There is a phenomenon in pet grooming where dogs develop softer, fuzzier, fluffier coats than expected, sometimes in odd places. This strange, fuzzy coat, sometimes called "spay coat," may be linked to the hormonal changes when pets are spayed or neutered.
One commonly affected breed is the popular Golden Retriever. Groomers often find that Goldens have soft, light-colored, fluffy fur on their ears, the front of their shoulders, the sides of their thighs, and sometimes other places. It's as if the soft undercoat has gone into overproduction and grows up and out past the harder, darker guard hairs. It's not a problem, but it mars a well-groomed dog's look. Spaniels and setters are also prone to this fuzzy overgrowth, but many other breeds will also have areas that need excess fluff dealt with as well.
Since this fuzzy stuff doesn't seem to come out with regular brushing, dealing with it can be a puzzle. Here are some tricks to get rid of the unsightly fluff:
- Try an Andis Deshedding Tool: Other tools look like this, but I've never found one that works like the Andis. It will usuallymake short work of that frizzy fluff and leave just the sleek, shiny topcoat behind.
- Use a carding knife. Brush and comb the fluffy coat you want to remove, then hold a carding knife at an angle to the skin. (Experiment to see what angle works best, probably around 15-30 degrees.) With your non-dominant hand, hold the skin taught at the top of the area you are working on. Use short strokes, dragging the knife through the fluffy coat until only the hard topcoat remains.
- Pumice or stripping stones often work great to remove fuzzy fur. Use short, brisk strokes, working in the direction the hair grows.
- Try the rubber band trick. Grab a rubber band and weave it through the teeth of a mediumor medium/wide comb so that the band is close to the spine of the tool. Drag the comb through the fluff you wish to remove. It will grab the fuzzy stuff and smoothly remove it.
These methods will last the longest because you pull stubborn, dead hair from the follicle, so it will take longer to re-grow. However, if none of these approaches completely solves the problem, you can use thinning shears to carefully trim the fuzzy fur off where it emerges from the topcoat.
Mastering the skill of busting unsightly fuzz will elevate your results a few notches and help pets maintain a lovely, healthy-looking coat.
