Where have all the nice coats gone?

[wyattsmom]

I've been grooming for over 30 yrs. I would so much like to groom a dog, any dog, that has a coat that is correct to standard. There are so many pet stores around here selling doodle-everything, designer this and that. The really sad thing is that most of these dogs have health issues, some major, even before they see their first birthday. OH the good old days!

[Nitewalk]

People like the idea of rescuing a dog... even if it means "rescuing" it from a pet store or retail rescue. With less support for the purebred dog we are loosing much of the quality in our breeds.

[coldnose]

So true. If you know breeders in your area you might get some business from them.

[KarlaSnyder]

Yes, after over 40 years grooming. Sadly, even the purebreds can be almost unrecognizable.

[dogma]

I don't think "the good old days" are really as good as we remember.

Ive groomed long enough to remember when Poodles were the most popular breed in the US. Cotton ball texture coats, dachshund type bodies, weepy eyes, etc.

Cocker spaniels were the most popular in the 1980's. Terrible temperaments, ear infections that couldn't be cured, skin problems that would make you cry.

In the 1990's I went in search of a miniature poodle to show in obedience and use in grooming contests. All the Poodles at the shows in my area had their "coat texture" sprayed on. All soft coats, just sprayed with hair spray to make them feel correct.

I could go on and on with this but I think you see my point. It isn't any worse now then it was 40 years ago, and it wasn't good then.

[Petekids]

I've been grooming for over 30 yrs. I would so much like to groom a dog, any dog, that has a coat that is correct to standard. There are so many pet stores around here selling doodle-everything, designer this and that. The really sad thing is that most of these dogs have health issues, some major, even before they see their first birthday. OH the good old days!

And it will continue to get worse, thanks to the AR extremists who want to do away with dog breeding...period. Responsible breeders that breed for type (including coat), temperament and health are rapidly getting out of breeding. To them, it's just not worth it anymore. Years of trying to improve their breed by correct selective breeding has gone down the tubes with the advent of designer breeds that the public wants. Sadly, these designer breeds are progeny of incorrect examples of different pure-breds, bred by back yard breeders just for money. For most, the parents are not health tested, therefore genetic issues always pop up. Personally, I can't see it getting better, makes me very, very sad...

[Brit]

I agree that looks like the future.

[pugnacious]

I see many dogs that were "bred for color" with nasty temperaments and ugly hair but a popular color. I'm in an area where I rarely see anything that is a "fine" example of the breed! LOL Love going to the AKC Shows so I can see what even a basic Labrador is supposed to look like!

[dogma]

Petekids...and there have been poorly bred show dogs from the beginning of time.
Even today show dog people breed and show poor examples and unhealthy specimens of their breeds.
And in the past, and today, people breed their pets to the next door neighbor's dog with no thought to genetics. "You have a Lab, I have a Lab, let's have puppies" They charge a lot of money for the pups, and they get it.
Even in the olden-days people made "designer breeds", they were cock-a-poos, peek-a-poos, etc.

I've had many clients that have tried to "buy from a breeder" and have had disappointing results. They try to ask questions at dog shows and they get snubbed....and if they do get a dog, it has health issues. They feel taken and their next dog comes from a back yard breeder.
And it's been my experience that these mixed breeds, or pet quality purebreds, don't have any more problems then the get from show dogs.

[ItzaClip!]

Regarding poor coats it seems to be a side effect of the popular mixes. And if you're breeding for coat then other things have to give IMO. If you have ever seen the fox study on how when they started breeding for temperament the foxes came in different colors, textures and curly tails etc.
Around here the Bichon Shihtzu tzu reins supreme with schnauzer " parti " and " Merle " colors coming up fast ( curly soft cotton coat) and doodle rapidly gaining speed.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

[Countrygrl]

I don't know what a good coat is supposed to look like.......I think this is the case for many newer groomers who don't have a background in the show world. Having groomed 7 years, I have seen different coat textures and conditions on the same breed of dog. I have found this to be odd thinking a pure bred Bichon - for example - should have the same coat, however, I have seen coats that range from cottony to coarse brillo pad to soft wavy. There is no way the wavy would ever look like the dogs in the show ring. I've noticed the same type of extreme difference in the coats of yorkies.

[Dolly]

Everybody stop your barking and howling............I've been grooming for almost 30 yrs now and never have I thought that the coat that I'm working on is inappropriate for the breed. It's like saying that every human on earth should have the exact same color, texture and thickness, and if not.....should not have children to pass on that "bad genetic gene". Just remember.....it was breeders who selectively bred German Shepherds' back legs to slope down to a point that it is hard for them to run, and it was breeders who selectively bred Cavaliers' head smaller than the brain, making them go crazy. Unless you are leaning towards test tube pups, then you are going to get a mix of color, texture and thickness further down the line, so enjoy the dog, groom your best and put a smile on your faces.

Happy Thanksgiving Day

Dolly's Barking Bubbles, LLC

www.dollysbarkingbubbles.com

[Petekids]

And it's been my experience that these mixed breeds, or pet quality purebreds, don't have any more problems then the get from show dogs.

Just curious, do you groom any companion dogs that come from conformation show lines? Not just one champion in their pedigree, but at least 30 in a 6 generation pedigree? Or maybe the just the parents are champions? Not very many groomers will see these dogs, because there just aren't that many anymore. The majority that I groom here are from backyard or volume breeders with more than the fair share having genetic issues that could have been prevented with responsible breeding (hip dysplasia, luxating patellas, inherited auto-immune issues, and yes...incorrect coats). Example: having a terrier with a soft coat is not a big deal to a pet owner, but it is for a hunting dog!! There really is a reason, if the dog is a working animal, for selective breeding. All the books and videos out there show what a "proper" pure-bred groom should look like, even on a companion animal. Very few groomers, now and in the future, will have the opportunity to groom a dog with a correct coat. It'll be extremely frustrating to them, and even to some owners, to not be able to achieve the look they desire.

[IrishSetterTom]

That's correct. Shops will not see champion dogs. Handlers and owners groom their own like me. The coats and quality pedigrees are out there, but seldom seen.

People nowadays have hectic schedules and don't have time to even brush their dog. I'd say 80 percent of our clients strip down their dogs, double coat and all.

[dogma]

Peteskids...yes, actually I do. I have several Collie owners, a Border Terrier, some Golden Retriever owners. I've had Shih Tzu and Poodle owners also.
I can't give a full answer as I'm on my phone...hard to type all I want on a phone.

Tom is right. I'm not going to see the show dogs as their owner or handler grooms them. However, I do go to dog shows, and I've been showing dogs since the mid-1960's, and I see incorrect coats on today's show dogs right and left. Most of the time coat texture comes from a can of spray or gel.

If AKC required a working degree before a conformation degree was given out, like some countries in the EU do, I believe we would see healthier dogs with correct coats.

The point is, you can't blame it all on the pet breeder. Dog show people have to step up their responsibility too. I say it again, we saw these same problems in show dogs 40 years ago and we will continue to see them in the future.