# Five different coat lengths?



## Liz S

I remember there was someone posted information about different lengths of our German Shepherd dogs. Such as "short-short and smooth," "standard long", "long stock coat"....
Anyone can recall that? ?? I want photos of each type please... thank you very much!!!!


----------



## SunCzarina

I can give you coarse short coat (late spring coat, not done blowing winter coat yet)









and plush short coat - is there such a thing, he's fluffy and soft but it's not very long at all.


----------



## lauramichelle

I've got a long coat..not the best pic but you can see his fluffy tail and ear fluff. His hair is long, thick, and soft


----------



## Jax08

So that's what Jax is!! A plush, short coat!!


----------



## Liz S

oops...I got it myself: 

http://www.4gsd.net/colours.html

The short coat
The plush coat
The long stock coat
The standard long coat


----------



## selzer

This is tough because you can only get so much from looking at pictures and no one really goes into the various lengths and what they are called. 

Ninja is a smooth or short stock coat:









Milla is a standard stock coat:









Dubya was plush, but not a long coat:









I do not have any long coats.


----------



## WiscTiger

There are only a couple real coat designations:

Stock Coat - this would include what people call plush.

Stock Long Coat - this is a long coat with the correct undercoat.

People have all different names, but the two listed above are correct coat designations.

There is no designation for a plush coat, it is a Stock Coat with a little more length to it.

There is no designation for a mole coat, it is a Stock Coat that is short tight coat.

I am sure there are more, those were the only ones I could think of right now.

Val


----------



## SunCzarina

I always liked 'close coat' better than 'mole coat', reminds me of the moles that used to dig up my lawn and I had to borrow a cat becuase mine was too old.

3 of my last 4 have had the shorter coat. I like a shorter coat, it's a lot less mess in the spring. Honestly, I didn't even know such a thing existed until I had Luther. He had gorgeous fur, much like Otto, short but very soft and poofy.


----------



## Lucy Dog

Here's a website you might want to check out..

http://www.kerstoneshepherds.net/colors/coatsaddle.htm


----------



## Chicagocanine

I thought a "mole coat" was a dog with super-short, tight fur with little undercoat which is a fault in the standard, whereas a "close coat" might refers to a coat which is short but still is a stock coat with undercoat (not a fault.) 
You see the close stock coat pretty often, but I was told the actual "mole coat" is very uncommon.


----------



## FredD

Mikko- Short stock coat - Blanket back
Jack- Plush coat - Sadlle back


----------



## Doc

Very nice picture Fred. My two gals are "plush" coats (long standard coat) like Jack and my two males are standard short coat. All have undercoats and shed. LOL


----------



## Chris Wild

Jack would be a long stock coat.

There are only 3 coat types in GSDs: 
Stock coat (normal/standard)
Long Stock coat (long coat with undercoat)
Long coat (long coat without undercoat)

There is a lot of variance of individual dogs within each type. 

Some standard Stock coats have very short, tight coats with minimal undercoat. Others are more plush. 

Some LSCs and LCs are very hairy and fluffy, almost Collie like in appearance, while others don't have much more hair than a plushy Stock coat, but will have the ear tufts and feathering on the legs that identifies them as LSC/LC.


----------



## gagsd

I had a dog with a "close" or "mole" coat. It was like a Doberman's, only longer. You could run your fingers through her coat and see skin. No undercoat at all. And the poor girl would shiver in the Georgia winter.

I like the kind of coat Mikko in the picture above has--- looks to be very thick and dense underneath.


----------



## SunCzarina

Since there's a dog up above that seems to have a saddle, can someone clarify for me - Otto is a saddle back right? He doesn't have the classic look silver bands but he is getting a bitch stripe. Well more of a patch...
When I think of blanket back, I think dogs with no tan on their shoulders - which Otto's parents didn't have but he does.


----------



## FredD

You call long stock coat, I call plush. I stand corrected, in the right terminology.


> Originally Posted By: Chris WildJack would be a long stock coat.
> 
> There are only 3 coat types in GSDs:
> Stock coat (normal/standard)
> Long Stock coat (long coat with undercoat)
> Long coat (long coat without undercoat)
> 
> There is a lot of variance of individual dogs within each type.
> 
> Some standard Stock coats have very short, tight coats with minimal undercoat. Others are more plush.
> 
> Some LSCs and LCs are very hairy and fluffy, almost Collie like in appearance, while others don't have much more hair than a plushy Stock coat, but will have the ear tufts and feathering on the legs that identifies them as LSC/LC.


