How long should my dogs hair be??

[Nishasmom]

Hi, I have looked at several websites to find "breed standards". What is the proper length of a rotties hair? All the websites I go to say "medium length" but what is medium? My dogs hair is about 2-3 inches on the top of her back. I am in class with another rottie pup whose hair is like 1/2 inch. What is correct?? Thanks!

[moondog]

Is your dog a puppy or an adult? I just plucked a few hairs off my dog's back and they measure between 1-1/2" to 2".

[fbkeays]

Dog's hair should be different length on different places on the body. I would expect 1/2" on top of the head, but certainly not on the neck, back or breeches. 3" is sounding a little long, but does it lay flat on the body? How the coat lays would be a much more important consideration then if it was too long. Now 1/2" if on the back, neck and breeching, sounds way too short.

[Nishasmom]

Hi, thanks for responding! I measured my dogs hair when I got home; it was longest on her back by the shoulders (about 2 inches). So I guess she is normal! Oh, she is 11 months, and yes, her hair lays flat. Thanks again!

[rottcrazed]

My puppy is still pretty fuzzy on his back, he is 5.5 months, and his hair is 2 inches on his back.

Not sure if it is too long on your girl or not, but I have 3 different kinds of coats on my dogs: Seeker is short and sleek, on waviness; Jewel is a little bit more dense (coat-wise ;)!), slightly more length, and a wee bit wavy, but not long (she is Seeker's mom) and the puppy who I mentioned above (Ruckus), is also much more coarse-coated than the girls (he is Jewel's grandson). All are correct, just different degrees of correct .....

Kristi

[SABELLESMOM]

Sable's hair is tad shorter than Rave's. Approximately 1.5-2" at the neck and shoulders. and .5-1" elsewhere sounds about right. I'd even be willing to give a .5" variation longeron the last.

[Hawkblack]

Sounds like you could very well have a possible long coat. there is a DNA test you can do to verify this. If your puppy is a long coat both parents are carriers of the long coat gene. I had a fluffy puppy who everyone was confused at what he was. I showed him he has 2 majors and a total of 9 points. He is now after having the DNA test and verified an affected is neutered and living very happily with a great family with his own entertainment chair in the living room.
Canine Coat Length Test for German Shepherd Dogs, Rottweiler, and Cardigan Welsh Corgis
This link is for the DNA test information

[fbkeays]

Originally Posted by Hawkblack

Sounds like you could very well have a possible long coat. there is a DNA test you can do to verify this. If your puppy is a long coat both parents are carriers of the long coat gene. I had a fluffy puppy who everyone was confused at what he was. I showed him he has 2 majors and a total of 9 points. He is now after having the DNA test and verified an affected is neutered and living very happily with a great family with his own entertainment chair in the living room.
Canine Coat Length Test for German Shepherd Dogs, Rottweiler, and Cardigan Welsh Corgis
This link is for the DNA test information

Are you saying your dog was a long coated rottweiler? Or just a carrier of the long coat gene, ie normal/long? If so, you were a fool to neuter and place your dog. Being fluffy has nothing to do with being long coated. If the dog has at least one normal coat gene, the coat IS normal length. You must have had other reasons for giving up your dog and just used the long coat gene as an excuse.
I have a dog that a number of people thought was a long coat that I "fixed". I have no such talent when it comes to grooming, but I knew that he was a normal coated dog. I did do the DNA test and he is normal/normal. I had him at a breed seminar a number of years ago and the presenter stated that Duncan's coat was MORE correct then the ultra slick/short coats that are becoming the norm. If you read the standard, particularly the FCI standard, you will see that what you gave up as abnormal is in reality correct.

[Hawkblack]

No did the DNA and he came back FF. Trust me there was no other reason other then that. He had super structure, excellent temperment. The rottweiler owner should not have to have talent as a groomer to show their dog. As my boy got older in order for him to go back into a ring he would have had to been groomed. Hmmmmm look at the standard what does it say about grooming. what does it say about long coat, open coat. Rottweiler is to be shown in natural state. So if I would have finished him why I wasn't going to breed him and the purpose of showing is not just to finish a dog but to compare potential breeding stock. I would never have bred him because you can't breed long coat out please read the website and the information about Normal coat=NN, Carrier=NF and Affected=FF. Trust me many many months did I look at this boy and go what should I do. In my opinion I did the best thing for the breed by not finishing him or breeding him. And yes Fluffy is incorrect coat. No what I gave up was truly INCORRECT. Go to my website he is on there you can see his pictures. wasn't always that way just as he got older about 18 months he got fringes and heavy. I don't come on these websites stating incorrect or tell lies about my own dogs so don't tell me what I did about placing him was because of something else. you don't know me or my morals when it comes to my life or this breed.

[moondog]

Originally Posted by Hawkblack

Go to my website he is on there you can see his pictures. wasn't always that way just as he got older about 18 months he got fringes and heavy.

Hard to tell in some of the photos, but the last photo on the right (sitting in a chair) sure looks like he's long-coated to me. And very cute!

[Nishasmom]

I am pretty darn sure (positive) that my dog is not a long hair rottie. The longest of her hairs is about 2 inches (top of back/neck). But I do see a lot of slick coated rotties around, I was just trying to figurer out if it was okay for a rottie to have an overly short coat.

[Hawkblack]

Nishasmom,

I still would do the DNA test then you know for sure if your dog is a carrier, normal or affected. Trust me This boy had a weird pattern of coat length reall heavy on his chest but it looked like he carried a bit of a heavier undercoat, down his neck and back were normal length. heavier on the breeching area and just all over looked like he had more undercoat then what was out. Trust me several well know breeder and handlers just thought he carrier a correct length of coat with a heavy undercoat. If you would like FBKeays maybe Poohbearsmom will atest that my boy looked correct until a certain age. It had NOTHING but him coming back AFFECTED on the DNA test was why I chose and his breeder chose to stop showing him. Some breeders have morals.

[Nishasmom]

I will probably not do the DNA test. My dog was spayed at 6 mnths. She is just a pet. Thanks for the advise though! :)

[Hawkblack]

Originally Posted by Nishasmom

I will probably not do the DNA test. My dog was spayed at 6 mnths. She is just a pet. Thanks for the advise though! :)

This DNA test is a great tool even though your dog is a companion and not being shown it is a great source for you to know is it or isn't it. Also doing the DNA is just like having the hips tested at age 2 even on companions that are spayed. It gives people a base of what a sire and dam are producing as far as genetics, health all that stuff.

Just my opinion.

[Nishasmom]

Thanks, that would be a good idea to have her tested. Maybe when I get her hips checked I will do that (I'm sure the breeder would appreciate it). Have you seen the photos of my dog? I think you can tell clearly she is of normal coat length. According to the other posters her hair is the same length as theirs (about 2 inches). I just didn't know if there was a defined length for medium coat, which is what the AKC standard is. I do see a lot of slick coated rotties; I was wondering if this is a correct coat, or if this was considered a fault.