# Strange fur on back



## Equus5O

Axl is three months old. The fur running down the length of his spine is growing differently than the rest of his coat. It reminds me of a cow-lick. I've seen mention of a "bitch stripe." Axl is a male. 

What is this called? Is it something that will be out-grown? Or is just a cow-lick? He's not a show dog. I'm just curious about it.


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## Lin

Do you have a photo? 

Bitch stripe refers to the tan ticking of hairs down the back, and it happens to males as well.


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## onyx'girl

It is the adult coat coming in, usually silky and wavy. It will blend when the rest comes in! And it will come in overnight it seems!


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## Liesje

Is it just the adult coat? It starts on the tail, it's like a 2 inch thick ring of thick, shiny fur. Then it becomes a stripe down the back and tail, thicker, shiny fur that is longer and wavy.


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## JKlatsky

yep. The adult coat! It's easier to see on sables because their puppy fur is grayish/brown so when the black of the adult coat comes it it's more apparent and easier to see...but it's the same thing in black and tans and the other colors. It starts on the back and tail and then goes on down the sides. 

This is Tag and Cade at about 3 months and 10 weeks.


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## Lilie

Don't feel bad. My GSD is a long hair, and when I saw this happening I took him to the vet. I thought he had some sort of mange, even though he didn't have any bald spots. It just looked so very strange. :crazy:


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## Equus5O

I don't have any photos of his back, but yes, it is wavy. And there's no change in color; it's the same black. I thought maybe it was just a cow-lick! LOL

The base of Cade's tail is similar to the texture of Axl's.


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## JKlatsky

Right. He wouldn't change color like that if he's black and tan or black because their puppy fur follows the color of their adult fur. It's just the sables with their banded fur that shows a darker color change when their adult coat comes in. It'll continue to come in for the next few months.


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## Equus5O

Thank you


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## Jax's Mom

Jax had that too... His puppy fur was kind of wooley or like Teddy bear fur but the stripe on top of his back is glossy and wavy... It's slowly creeping down his sides.
The vet said not to get excited because his adult fur won't be as soft as his Teddy bear fur but I think it's even softer hehe


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## HMV

Mine had it too, as you say at 3 months it is really defined. My dog was 5 months this week and it's now spread more over the ribs and starting to blend a lot more with the other fur making it look a lot more natural. Brush him regularly and most of the puppy fur will come out over the next couple of months, making the stripe less obvious.


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## sagelfn

does it look like this?










just the adult coat coming in


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## bianca

Molly has the same thing (7 months tomorrow), she has had it from the day I picked her up at 9 weeks. She is the only one from the litter with a wavy type stripe down her back and the breeder said her sire has it.


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## Jax's Mom

sagelfn said:


> does it look like this?
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> just the adult coat coming in


Your puppy is beautiful  (looks exactly like Jax hehe except Jax's ears aren't as nice yet). 
Please don't take this the wrong way but is the original dull woolly fur normal? Jax had the exact same coat and is now super glossy with his new fur. We haven't changed his diet or anything. In his initial checkup the vet complained he was skinny and dull, then was surprised at how beautiful his coat is now. To me it just looked like a regular puppy coat but I'm wondering if maybe his health has changed?


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## My GSD

Why do sables have to get dark?


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## Cassidy's Mom

Jax's Mom said:


> Please don't take this the wrong way but is the original dull woolly fur normal?


Mine all had dull wooly fur as puppies, so I think it's normal. The adult coat has always come in shinier.


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## sagelfn

Cassidy's Mom said:


> Mine all had dull wooly fur as puppies, so I think it's normal. The adult coat has always come in shinier.


my 1st pup so I couldn't say if it was normal but his adult coat is shiny

and thanks for the comment on Sage, he's almost a year old now


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## Equus5O

My question has been answered, and thank you all. But, I did find a photo. I just need an excuse to post photos of Axl!


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## Zarr

My girl who has passed, had a wavy coat on her back from a pup, I loved it


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## CHawkins

My 14 week old female starting losing the long fuzzy hair on her back hocks and some on the front and sides. I thought it was strange.....the vet looked at it and says she's losing her puppy coat. She doesn't have any bald spots just the long hairs are gone. It is that way on her tail near her back...I hope she's right.


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## KZoppa

I've heard it called a skunk stripe if that helps lol. that way its not gender specific


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