# Blowing coat? And shedding...



## heatherk (Feb 24, 2011)

This is sort of a continuation of a previous thread (http://www.havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=16292) about blowing coat. I've been thinking about it ever since this thread came up, but I didn't want to hijack that thread so...

As far as I can tell, Ceylon has never blown coat - at least, not in the way that others have described it. He needed constant thorough brushing (2-3 times a week) between about 5-6 months old and 8-9 months old to prevent matts (I would always find a couple of matts, but nothing serious) but after that, his coat was super easy to take care of. After ~8-9 months, I would bathe him once a week or every week and a half, and would do a thorough combing out either before or after his bath and a quick combing a few times in between. The only time I had any real issue with his coat was when I let his full bathing/combing lapse for about 2 1/2 weeks before Christmas (12 months old) (he had a mild skin infection that we had to treat with stuff on his belly where the infection was, so he wore a onesie during that time when we weren't home to keep him from licking at it, and to be honest I was a bit afraid to bathe him during that time so he never got a full bath either). I surface brushed him during that time of course, but then it was Christmas and I put a cute Christmas sweater on him on top of his harness for 2 days to visit family, and when we got back home, he was literally matted down to his skin on almost all of his body. Omg, I thought I was the worst doggie mom ever... but, although it took 3 marathon (~8 hours long each) grooming sessions, I managed to untangle his hair back to pretty much its normal state.

Well, I took that lesson to heart of course, and haven't lapsed on the bathing or grooming since then (and never ever will again). So, we're back to the full bath every 1- 1 1/2 weeks, full grooming about that many times, and quick groomings in between. And just like before, I will sometimes find a matt or two, but nothing major.

He is 14 1/2 months - have I missed his blowing coat? Is it still to come??

Also, I know that Havs are not really 'non-shedding' dogs - no dogs are - but, I thought Havs weren't really supposed to noticeably shed - but, he sheds, quite a bit! I often have to use the sticky rolley thing on my coat or sweaters before I can wear them to work, since they will be pretty well covered in his long hairs. Maybe this is just sort of a long drawn-out blowing coat session? Or what? Do other havs shed like that?

His coat is pretty silky, always has been. I have tried to figure out how to tell what his undercoat is like from the internet but I still can't tell if he has any undercoat, or whether it's thick or thin or what. Having already dealt with the worst sort of matting (it was matted from neck to tail, both top and bottom, and down to the skin, that time after Christmas), I am pretty sure that I can deal with anything else that comes our way as long as I stay on top of it, but, I just don't know what to expect! So, any advice would be appreciated! 

Thanks in advance...


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## heatherk (Feb 24, 2011)

P.S. - his fur is silky, but still fairly thick, and his skin is healthy (after that first infection, which was bacterial but apparently fairly common, I examine his skin every time I comb it). I.e., he isn't shedding because of any sort of skin thing as far as I can tell, and, I examine his skin very closely every time I comb him now lol.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

not sure about the shedding, but can I say ...:rant::croc: that you haven't had coat blowing!!!?? sigh ... lucky duck!


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

I think when you spay or neuter them it changes their coat pretty drastically. I might even venture to say that some might think the post spay matting would be due to blowing coat, but the hormones really make a difference on the texture and growth. I spayed Gucci later when she was a full grown adult so we didn't have any issues before 12 months on her coat. Just a theory, of course..

Matting is no fun no matter when it happens though  arggghh.

Kara


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Thumper said:


> I think when you spay or neuter them it changes their coat pretty drastically. I might even venture to say that some might think the post spay matting would be due to blowing coat, but the hormones really make a difference on the texture and growth. I spayed Gucci later when she was a full grown adult so we didn't have any issues before 12 months on her coat. Just a theory, of course..
> 
> Matting is no fun no matter when it happens though  arggghh.
> 
> Kara


I've never had a girl, so can't speak to how/whether spaying changes their coat. Kodi was neutered at 7 months, and there was NO change to his coat that I could see. He didn't start blowing coat until months after that, and now, his adult coat doesn't look substantially different from any of the King's breeding dogs from what I can see.

