# When the puppy fur sheds and the poodle hair grows?



## noob

So I've heard that poodles will shed his puppy fur once and be replaced by poodle hair eventually, any estimate when that will happen? My Toy poodle is 2 1/2 months.

Thanks!


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## 3dogs

Poodle won't "shed" it's puppy coat but will grow & grow & grow & you need to give your pup haircuts on a regular basis. The puppy coat will grow out & the adult coat will come int at the same time. You most likely will get a good deal of matting if you don't scissor, comb, bath & condition the coat on a regular basis. Some of use are going through an easy coat change as the adult hair comes in & others on here are having a bit of trouble with matting. On average here it seems that 8-12 months is the starting of coat change & usually around 2 full change has taken place.


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## partial2poodles

Actually they DO shed...the puppy coat loosens but remains trapped amongst all the curls. Just clipping the hair shorter doesn't eliminate the problems...the dead hairs must be blown and combed out so that the new living coarser hair can come thru.....it starts anytime after 6 months & lasts till age 2


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## noob

I see. Thanks for the clarifications so we can't really expect the shedding yet till around 6 mo.


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## WestCoastSpoo

Huxley is just starting his coat change at 8 months. It's insane! It started so suddenly - all of a sudden mats EVERYWHERE! Even on the top of his shoulders where he's never had a single tangle. I've brushed him every night since we got him and he's only ever had tangles in his long leg hair after playing and running outside a lot. Now as soon as I brush him out (and I mean immediately) his hair mats up again! Does this really last until he's TWO!!! I'll go insane!:crazy:

I can definitely feel his thicker, coarser hair coming in behind the soft downy puppy hair. I'm sad to see it go...my little baby is growing up! lol It's fun though to see his silver coming out and it seems like every time he gets a haircut he comes home a new color! haha


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## outwest

Bonnie hasn't had much problem with matting. I did notice her ears matting if I don't brush them for a couple days, so I started brushing them nightly because I do not want to cut them.  She has adult hair at 1 year old on most of her body. I had her cut short a few weeks ago and she is already getting curly again.  Only her lower legs seem to still have puppy hair, oh- and her tail some, although it is starting to get more substance. She is a year old. 

I think the bulk of the change comes before 18 months old.


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## noob

Can you describe what you mean by matting? 
Also, how come matting isn't a big deal when talking about owning a poodle, from the sounds of it, it seems that matting is something that is inconvenient which may happen for more than a year. I'm not complaining, we still love our toy poodle, I'm just suprised that no one has ever mentioned that from around 6 mo. to a year, we'll need to brush his hair daily.


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## Mallhopper

Omgosh....I'm going to cry when this happens! I want to keep my puppy hair! No mats! No mats! No mats! :afraid:


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## tokipoke

noob said:


> Can you describe what you mean by matting?
> Also, how come matting isn't a big deal when talking about owning a poodle, from the sounds of it, it seems that matting is something that is inconvenient which may happen for more than a year. I'm not complaining, we still love our toy poodle, I'm just suprised that no one has ever mentioned that from around 6 mo. to a year, we'll need to brush his hair daily.


Mats _can_ become a big deal. That's why it's so important to maintain the poodle coat (and any "nonshedding" coat). You can have tiny mats that can be brushed out, or big clumps. The problem occurs when the mats are left to tangle even more, trapping dirt and debris. Water makes the mats tighter if not brushed out. It will start pelting from moisture and friction. You can have a pelt over the whole dog. The dog will have to be shaved to the skin and the pelt peeled back like a carpet. Pelts like this do not let the skin breathe, causing irritation, dandruff, and even mildew growth. My spoo's coat matted frequently and terribly during his coat change (he's still going through coat change), and it started to pelt so I shaved him down. You have to keep eyes on high friction areas such as the neck (collar rubbing), behind the ears, armpits, chest/ stomach, and tail.


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## Mallhopper

tokipoke said:


> Mats _can_ become a big deal. That's why it's so important to maintain the poodle coat (and any "nonshedding" coat). You can have tiny mats that can be brushed out, or big clumps. The problem occurs when the mats are left to tangle even more, trapping dirt and debris. Water makes the mats tighter if not brushed out. It will start pelting from moisture and friction. You can have a pelt over the whole dog. The dog will have to be shaved to the skin and the pelt peeled back like a carpet. Pelts like this do not let the skin breathe, causing irritation, dandruff, and even mildew growth. My spoo's coat matted frequently and terribly during his coat change (he's still going through coat change), and it started to pelt so I shaved him down. You have to keep eyes on high friction areas such as the neck (collar rubbing), behind the ears, armpits, chest/ stomach, and tail.


Aaaaaaaccccckkkkk!!!! :afraid::ahhhhh::afraid::ahhhhh::afraid::ahhhhh:


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## WestCoastSpoo

noob said:


> Can you describe what you mean by matting?
> Also, how come matting isn't a big deal when talking about owning a poodle, from the sounds of it, it seems that matting is something that is inconvenient which may happen for more than a year. I'm not complaining, we still love our toy poodle, I'm just suprised that no one has ever mentioned that from around 6 mo. to a year, we'll need to brush his hair daily.


The "mats" on Huxley are just like clumps of tangled hair. We have always brushed him every single day so that's not a change it just takes a little longer to make sure the matted parts are (gently) combed out. He has a long-ish puppy coat right now though...I mean it's not a show clip but it's not a sporting clip either. I'd think if his hair was a lot shorter it wouldn't be that big of a deal.

I had heard about coat change before I got him and his breeder went over it with us before we took him home so I was expecting it - but now that it's here it's making me think I'm going to have to cut off all his beautiful puppy hair just to remain sane! LOL Good thing I did the group buy on Les Pooches brushes awhile back!! haha


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## tokipoke

*Please don't let your poodle get like this...*

Here are examples of extreme matting. These are what you call "once a year clients" - they let their poodles get matted so bad that they are shaved to the skin once a year, and then the whole process starts over. Owners like this wonder why their poodle can never have a nice haircut. 

For puppies, coat change is rough, but these dogs are far from puppies yet the hair can still mat. You also don't want to know what was in their ears! Think of corded poodles. That type of hair, matted dreads with icky brown, nasty smelling ear wax was in their ear! Getting the ear hair plucked once a ear is not a walk in the park.

Please take your poodle for frequent baths, blowdries, and brush-outs! Or you can do it from home.


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## Poodlenatic

I never knew about the puppies shedding. I expect the coat to change to a more coarse coat as they get older. My puppies are 9 and 7 months old. Have no problems with shedding and matting?? Perhaps it is still to come? I take them for grooming every 5-6 weeks. They are going this weekend again. In between grooming I wash them every 1-2 weeks and dry and brush them. 

@tokipoke. It is terrible that people can neglect their poodle so much. I guess that poodle feels much better now!! Look at that personality coming out!!


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