Dog Coat Terminology
A dog's coat usually consists of two layers, a hairy outer layer and a dense, soft inner layer. The outer layer or topcoat is weatherproof and is often quite long. For example this Yorkshire Terrier has a long straight coat which is fine, silky and in this case, very glamorous. On the other hand, the undercoat always lies close to the skin somewhat like fur to keep the dog warm. The texture of the topcoat plus the ratio of topcoat to undercoat is what defines a breed’s coat type.
Double Coat
The Australian Cattle dog has a top coat and undercoat which are different colours. This makes the concept of a double coat easier to understand. Here the top coat appears to be a mixture of long black or silver individual thick hairs which gives this breed its distinctive colour, called blue. The short dense undercoat is obvious because it is light brown. The undercoat on this dog is so dense, the grey skin on the dog is only revealed when pressure is applied. Please click on the picture to enlarge and then click the small box on the top RHS to enlarge further.
Rough Coat
The Cairn Terrier has a typical 'double coat' with a rough outer weatherproof layer of hair that grows over a softer layer which, like fur, insulates the dog from the cold from the cold. So this coat really protects the dog from all the elements. The topcoat and undercoat of this Terrier are the same colour. The outer layer of coat of a rough coated terrier lies flat.
Broken Coat
The Airedale Terrier has a double coat like several of the other rough coated terriers But the outer coat has a 'break' or wave mainly on the saddle area. This wave or 'break' in the outer coat is why the coat is called a broken coat. A broken coat is typical of many of the trimmed terriers.
Corded Coat
The Komondor and Puli of Hungary have a fascinating coat which is corded.
The cords are due to the intertwining of the top coat with the undercoat. This shaggy coat is very dense and can tend to form matts rather than cords. It therefore requires diligent grooming.
The Vent
The area of the coat which is cross hatched is commonly called 'the vent'. Whereby technically the vent usually refers to the anus, in dog terminology when describing coat colour markings, the vent means an area encompassing the anus, the dog's genetalia plus some of the surrounding area as shown.
Dewlap
The dewlap is the loose pendulous skin around the throat area, often arranged as two distinct folds as illustrated in the Basset Bound. In some breeds these loose folds act as protection for the jugular vein in the throat area. But in most breeds, this loose skin is considered a fault.