----------



## FredD

Thanks, Doc! I'm from the old school. Yes, Jack sheds a lot. Mikko, just spring. Do you have pictures of your gals?


> Originally Posted By: DocVery nice picture Fred. My two gals are "plush" coats (long standard coat) like Jack and my two males are standard short coat. All have undercoats and shed. LOL


----------



## Chris Wild

> Originally Posted By: FredD You call long stock coat, I call plush.


Technically, there is no such thing as a plush coat.

There are only 3 true coat types.

Terms like "plush" are non-technical terms used by people to describe the look of a dog, and there is no set of rules governing what constitutes a "plush". Thus it means different things to different people. Some use "plush" to refer to a Stock Coat with a fuller coat than is commonly seen. Others use it to refer to a Long Stock Coat with a shorter, less full coat than many LSCs. With no agreement on what "plush" means, and it being a layman's term, not a true coat type, it can be very confusing and misleading.


----------



## HeidiW

I would say for sure also Jack is LC. Not a breeder but have been around alot of them. Otto looks to be large or heavy saddle back, like my Bella. He has a richer tan.


----------



## FredD

Mikko's coat is very thick and dense underneath. Only place you can really see skin is on his stomach. He loves the snow, just like a little kid, hard to get him to come in the house.


> Originally Posted By: gagsd_pup1I had a dog with a "close" or "mole" coat. It was like a Doberman's, only longer. You could run your fingers through her coat and see skin. No undercoat at all. And the poor girl would shiver in the Georgia winter.
> 
> I like the kind of coat Mikko in the picture above has--- looks to be very thick and dense underneath.


----------



## FredD

Thanks for clearing that up.


> Originally Posted By: Chris Wild
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted By: FredD You call long stock coat, I call plush.
> 
> 
> 
> Technically, there is no such thing as a plush coat.
> 
> There are only 3 true coat types.
> 
> Terms like "plush" are non-technical terms used by people to describe the look of a dog, and there is no set of rules governing what constitutes a "plush". Thus it means different things to different people. Some use "plush" to refer to a Stock Coat with a fuller coat than is commonly seen. Others use it to refer to a Long Stock Coat with a shorter, less full coat than many LSCs. With no agreement on what "plush" means, and it being a layman's term, not a true coat type, it can be very confusing and misleading.
Click to expand...


----------



## Liesje

> Originally Posted By: Chris Wild
> 
> Terms like "plush" are non-technical terms used by people to describe the look of a dog, and there is no set of rules governing what constitutes a "plush". Thus it means different things to different people. Some use "plush" to refer to a Stock Coat with a fuller coat than is commonly seen.


That's how I've mostly seen it used.

To me a dog is either stock coated or it's long coated (and I and pretty much every GSD person I know have never even seen a true long coat with no undercoat so I think "long coat" has come to mean "long stock coat"). Plush, mole, tight... = stock coat. Ear fringe = long coat.


----------



## Chicagocanine

I have also always heard plush to refer to a dog with a stock coat but with a little more/longer fur than some-- not a long coat. So, a plush coat would not have the feathering on the legs that "Jack" posted here does, it would be more like Dubya.

However as someone said the term "plush" is not an official term so people can mean different things with it.


----------



## FredD

LC or "plush" It's clarified by Chris Wild.... I still call the GSD, "Shepherd" as it was called when I was growing up. (Due to the war)


----------



## Doc

Stock coat
Long Stock Coat = "plush" coat
Long Coat = no under coat

And there are differences in fur length in all the above. 

Fred, you've seen my dogs. I'll send a pm to you.


----------



## SunCzarina

> Originally Posted By: FredD I still call the GSD, "Shepherd" as it was called when I was growing up. (Due to the war)


me too - not so much becuase of the war for me (I was born during viet nam) but becuase my parents always did.


----------



## Barb E

I've kind of thought Dante to be "plushy"







Is that a word?

He has a lot of neck "ruff" (He's a little over a year in these pictures-June/Oct 2005)


















He has "fancy pants" (Last Dec)









And a hairy tail - Don't mind the puffy leg, thankfully that went away!









But no fringe on his frong legs or in his ears (though he does grow a lot of fur between his paw pads!) and obviously his outer coat is not long

















His coat is thick, you can actually grab a nice handful, even in his summer "duds"









By the way, he is a W German Showline/Working line cross
http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/427011.html


----------



## Fodder

> Originally Posted By: SunCzarinaSince there's a dog up above that seems to have a saddle, can someone clarify for me - Otto is a saddle back right? He doesn't have the classic look silver bands but he is getting a bitch stripe. Well more of a patch...
> When I think of blanket back, I think dogs with no tan on their shoulders - which Otto's parents didn't have but he does.


bitch stripes can appear on blanket backs or saddle backs. and when distinguishing between the two - you have to take into consideration more than just the shoulders. i'm not sure if the first photo you posted in this thread is a current photo of Otto or not (i mention that because of the age factor) but from that he appears to be a blanket back as his saddle is not defined and his black markings extend down his back legs. in the second photo, the back half of his body is not visible. both Dubya and Jack are examples of what i mean.

so my vote is blanket back.


