the coat will grow back, but can grow back patchy, or both types of coats may not grow back together. Or the undercoat may grow quicker than the topcoat, causing the topcoat to become matted into the undercoat. With regular brushing and natural shedding the coat may go back to normal, however this can be a long process

Overall the best way to keep your double coated dogs coat well maintained and healthy is to regularly groom them. By removing all of the loose undercoat on a regular basis, your dog will be much better off in the long run.

If you are unable to maintain your dogs coat on a regular basis, Pound Road Vet Clinic offers affordable grooming packages. Giving your dog a warm hydrobath, using a high powered drier and a de shedding tool will ensure the loose undercoat is removed. Not only will you dog feel more comfortable, your carpet, sofa and clothes will be better off too.

Angella Clarkson