cotton vs. silk

[dianethomas]

After doing some reading (okay, a lot of reading), I realized that Zaccheus has a cotton coat. I had originally thought that it had something to do with his birth defect. He was born with a cleft palate. But now I know that his coat is not unusual. Since both of his parents and all of his siblings have silk coats, why does my little Zacchie have a cotton coat? Is it a nutritional thing?
I don't have much trouble with it matting yet, but he's only just turning five months old.

[bchgirl]

He doesn't have his adult coat yet...it's still a puppy coat. He may still end up with a silk coat...you have awhile to wait.

As far as why some have silk and some have cotton...genetics.

[Dreamer74]

I agree you can not really tell with a puppy coat, Bella was a cottony puff ball until we shaved off her puppy coat and now she has a beautiful silky coat.

[gzarr]

Originally Posted by dianethomas

After doing some reading (okay, a lot of reading), I realized that Zaccheus has a cotton coat. I had originally thought that it had something to do with his birth defect. He was born with a cleft palate. But now I know that his coat is not unusual. Since both of his parents and all of his siblings have silk coats, why does my little Zacchie have a cotton coat? Is it a nutritional thing?
I don't have much trouble with it matting yet, but he's only just turning five months old.

My cotton girl is also just 5 1/5 months and haven't encountered any matting. So then at what age is that supposed to start?

[phfgkl]

My yorkie had her silky hair from the time I got her at 7 weeks, its always been so easy to comb through. Now my first biewer has the cottony coat, and its been like that since I got him at 5 1/2 mos. I usually keep him shaved down.

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by gzarr

My cotton girl is also just 5 1/5 months and haven't encountered any matting. So then at what age is that supposed to start?

I would think if it isn't matting it may not be a cotton coat, matting is the usual tale tell sign of a cotton coat. Even silky coats have been known to mat as a puppy. How can you be sure it's a cotton coat?

[marcerella02]

Layla has a cotton coat- when she was a puppy it was just wavy and i thought it might turn silky but it never did. She doesn't mat- but she does need to be brushed every day or i think she would mat. I love her curls- especially when she is wet

[adorame]

My Jeter, who is 14 months old, seems to have a silky coat, his hair is easy to comb and care for. It's alway's been wonderfully silky sense he came home to me at 10 weeks of age. The only thing I would change about his coat, is it's thickness, he has a thinner coat.

Axl's is 6 1/2 months old and hair is cotton coat with out a doubt! His hair has a wave to it and it mats easily. I have to comb him every day or else he would be one big mat! I am now using Garnier Fructis Shine spray on him after his bath and it helps make it silk-ish. I accidently grabbed it by mistake once when I thought I had grabbed the doggy spray between baths to help keep them smelling fresh, it ended up being a mice mistake as I love what it did to his coat

Yumi Yasha I am not sure of, she seems to have gone through a change. She is 6 1/2 months old and her hair is just starting to get growing longer and thicker and it is coming in silky, I think!

[gzarr]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

I would think if it isn't matting it may not be a cotton coat, matting is the usual tale tell sign of a cotton coat. Even silky coats have been known to mat as a puppy. How can you be sure it's a cotton coat?

Well, I had a yorkie growing up and remember his coat to be thinner, shinny and smooth-never a snarl. My girl now is more fluffy, thicker and softer. It looks drier vs. shiny and in the light her back reflects brown or red. Never blue. I am totally guessing, but I assuming that she would be a cotton coat. What's the difference between a cotton and modified? Maybe that's what she is? But, there is definitely no questioning that she's not a silky.

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by gzarr

Well, I had a yorkie growing up and remember his coat to be thinner, shinny and smooth-never a snarl. My girl now is more fluffy, thicker and softer. It looks drier vs. shiny and in the light her back reflects brown or red. Never blue. I am totally guessing, but I assuming that she would be a cotton coat. What's the difference between a cotton and modified? Maybe that's what she is? But, there is definitely no questioning that she's not a silky.

I thought coat type was separate from color. I just thought all cotton coats matted, and if it didn't mat, it wasn't cotton, I have more to learn in this area too. The yorkie is a complex dog.

[dianethomas]

I am very sure that Zaccheus has a cotton coat, but not being very long yet, we have had no problems with matting. But the interesing thing is that he is going on seven months old, and he is still almost as black as when he was born. Only his head has lightened a little, and not like the rest of the litter, whose hair got 'roots' and came in blue-gray and tan.

[gzarr]

Originally Posted by dianethomas

I am very sure that Zaccheus has a cotton coat, but not being very long yet, we have had no problems with matting. But the interesing thing is that he is going on seven months old, and he is still almost as black as when he was born. Only his head has lightened a little, and not like the rest of the litter, whose hair got 'roots' and came in blue-gray and tan.

I feel like I'm in the same boat with you. Isla's hair is definitley not silky, but then, what? She is almost 6 months, and she, too, is just as black as when I got her. No roots or outgrowth except on her head, which actually is getting somewhat lighter. Her tan on her body is also a rich tan with golden to red hues. Not the typical. The only time her black on her back changes color is in the sun and then it's got a browny/red hue. Occasionally there is a blue hue in the reflected light, but not very often. Conditions have to be perfect! Who knows???

[ch774]

Here is my silky (Bella) and Jack who is a cotty Jack is 1-year and 7mts and Bella is 9-mts.


Cheryl/jack/bella

[celstu1]

My Dexter was born a cotton coat and stayed a cotton coat and his 3 siblings were silky coats. I could tell what my boys were when I got them at 9 weeks old (I have 2 brothers from the same litter). My other boy has a silky coat. Dexter started matting pretty bad around the 9 month mark I noticed. He had his first grooming at 11months old. I remember that much. I tried to brush him daily to keep up with the mats but it got to be too much work, so he got and has kept a puppy cut all his life. He'll never have a long coat, its so much work, he mats sooo easily! The mats brush out easily though, if you have a pup that does not mind being brushed and you have an hour a day to do his whole body! haha I didnt have either there!

I don't know if this is true or not for all pups I did hear it on here once awhile ago and its true for my boys. If your pup has a cotton coat his/her eyes will glow red... if he/she has a silky coat the eyes will glow green.

first pic is puppy pic, dex is closer
second pic is this summer - 3 years old - dex is further (dex is the cotton coat)

[ch774]

I have found on Jack if I condition his hair with cholesterol conditioning treatment every other time/it tames his hair down and makes it softer.



On Bella, she is so fine hair she gets it not so much.


Cheryl