----------



## Samba

I have often found that a regular stock coated dog that I consider "plush" rather than tight coated carries the recessive for coat. 

I have known breeders who utilize a coat in their breedings to get more "plushiness". I have a plushy dog that has a soft, longer, fluffier coat as opposed to my bitch who is definitely hard, dry and with a tight coat. My plushy dog is also not hard and dry in body type...more skin to grab.


----------



## Liesje

To me a "plush" dog would be like Albert









Or maybe Illay (I think I've only see him in person once though)


----------



## Barb E

One thing I meant to mention is that the hair on Dante's "Shoulder Stripe" (Don't know what that is called really) is longer than the rest of his coat

Anyone else have that?


----------



## Samba

Yes, I call that their "racing stripe" and often the hair is longer there.


----------



## Chicagocanine

> Originally Posted By: LiesjeTo me a "plush" dog would be like Albert


I wonder what his coat feels like? It looks softer than a regular Shepherd's.


----------



## Doc

Looks like a "plush" coat to me. And yes, they can have extremely soft fur.


----------



## Liesje

> Originally Posted By: Chicagocanine
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted By: LiesjeTo me a "plush" dog would be like Albert
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I wonder what his coat feels like? It looks softer than a regular Shepherd's.
Click to expand...

NOt sure, I have not touched him, only seen him. He has a regular coat (from what I've seen), just very full and fluffy when he's "in coat". I believe it looks softer in the picture than it really is. The fluffiest/plushest dogs I know actually also have the thickest guard hair. The entire coat is just very thick and full. The guard hairs are a tad longer but not softer. I think if the coat is kept clean, strong, and in good condition it looks smoother/softer. Most of these plush dogs still look "naked" when they are out of coat, just whelped a litter, and/or in season.


----------



## Liesje

Here's another one, saw this dog for sale on PDB. This is what I would consider "plush"


----------



## WiscTiger

Lies the last one would be borderline in my book if a Plush or a LC, I would lean more towards LC. MY LC male doesn't have tuffs on his feet either, but he is a LC.

Albert is a Stock coat that is what people call plush.


----------



## Liesje

He is SG2 so I assume that would mean they consider him stock? I've never seen the dog, just saw the pic in an ad and this thread came to mind.


----------



## Brightelf

WOW, someone posted a pic of Ilay von Nordkristall!! He's a fave of mine!!


----------



## Liesje

Me too Patti!


----------



## elisabeth_00117

Okay, I have a question. 

I have always wondered what type of coat Stark has. His back is very long (not LC of course) and he has a sort of 'maine' around his face, so does his father.

Any guesses?

Stark 



























Stark's Dad, Shep.


----------



## Fodder

elisabeth - both are short stock coats. since Stark is young - he could develop into a plush (keeping in mind that 'plush' is not actually a recognized coat length) but he looks pretty short/stock to me. liesje posted some pretty good examples of plush dogs.


----------



## elisabeth_00117

Thanks, I have always wondered because my older girl, Beau is definitely a stock coat but Stark's fur, on his back, sides and chest are about 2 inches long when you run your hand in them, I have never seen such long hair on a non-longhaired GSD before. His Dad is the same way, very long fur on the back, chest and face.


----------



## Fodder

> Originally Posted By: elisabeth_00117Thanks, I have always wondered because my older girl, Beau is definitely a stock coat but Stark's fur, on his back, sides and chest are about 2 inches long when you run your hand in them, I have never seen such long hair on a non-longhaired GSD before. His Dad is the same way, very long fur on the back, chest and face.


i know what you mean. but just as there are variations between long coats... there are also variations between the stock variety too. my long coats hair is a pretty standard length on his back/body (although way longer than my short stock coat female) but the texture is a lot different than a stock coat... and then of course his ears, chest, stomach, legs, and tail are all feathered and bushy.


----------



## Liesje

Stark looks stock. No ear fringe.


----------



## elisabeth_00117

Oh I know. I figured he is a stock coat, but I have never seen a stock coated dog with such long hair on their back or the 'maine' around his face. I love it and think it makes his fur look more lucious.


----------

