# Change in Coat



## CashStringer (Aug 17, 2015)

Good Morning All!

Cash was neutered in September at a little older than 16 months (we were going to wait longer but, long story short, he was having abdominal surgery so we decided to do it at the same time). He has always had an INSANE, super thick coat (we always get stopped and asked if he is full golden). We noticed after his neutering that he started to grow these really long hairs throughout his entire coat. It almost looks like the leg feathering but its throughout his entire coat. I tried to grab a few photos of it but it's hard to get it to come out clearly. 

I was wondering if this change in coat is related to his neutering? Is there anything we can do about those hairs (should we be having them trimmed, leave them the way they are, etc.)?

Thanks so much for all of your advice and Happy (early) 4th!!


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## kellyguy (Mar 5, 2014)

I've noticed that my boy's coat is similar and more "out of control, bad hair day" looking since his neuter as well. Spay coat is the term and applies to both neutered males and females. Hopefully someone will offer specific suggestions for conditioners. I use a tool that looks like a looped hacksaw blade and follow with a slicker brush to help keep it under control but I could brush him three times a day and seem to have a spare dog's worth of shed hair each time.
I'm not sure how much of the dry coat issue is due to neutering and how much is genetic because my darker red coated boys always had much oilier topcoats.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Spay/neuter coat is a real thing. Just ask my girl. It is very fine, cottony soft white fuzz that you cannot get out with normal brushing. She is red, so it is particularly noticeable.

I've had really great success with a tool called Equigroomer. It was originally a horse grooming tool (clearly) but people with double-coated dogs started to use them, so the company made a smaller one for dogs. It works wonders on spay coat. You can google it. I'm not at all connected to the company. They have distributors in the US and Canada. I call it a lifesaver.


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## CashStringer (Aug 17, 2015)

Thank you!!! Good to know it isn't only in my head! I figured that with the lack of hormones, some changes in coat is to be expected. I've done some reading about spay/neuter coat and my understanding was that it can cause more "cottony" hair - almost like a thicker undercoat? (I may be totally off base here!) Cash's undercoat seems to be the same, however he's getting these really long guard hairs all over. Instead of just being underneath, it's all over! A "bad hair day" is a great way to put it!! I'm sure I'm the only one that notices ...

You are particularly right about the coat drying out. Cash's coat is a lot dryer than Colt's (our unneutered boy). We just started adding salmon oil to his diet - hoping that well help as well. Any suggestions on conditioners are very welcome!! 

I will definitely take a look at the Equigroomer! I'm always looking for suggestions to manage these guys' coats! And a thumbs up from someone with as much experience as you have is about as good as it gets! 

Thank you for the responses!


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## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

I had my last girl spayed at about 14 months per agreement with the breeder. Shortly after this she got this fuzzy puppy type fur on her outer thighs. I never could get rid of that stuff and because she was a darker reddish it just looked awful and was a sticker magnet! 
Sipsy was just spayed at 16 months (breeder requirement because of health issue) and really hope she doesn't have the same problem. 
The curry combs actually cuts the hair like a furminator and can be really tough on their coat. I'm hoping the rake will help if we have the same problem again. At least Sipsy is light and it won't stand out as much if it doesn't.


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## Goldens&Friesians (May 31, 2014)

If the coat you are seeing is not the soft, cottony type stuff, than it probably isn't spay/neuter coat. Some dogs don't fully come into coat until they are 2 years old. Given his age, he could just be getting his full length of coat. If he comes from conformation lines he would especially be likely to have a longer coat. My girl is from conformation lines and she has a wonderful long coat (I love the long coats!), but it wasn't as long as it is now until she was around 2-2 1/2 years old (she was spayed at 2 years old). She did get some spay coat-mostly on her hind legs and neck. I hand strip it out probably every 6-8 weeks or so. Since I LOVE lots of hair, I would just leave his coat as is, but I'm a professional groomer and know how to deal with it. If you feel like it's too much to deal with, you can have it trimmed up a bit (just not too much so as not to damage his undercoat). You can also do a sanitary trim (shaving out the belly 
between the hind legs and around the penis) or a maternity trim (same thing as sanitary plus shaving all the way up the belly to the armpits).


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## CashStringer (Aug 17, 2015)

Goldens&Friesians said:


> If the coat you are seeing is not the soft, cottony type stuff, than it probably isn't spay/neuter coat. Some dogs don't fully come into coat until they are 2 years old. Given his age, he could just be getting his full length of coat. If he comes from conformation lines he would especially be likely to have a longer coat. My girl is from conformation lines and she has a wonderful long coat (I love the long coats!), but it wasn't as long as it is now until she was around 2-2 1/2 years old (she was spayed at 2 years old). She did get some spay coat-mostly on her hind legs and neck. I hand strip it out probably every 6-8 weeks or so. Since I LOVE lots of hair, I would just leave his coat as is, but I'm a professional groomer and know how to deal with it. If you feel like it's too much to deal with, you can have it trimmed up a bit (just not too much so as not to damage his undercoat). You can also do a sanitary trim (shaving out the belly
> between the hind legs and around the penis) or a maternity trim (same thing as sanitary plus shaving all the way up the belly to the armpits).


