# Is this the coat transformation?



## flyingduster (Sep 6, 2009)

the coat change is not when the adult coat is growing in (it starts growing in from a fairly young age, which is usually when you can see changes happening in the texture etc), but the change is noted more by when the puppy coat is coming OUT. When that happens, you get knots. Lots and lots of knots! Daily brushing at a minimum, if not _more_ than once a day is needed while that puppy coat is loosening off from the skin. This usually happens around 8-14 months of age, and can last for a couple of weeks or a month!


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## Fluffyspoos (Aug 11, 2009)

Wait wait, their hair falls OUT?! I did not know that! I just thought those same strands started growing in different!


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## Olie (Oct 10, 2009)

I didn't know that either TBH. I had wondered....


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## partial2poodles (Feb 11, 2010)

As a groomer, people LOVE that lush full puppy coat. I refer to it as the DREAM COAT stage. Dream eventually can turn into nighmares if not properly cared for. It doesn't matter if its a yorkie, bichon or poodle. All the non-shedders go thru coat change. Smaller dogs start at around 6 months and bigger dogs around 8 months. In my opinion it lasts till ALMOST the 2nd birthday. I am terribly busy all the time. I have NEVER gone past 12 months without a strip-down with all my own dogs....except my current new toy poodle. He is 10 months without a knot or strip down. I DO him abut every 
3rd day,,bathe and blowdry and comb every single inch of him. The dead hair releases from the skin but has nowhere to go. Its too curly to fall out on the floor so it stays IN the coat. Everyday a few more hairs die and release. That's why they have to be line combed out every day if you don't want to have a super short or choppy haircut. Its tempting to get the scissors and take out a chunk but it starts with a chunk on the head, behind the ears, the hocks, the front legs and before you know it, its the dreaded weedwacker look. I tell people very honestly....if you want a floor-length shih tzu or a full coated poodle, lets keep it managable for you till they are 2. AFTER that, you can do pretty much anything you want. None of my clients REALLY do much home grooming....they want me to do it for them and they just want to enjoy the bundle of fluff when it comes home.


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## flyingduster (Sep 6, 2009)

yup, all dogs MOULT, even poodles. Just poodles don't _shed_ their coat; it loosens off at the base and like p2p said; it has no where to go and just sits in the coat, but it isn't anchored any more and just tangles up.

Their hair HAS to moult out from time to time, yes it does continue to grow and the moulting out is so gradual you don't really realise, but it does 'shed' out from the follicle. It's much the same as our hair too, I know I can get a fair bit of hair in my brush every morning (ok, my hair breaks alot too, I know! But some of it is long hair from the root too!) but I'm certainly not going bald; it's the natural cycle of hair growing and dieing.


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