# Coat softness- soft or course?



## wildo

I'm really curious if anyone knows the "proper" softness for the GSD coat (stock- not long coat). Should the coat be very soft, perhaps like that of a Golden? Or should the coat be wiry and course, perhaps like that of a... um... course coated dog. 

Pimg has a very soft coat and when people pet her, they almost always comment about how soft her coat is. I'm not sure I've felt another GSD that has such a soft coat. They are usually more course.

Does the GSD standard call for a preference in coat softness for stock coat? It is my understanding (I could be wrong) that the standard only defines two coats: stock coat, and long coat. Some people refer to a "plush coat" to describe something in between, but I'm not sure that's an official term.


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## wildo

I'm not sure if you can tell a difference from this picture or not. This is also when my former foster Gretchen's coat was very dry. But I think you can tell that her coat is quite course while Pimg's (black & tan) is very soft looking:









Here's a pic of both of them when Gretchen's coat was absolutely beautiful thanks to Carmen's SH-EMP oil:


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## chloesmama2

I'm very curious about this too.
I have had several people comment about this with our German Shepherd that she is soo soft.
I thought it was something I am doing with vitamins or something because our lab/Springer mix is so soft like cotton too and everyone loves to pet him and say he is soo extremely soft.


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## Shade

Delgado was very soft with his puppy fuzz but his adult coat came in very coarse. After switching his food to Fromm his coat is extremely soft and shiny with no extra supplements


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## marshies

Puppy has always been fed Orijen or raw. Everyone who pets her is surprised by how soft she is. She is softer than some goldens I've petted. 

I think it's mostly based on diet.


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## Caledon

I feed Dakota Origen and she has a course coat.


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## qbchottu

Yes there is correct texture. I think it's largely genetic, but nutrition can definitely make a difference. Wiva was 10 months old when I got her and was previously on ProPlan. I switched her over to grain-free/raw and added supplements like salmon oil and Olewo. Now her coat has changed to being softer, shinier, denser and richer. When Wiva is in coat, she is frequently described as "plush" because she has a fuller stock coat, but she is still just stock coat. "Plush" is not an official term. Just something fancy to describe the type of a standard coat. 

United Schutzhund Clubs of America - Breed Standard
The correct coat for the German Shepherd is a stock coat (outer and under coat). The top coat should be as tight as possible, straight, coarse, and clinging closely to the undercoat. The head, including the inside of the ears, the front of the legs, the paws, and toes have short hair. Neck hair is longer and thicker. On the rear side of the legs, hair length increases downward to the pastern and hock. The rear of the thighs is covered show moderate "pants".

German Shepherd Dog | American Kennel Club
The ideal dog has a double coat of medium length. The outer coat should be as dense as possible, hair straight, harsh and lying close to the body. A slightly wavy outer coat, often of wiry texture, is permissible. The head, including the inner ear and foreface, and the legs and paws are covered with short hair, and the neck with longer and thicker hair. The rear of the forelegs and hind legs has somewhat longer hair extending to the pastern and hock, respectively. _Faults_ in coat include soft, silky, too long outer coat, woolly, curly, and open coat. 

SV - FCI GSD Breed Standard
Condition of the hair
The correct type of hair-coat for the German Shepherd Dog is the Stock-hair (straight, harsh topcoat) with undercoat. The topcoat should be as tight as possible, straight, harsh, and lying closely and firmly. On the head between the ears, on the front side of the legs, and on paws and toes it is short. At the neck somewhat longer and more abundant. On the backs of the legs the hair grows longer as far down as the wrist, and correspondingly down to the hock. At the backside of the thighs it forms moderate trousers.


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## KatsMuse

I have had both show and working lines.
My puppies had soft ,sort of fluffy, coat....miss the fuzz 
Once that was gone and they got 2nd (top) dense coat - it was coarse but, not dry or dull. Nor wavy. Healthy and shiny.


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## Caledon

Just looked up Canadian Kennel Club standards and the coat should be "harsh". A soft coat is considered a fault.


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## wildo

qbchottu said:


> United Schutzhund Clubs of America - Breed Standard
> The top coat should be as tight as possible, straight, *coarse*, and clinging closely to the undercoat.
> 
> German Shepherd Dog | American Kennel Club
> The outer coat should be as dense as possible, hair straight, *harsh* and lying close to the body. A slightly wavy outer coat, often of *wiry* texture, is permissible.
> 
> SV - FCI GSD Breed Standard
> The topcoat should be as tight as possible, straight, *harsh*, and lying closely and firmly.


Thanks qbchottu- likes like it's pretty unanimous. Boo! I like the softer coat!


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## robk

For Ruger, It all depends on what he has been eating. When I had him on Totw, his coat was ok. kind of oily but not real soft. He also smelt kind of doggy. When I had him on Cannade, his coat was very dry, dull and corse. He shedded a lot on that food as well. On Acana his coat was super soft but when I switched him to 100% Raw I saw the biggest difference. His coat is now soft and silky and his pigmentation is much better. His black is much blacker and even the skin on his nose is blacker. One more thing, since being on raw his shedding is much less. I can give him a ride in my wifes car that has black cloth interior and when he gets out there is very little dog hair left behind.


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## Shade

Caledon said:


> Just looked up Canadian Kennel Club standards and the coat should be "harsh". A soft coat is considered a fault.


Interesting, but how would you define "harsh"?

Delgado is soft but not as soft as say a cashmere throw blanket...it's hard to describe texture :shrug:


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## robk

I think a German shepherd dogs hair should have a certain amount of coarseness in it to protect the dog from the elements. However, the condition of it will determine how soft and smooth it feels. It should not feel light and fluffy. It should have some denseness too it but not be wiry. 


Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


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## GatorDog

Aiden's coat is pretty soft. It seems that the longer hairs running down his back are slightly more coarse than the hair on his sides.


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## Liesje

The long coated (or long stock coated) GSDs I have touched have definitely had softer coats, so their coat must be different other than just the length.


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## Shade

GatorDog said:


> Aiden's coat is pretty soft. It seems that the longer hairs running down his back are slightly more coarse than the hair on his sides.


Yes Delgado is the same, the shorter hairs are softer then the longer on his back



robk said:


> I think a German shepherd dogs hair should have a certain amount of coarseness in it to protect the dog from the elements. However, the condition of it will determine how soft and smooth it feels. It should not feel light and fluffy. It should have some denseness too it but not be wiry.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


That makes sense, his undercoat is very dense



Liesje said:


> The long coated (or long stock coated) GSDs I have touched have definitely had softer coats, so their coat must be different other than just the length.


Yes that has been my experience with the few I've met


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