Since I am new to this breed, I still have a lot of questions. I know much more about English Setters, the breed I grew up with. Anyway, Liesl's hair tends to be much shorter than other Cavs that I see. She just got spayed about 4-5 weeks ago (not show quality and my breeder agreed...nevertheless, cute as a button!). Prior to getting spayed, her coat wasn't anything to write home about and I've heard spaying doesn't help a coat much...just wonderful. Liesl is almost 8 months old and still has that short puppy fuzz! Will she ever get long hair?
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A short coat...
- Thread starter Anna
- Start date
RockNRollCav
Well-known member
I had the same question not long ago. It taks 18 months to 2 1/2 years to get their full coat, so technically, your girl is still a puppy, especiallyl in terms of her coat! 
Cathy Moon
Well-known member
India and Geordie had their full coats at about 2 years, and it is more work to keep them brushed - so cherish every moment of their puppy coats! :lol:
I definitely will enjoy this time then! By the way Cathy...I ordered the harness today! I got pink for Liesl...I little wimpy, I know, but she's pretty in pink. I can't wait to try it out! I measured her neck and decided on getting a large. Hopefully it's not too big. Thanks for the tip though...
Cathy Moon
Well-known member
She will look adorable in pink! :snap: Please post photos when it arrives! :flwr:
GeeGee
Well-known member
Pippa is 3 now and she has a long coatish but its not as thick and curly as the cavi's I see around, we haven't done much about it cause well its not harming her in any way. She got spayed before her first period as the vet suggested but we think that cause she was spayed then it didn't give her time for her coat to mature. But we have noticed that she has suddenly had an increase in the length of her fur on her ears. :shock:
Cathy Moon
Well-known member
I'm sure her coat is fine. All 3 of my cavs have different coats. Geordie has a long straight coat that lays down, India has a long straight thick coat that is fluffy, and Chocolate has a wavy, bushy extra long coat! India's tail is not as full as the other two, and Geordies leg fringes are not as thick as the girls'. The girls have thicker hair on their ears than Geordie. Each cavvie is unique!! :flwr:
:flwr:
Cathy Moon
Well-known member
GeeGee said:She got spayed before her first period as the vet suggested but we think that cause she was spayed then it didn't give her time for her coat to mature. But we have noticed that she has suddenly had an increase in the length of her fur on her ears. :shock:
Oh, I forgot to say both of my females are spayed, India at 6-7 months, and Chocolate at almost 4 years of age. I have read this can make the female cavs' coats thicker, which I think has happened.
Some cavvies have a shorter coat - sometimes I wish Chocolate's was shorter and thinner!!
Cavaliers are not supposed to have curly coats; so consider a straight or slightly wavy coat to be a bonus.
Also coats are very much determined by genes. I have seen small puppies that have far more coat than either of my two boys have ever had. They also have very, very slow growing coats and never went through a big shed of their puppy coat, just a slow and gradual replacement. At over 2 and a half, jaspar still has only just had most of his body turn to adult coat hair and his longer feathering is still puppy coat feathering. People tend to think they've been shorn as their coats are so tight and smooth, but I have never (and would never! ) trim them. By contrast, Lily, who is younger than the boys, is like a mammoth with so much heavy coat that she looks a couple of pounds heavier than she actually is. As her coat is not in the best condition I may have her trimmed just so that the new growth will be healthy. I think her shagginess is partly that she has her puppy coat still, as well. If she blows that coat it will be like a black shag carpet around my home!! :shock:
Ears grow slowly and gradually on all cavaliers.
Black hair tends to be longer and fuller than any other colour and dogs with black tend to have a fuller coat but not always.
A spay or neuter shouldn't affect a dog's coat as much as either genes or being overweight or fed a mediocre diet will. Leo and Jaspar have not gone fluffy or curly as a result of their neuter over a year ago. Lily already has a cottony curly coat and is only being spayed right now (as I type!). She was also very fat, and fed a poor diet, until now. So there's lots of variation. Her coat has improved greatly just from two months of major weight loss, a good diet, regular brushing and fish oils, etc.
Also coats are very much determined by genes. I have seen small puppies that have far more coat than either of my two boys have ever had. They also have very, very slow growing coats and never went through a big shed of their puppy coat, just a slow and gradual replacement. At over 2 and a half, jaspar still has only just had most of his body turn to adult coat hair and his longer feathering is still puppy coat feathering. People tend to think they've been shorn as their coats are so tight and smooth, but I have never (and would never!
) trim them. By contrast, Lily, who is younger than the boys, is like a mammoth with so much heavy coat that she looks a couple of pounds heavier than she actually is. As her coat is not in the best condition I may have her trimmed just so that the new growth will be healthy. I think her shagginess is partly that she has her puppy coat still, as well. If she blows that coat it will be like a black shag carpet around my home!! :shock:Ears grow slowly and gradually on all cavaliers.
Black hair tends to be longer and fuller than any other colour and dogs with black tend to have a fuller coat but not always.
A spay or neuter shouldn't affect a dog's coat as much as either genes or being overweight or fed a mediocre diet will. Leo and Jaspar have not gone fluffy or curly as a result of their neuter over a year ago. Lily already has a cottony curly coat and is only being spayed right now (as I type!). She was also very fat, and fed a poor diet, until now. So there's lots of variation. Her coat has improved greatly just from two months of major weight loss, a good diet, regular brushing and fish oils, etc.