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Why Does My Four Month Old Sheltie Puppy Have Such a Thin Coat?

Discussion in 'General Health' started by Janeen, Sep 7, 2009.

  1. Janeen

    Janeen Forums Novice

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    Sep 7, 2009
    Knoxville, TN
    Hey there,
    I am a first time sheltie owner with a few questions about my pup.
    For the record, she is a full blood sheltie. My boyfriends mom has a male (akc registered) and female (not registered, but parents were) full blooded shelties. She has used them for several litters, and all the puppies so far have all come out also looking like purebred shelties.
    Our puppy, however, since birth, has had significantly shorter hair than her littermates.
    She is now 4 months old, and still has a relatively short coat. I know they typically don't reach their full potential until up to 3 years of age, but I would have expected her to fill out by now. Her nose also seems to be longer, and her legs appear long and slender, without the fluffy coat to bulk them up. It almost seems like she is entirely missing her undercoat.
    I am wondering if this could be some form of genetic mutation. I have read as much as I can, trying to find more cases of puppies with shorter hair, but short of one person that confused their border collie with a sheltie, I have yet to find any answers.
    Below are three current pictures of Ms Paikia.

    http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v650/IntrnalFlame/FourMonths2.jpg
    http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v650/IntrnalFlame/FourMonths.jpg
    http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v650/IntrnalFlame/Paikia4Months3.jpg

    Any suggestions are welcome.

    Thanks,
    Janeen
     
  2. Caro

    Caro Moderator

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    Jan 14, 2009
    It looks like she still has her puppy fluff and has not started growing her adult coat yet. Mine didnt start growing a thick coat until they were 6 months. Deska had a very short coat as a pup and now he is a fluff ball so it is hard to tell at that age. When his undercoat grew in his coat became huge - although his top coat is not that long. Also depends on the weather - the coat definately gets longer and fuller in colder weather.

    However I do know of one female sheltie with a very short coat and no undercoat so it does happen (the rest of the litter had normal coats) but it isn't very common (she is gorgeous even with the short coat). Being a female yours will not have a big coat anyway

    They go through a gangly, awkward stage where their legs seem to grow faster than the rest of them and it looks like she has hit that age. Give her another couple of months and she should catch up to her legs. I think Smudge is about the same age so check out some pics of him.

    And PS - WELCOME!!!! Keep pics of Paikia coming - I love to watch shelties growing into their legs and now you have me interested in watching how her coat grows!
     
    Last edited: Sep 7, 2009
  3. romeosangiovese

    romeosangiovese Forums Enthusiast

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    Sep 29, 2008
    Singapore
    If you go over to Romeo's website - www.indubitablytosh.com - you can click on the link that shows how Romeo grew over the last year or so. There was one point in time where he had almost no hair and looked like a frog more than a dog. But now, thankfully, he looks like a sheltie!
     
  4. Smudge

    Smudge Forums Sage

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    Jun 2, 2009
    AR
    My first sheltie, Gizmo, didn't have his full adult coat until he was well over a year old. Smudge has just recently started getting in his coat (he's a few days shy of five months). It's like WHAM! His ruff and his pants area are the two spots that are growing the fastest. He's still got a ways to go before he "looks like a sheltie". :lol:
     
  5. Caro

    Caro Moderator

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    Jan 14, 2009
    Oh how cute - you will have to post some pics with his new little ruff. And now you can take a sexy butt pic!

    Loved the froggy pics of Romeo!
     
  6. sable

    sable Forums Enthusiast

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    Oct 2, 2008
    Females as I have read can take up to five years for their full coat, most of them are three. I think its the genes when the fur appears, believe me it will happen. Get ready to buy plenty of grooming tools.

    :lol: be grateful for now. Oh boy my two are shedding and I am brushing constantly. Jaws the sweeper is really sucking these days, its that time of the year for the shedding.

    OUTFITS ARE NOT COMPLETE WITHOUT SHELTIE HAIR!
     
  7. mbfrench

    mbfrench Forums Celebrity

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    Aug 2, 2009
    South Carolina
    Oh..boy are we in for a treat.Reading this thread,and shedding.Honestly it has become second nature here with Earnhardt fuzz.I think this lab sheds year round.Although it has been noticeably better with the new food for sure.
     
  8. Aztec

    Aztec Forums Enthusiast

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    Feb 20, 2009
    Ohio
    Aztec was three before getting his full coat. Most of them go through stages where they don't have much hair! They also go through gangly, awkward stages...it can take awhile for them to look like shelties.
     
  9. RonandJan

    RonandJan Forums Enthusiast

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    Jul 27, 2009
    Windward, FL
    Someone on the forum once called this gangly Sheltie stage as "coyote designed by a commitee." That pretty well sums it up. Cleveland looked a bunch like your pup when he was that age and you can go look at his album and you will see, he filled out just fine!

    Yes, I was just saying to Ann about how easy it was to bathe McKinley right now with just baby fuzz! Count your blessings, save your pennies, you will need grooming tools very soon!

    She is a cutie though! Welcome and I look forward to pictures too!
     
    Last edited: Sep 7, 2009
  10. Janeen

    Janeen Forums Novice

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    Sep 7, 2009
    Knoxville, TN
    Holy schmokes,
    I got home from work today hoping someone would have seen my post and maybe replied, I never expected so many detailed responses!
    It was a sigh of relief to hear about the diagnosed "coyote" phase, and that I'm not the only one who has had to endure its... perks.
    I loved looking at all the pictures of Romeo and Cleveland, too.
    Its funny, while I was growing up, my mother had a few mutts that she gave away after she grew tired of them, but Paikia is really *my* first dog. I've never understood specific breed lovers, but i'm beginning to catch on. I'm sure soon i'll be buying "I <3 My Sheltie" bumper stickers and doormats.
    I have a few pics of her as a young pup... I'll try to scrounge around for them and see if I can get them up here.
    I'll keep you guys updated as she begins to *fingers crossed* fluff up a bit.

    Thanks again for the warm greeting,
    Janeen
     

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