When choosing a breed that’s right for you, the type of coat is an important factor to consider. Different types of coat require different kinds of grooming method that you may or may not be prepared to do or pay someone to do it. It is easier to brush down a Great Dane with very little effort, but grooming a Poodle can be quit a challenging task that most owners are not willing to undertake. Most owners in this case prefer to assign the job to a professional groomer. Let's take a look at two types of coat and talk about the features of each one.

Smooth Coated Breeds: They are smooth, shiny, and give the look of glossy skin. Breeds with smooth coats are very easy to groom and takes minimal time and effort to do it. They are perfect for those who do not want to spend a lot of time grooming. All you have to do is brush, polish, and you’re all set.

All groups of purebred dogs have breeds with smooth coats, from giant to toys, working dogs to sporting dogs. Smooth coats do not mat or tangle. They do not attract burrs, they do not catch in the underbrush, and they do not get in the way of work. On the other hand, smooth coats offer minimum protection from the elements in comparison to other types of coat. However, breeds with smooth coats are easier to care for because wounds and parasite attack can easily be spotted and easily removed.

Examples of smooth coated breeds are the Beagle, the Bulldog, the Greyhound, the Miniature Pinscher, the Labrador Retriever, the American Foxhound, the Great Dane, the Rottweiler, the Pug, the Bull Terrier, the Dalmatian, the Mastiff, and the French Bulldog.

Medium Coated Breeds: Just like smooth coated breeds, medium coated breeds also take little time and effort to groom. Medium coated breeds have coats that are usually longer than an inch but not at all long. They normally do not develop mats, though thick double coats of the same length could develop mats if they are not regularly brushed, which is usually once a week.

Breeds with medium coats vary. A Dandie Dinmont Terrier has a plush fur while a Golden Retriever has silky feathers. A German Shepherd has weather resistant coat while an Alaskan Malamute has a well insulated coat. Although medium coated breeds can significantly vary from one breed to another, they all share the same feature; they have a thick, weather resistant coat that was developed to survive nature’s elements such as underbrush, lake water, ice, and snow. Many herding dogs as well as working dogs have medium coats so as not to interfere them with their work but thick enough to protect them against rain and cold.

Breeds with medium coats include the German Shepherd, the Saint Bernard, the Golden Retriever, the Borzoi, the Siberian Husky, the Akita, the Flat Coated Retriever, the Smooth Collie, the Field Spaniel, the Norwegian Elkhound, the Saluki, and the Brittany.