~ HEAVILY DOUBLE COATED BREEDS ~ Spitz-Type: Herding Group: German Spitz Australian Cattle Dog Akita Australian Shepherd Alaskan Husky Both the rough and smooth coat Collie Alaskan Malamut Bearded Collie American Eskimo Belgian Sheepdog Chinook Beauceron Chow Chow Belgian Malinois Finnish Spitz Belgian Tervuren Finnish Lapphund Briard Swedish Lapphund Both the rough and smooth coat Border Collie Icelandic Sheep Dog Bouvier des Flanders Keeshond Canaan Dog Korean Jindo Both the Pembroke and Cardigan Welsh Corgi Norwegian Elkhound German Shepherd Dog Norwegian Lundehund Norwegian Buhund Shiba Inu Old English sheepdog Siberian Husky Polish Lowland Sheep Dog Samoyed Puli Pomeranian (also in the toy group) Shetland Sheepdog Swedish Vallhund Working Group: Sporting Group: Bernese Mountain Dog American Water Spaniel Black Russian Terrier Boykin Spaniel Great Pyrenees Chesapeake Bay Retriever Komondor Golden Retriever Kuvasz Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Leonberger Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Newfoundland Saint Bernard Tibetan mastiff Terrier Group: Toy Group: Wheaten Terrier Pomeranian ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Some interesting facts… Double coats are comprised of long, guard hairs that define the dog’s appearance and which are supported by short, dense woolly hairs (the undercoat) below the surface of the guard hairs. The denser the undercoat, the fluffier the dog appears. The protective guard hairs of the coat are designed to repel moisture and shed dirt. Twice a year double coated dogs will "blow coat." This is when they shed most of their undercoat and the remaining guard hairs may become dry and brittle looking. It may take up to three weeks for a dog to fully blow their coat. This is the time that most mats are formed if dead hairs are allowed to remain without regularly being brushed out. Maintenance of the coat during this seasonal shed is essential to keeping your dog mat free and your home hair free. The undercoat acts to insulate the dog from summer heat, winter cold while the outer guard hairs protect the dog from rain and wind. Double coated dogs should never be shaved; their coats act as a protective barrier from summer heat and scorching sun rays. .