Also, I have friends who have show Havs, so dogs who have not been neutered/spayed and they have gone through horrible coat blows with their youngsters. So while I'm not saying that spaying can't bring it on early,(I can't comment on that one way or the other) spay/neuter isn't the REASON that Havs blow coat.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Heather, Pam King has told me that a few Hav's DON'T blow coat, but lose their baby coat much more slowly, so that it doesn't cause mats and people don't even notice. I think you are just lucky!:biggrin1: OTOH, he's young enough still that I'm not sure you are COMPLETELY out of the woods yet! If he gets to two without ever blowing coat, I'd believe it.:biggrin1:

OTOH, Kodi really didn't mat AT ALL until he started to seriously blow coat, so it's possible that the occasional matting that you saw on Cey when he was a bit younger WERE a sign that he was blowing coat in a subtle way.

As far as his continued shedding, do a search, and I think you'll find that this subject has come up before. There are at least a few people who DO have Havs who shed noticeably. Kodi isn't one of them, thankfully!


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

Augie was neutered later, at 17 months. I don't think his coat is as nice as it was before he was neutered. I feel like I have finally found a shampoo/conditioner combo now that seems to be working better with his coat and that is helping. Although, since May, it has been Finn that has beaten the heck out of it. Augie did not blow coat until sometime around 14 months. And it was not nearly as bad as some on the forum have described and what we are going through with Finn. I do remember being stunned when I found huge mats behind his ears, under his chin and in his jowl area. But once I got those removed, and was diligent about keeping him combed thoroughly, it wasn't horrid. He did have two more times where he matted more than usual, I am thinking at about 18 months and close to 2 years - maybe 20 months.


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## heatherk (Feb 24, 2011)

Thanks everybody for your answers . I am hoping (knock on wood) that Karen's thought that perhaps Cey might be one of those lucky havs that Pam King mentioned that shed their baby coat slowly over time is correct. Guess we will have to wait to see - I will definitely let everybody know if he does start to noticeably blow coat .


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## ClaireVoyant (Jan 26, 2012)

Thumper said:


> I think when you spay or neuter them it changes their coat pretty drastically. I might even venture to say that some might think the post spay matting would be due to blowing coat, but the hormones really make a difference on the texture and growth. I spayed Gucci later when she was a full grown adult so we didn't have any issues before 12 months on her coat. Just a theory, of course..


I sincerely believe there's something to this. It's a fact, when humans go through that "change of life" menopause for women and Low T for men . . .they experience subtle changes in their hair and skin. The hormones keep our bodies "young" for a reason . . .women in child bearing years should be young to ensure they're around to see their children to adulthood. If a young complete hysterectectomy patient isn't provided replacement hormones, she experiences changes much earlier than her older counterpart.

When a dog is spayed or neutered . . .their tubes aren't simply tied, it's not a vasectomy . . .the organs that produce sex hormones are completely removed. It only stands to reason, there would be physical changes in the skin and hair. While some dogs change may be more subtle than others, just as it is in Humans.


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

heatherk said:


> Thanks everybody for your answers . I am hoping (knock on wood) that Karen's thought that perhaps Cey might be one of those lucky havs that Pam King mentioned that shed their baby coat slowly over time is correct. Guess we will have to wait to see - I will definitely let everybody know if he does start to noticeably blow coat .


 From what you have explained it sounds to me you do a excellent job of keeping him mat free. Maybe thats why you haven't noticed. I feel like I'm out of the woods with blowing coat when I can just spend time once a week grooming. What you experienced at Christmas sounds much worse than any stage of blowing coat. Sounds like you were very gentle getting all the harness and sweater mats out. 
Zoeys coat gets a thick wide like felting going on when she is going threw her coat change. I have a hard time seeing the under coat too.


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