He does come from conformation lines - and you are absolutely correct about the timing! (He just turned 2 years old and the long wispy hairs came in about 6 months ago) Perhaps it's just his coat coming in completely? He has an exceptionally thick coat - whenever we take him to his breeder for boarding, his breeder just shakes his head and is amazed at how much of it there is! We have a sanitary trim done when we get him groomed (about every other month). Thank you for taking a moment and sharing your advice!!


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

My Brady was neutered at 18 months old, I do not think I noticed the spay until he was four or so - now it has this awful cottony undercoat. I thought I was doing a something wrong in grooming him, then I had a golden retriever breeder groom him, and she explained to me it was spay coat.


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## Kalhayd (May 4, 2016)

Dory was spayed at around a year, after her first heat. I haven't noticed a change in her coat, yet. Bayleigh had the cotton areas y'all are discribing.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

puddles everywhere said:


> I had my last girl spayed at about 14 months per agreement with the breeder. Shortly after this she got this fuzzy puppy type fur on her outer thighs. I never could get rid of that stuff and because she was a darker reddish it just looked awful and was a sticker magnet!
> Sipsy was just spayed at 16 months (breeder requirement because of health issue) and really hope she doesn't have the same problem.
> The curry combs actually cuts the hair like a furminator and can be really tough on their coat. I'm hoping the rake will help if we have the same problem again. At least Sipsy is light and it won't stand out as much if it doesn't.


The white cotton looked awful on Shala, too, because she's a redhead. The Equigroomer got rid of it all - and it's actually NOT hard on the top coat. She looks beautiful again now.


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## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

Cash is such a handsome boy... he and Sipsy appear to have similar coats and about the same age  While we have been able to remove most of the puppy coat I'm sure it won't be long before the winter coat will begin to come in. While I haven't noticed really long pieces like your picture she is getting much longer adult hair and it's extremely soft and silky. I'm excited to see what a grown up coat looks like for her. I'm sure Cash will have an abundant and flowing long coat. Can't wait for the winter pics!
Thanks Sweet Girl, that's good to know!


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## CashStringer (Aug 17, 2015)

puddles everywhere said:


> Cash is such a handsome boy... he and Sipsy appear to have similar coats and about the same age  While we have been able to remove most of the puppy coat I'm sure it won't be long before the winter coat will begin to come in. While I haven't noticed really long pieces like your picture she is getting much longer adult hair and it's extremely soft and silky. I'm excited to see what a grown up coat looks like for her. I'm sure Cash will have an abundant and flowing long coat. Can't wait for the winter pics!
> Thanks Sweet Girl, that's good to know!


Thank you!!! He's a really special boy ... While I love both of those dogs to the end of the earth, each one seems to have chosen one of us as their favorite. Cash, for some crazy reason, has chosen me and Colt has chosen my husband. It's certainly not that they don't love the other one, but you can tell who they seek out - perhaps our training styles just click with them? 

Isn't it fun to watch them change and grow into themselves?? Wishing you and Sipsy the very best! Can't wait to see more photos of her!!


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## CashStringer (Aug 17, 2015)

Sweet Girl said:


> Spay/neuter coat is a real thing. Just ask my girl. It is very fine, cottony soft white fuzz that you cannot get out with normal brushing. She is red, so it is particularly noticeable.
> 
> I've had really great success with a tool called Equigroomer. It was originally a horse grooming tool (clearly) but people with double-coated dogs started to use them, so the company made a smaller one for dogs. It works wonders on spay coat. You can google it. I'm not at all connected to the company. They have distributors in the US and Canada. I call it a lifesaver.


Just pulled the trigger on the Equigroomer - can't wait to try it!! Thanks for the recommendation!


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

CashStringer said:


> Just pulled the trigger on the Equigroomer - can't wait to try it!! Thanks for the recommendation!


You will wonder how you lived without it. I have recommended it to 3 of my friends who I train with and they all love it too. If you didn't already, watch the video on the website for how to use it on a dog. It's a somewhat weird motion, but you easily get the hang of it.


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## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

Big difference in coat... 1st pic 8 months and lots of puppy fir. 2nd photo is today, all sleek and grown up. I'm guessing all the hair will come back in the fall. Excited to see her grown up fir! Funny that she is about the same size


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## CashStringer (Aug 17, 2015)

puddles everywhere said:


> Big difference in coat... 1st pic 8 months and lots of puppy fir. 2nd photo is today, all sleek and grown up. I'm guessing all the hair will come back in the fall. Excited to see her grown up fir! Funny that she is about the same size
> 
> View attachment 739586
> 
> View attachment 739594


What a BEAUTIFUL girl!!! Thank you for sharing!!!


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## CashStringer (Aug 17, 2015)

Sweet Girl said:


> You will wonder how you lived without it. I have recommended it to 3 of my friends who I train with and they all love it too. If you didn't already, watch the video on the website for how to use it on a dog. It's a somewhat weird motion, but you easily get the hang of it.


I used it for the first time this week - it was AWESOME!!! I'd been using an undercoat rake for the most part and the Equigroomer worked just as well, if not better. The best part was that my boys seemed to enjoy it SO much more!! When i was using the undercoat rake, I could hardly get them to stay still for it (now that I know more, perhaps it was uncomfortable for them). They LOVED the Equigroomer and were happy as clams to sit there and let me brush them. Thank you for the recommendation!! SO glad to add it to the arsenal in my fight against shedding ...


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