When do they get their adult coats?

[Guest]

Hi all, this is my first post. I am a fairly new owner of not 1 but 2 cairn terriers. :angel: I'm going through all of the battles of housebreaking, George seems to be more interested in going indoors now that he is approaching puberty! Gracie is still playing hard to get so we don't need to worry about seperating them yet. (Just a little background :wink: )

Here is my question:

At what age can I expect them to get their beautiful adult coats? They are both getting close to 7 months. I guess it really isn't important, I love them with the coats they have! Just wondering

Thanks!

[rnbstone]

Meli is six and half months now ... and I am currently in the process (its been a long process) of stripping her for the first time. Her coat is not the soft, fuzzy puppy coat that she once had, so I'm assuming that this is her adult coat. It is more coarse, water resisitant, and changing colors (again).

Meli is my first experience with this breed, so that's about all I can tell you. If your cairns still have a "puppy-like" coat maybe they just have a softer coat ... I've heard that some cairns do.

[Guest]

You asked "when do puppy coats become adult coats?" That depends, have you done your homework and stripped out the puppy fluff?

As for separating the two, if they are unneutered, life will find a way, when you least expect it. If you do not plan to show, neutering now would be a good thing.

Lynda Hammel

[Melanie]

Maxwell's coat started changing at around 9 months. If you read up on the cairn coat, when it actually starts parting down the back is when it is probably time for the first stripping. I make sure I trim his facial and wild ear hair on a regular basis but as far as the stripping thing goes, I have had no luck learning how to do it. Where I live no one actually does stripping, they all cut with a razor. I refuse to do that to this wonderful breed so bought a stripping knife. Well, still not sure how the heck to use it but he is shedding very badly now (11 months) and I know something needs to be done. He to is changing colors again to a brilliant brindle color, it is so exciting!!