Posted by For those who just recently got a Goldendoodle, you must be not that familiar with its coat. While you are trying to look for the information about it, you might find the term “straight coat” and “flat coat” and wonder what they are and the things that make them different.
The topic about straight coats and flat coats has been divided into two sides. We Love Doodles, writes something such as “Straight hair Goldendoodles, also known as flat coat Goldendoodles, are becoming an increasingly popular dog type because people like the straight hair that resembles a Golden Retriever and makes them look more like a teddy bear.” From the sentence, it can be concluded that according to the site, straight hair and flat hair are the same thing. Since they are the same, there is no difference between these two.
While some sources think that the straight coat and flat coat Goldendoodle are the same things and the flat coat is just another term to call the straight coat, Kent Family Farms has a completely different opinion. According to this site, straight coats are very different from improper coats, which are known as flat coats. The difference is that straight coats just leave no curl in the coat while the flat coats or improper coats have no long hair or no furnishings on their face. Check out the following photos of Goldendoodles with straight coat and flat coat to tell the difference:
Goldendoodle with straight coat:
Goldendoodle with flat coat:
Then, what about you? What do you think about straight and flat coats? Do you think both of them are the same, just like the opinion shared by We Love Doodles, or do you think these two are two particular things, just like what Kent Family Farms think?
Feel free to have different opinions. As you already know that some people think that straight coats and flat coats are the same while some others are not, now you might want to know more about straight coats, which some people also refer to as flat coats.
Straight coats are known to have no curl gene on the Cu Locus. For those who are not familiar with Cu Locus, it refers to a dog gene that determines if a dog will have curly hair. This kind of gene usually comes from one of its parents, which is Poodle, the one that usually has an extremely curly coat. Cu Locus has the ability to prevent keratin from binding together structural components that result in a curly coat. If there is no Co Locus or if there is keratin from the generic structure of your dog you can tell that your Goldendoodle will have a straight coat. Go get a DNA test to make sure if this gene exists.
If your Goldendoodle has a straight or flat coat, both you and your dog will have some benefits, such as:
- If your Goldendoodle has the straight or flat coat, it will be needed for you to brush the dog often, which is different from having the one with a curly or wavy coat. Brushing often is important to avoid the mattes.
- It will be needed for you to spend a whole day looking after the dog. It is especially useful if you are in a hurry. If your Goldendoodle has a straight or flat coat, you can just go out or if you go with your dog, you can just take it without having to prepare such as brushing its coat first. Even if its coat needs to be brushed, it will not take long until it is done.
While there are some advantages of straight or flat coats, there are also some downsides. Some of the downsides include:
- The straight coat tends to shed a lot more compared to wavy or curly coats. The reason is because the Goldendoodle with straight or flat coat has less Poodle genetics that make the dog have a curlier coat. If you have a Goldendoodle with a straight coat, do not be surprised if you see hair that sheds on the floor. While it does shed, the shed is still considered less compared to the Golden Retriever counterparts.
- Due to the fact that the Goldendoodle with straight or flat coat has more Golden Retriever genetics and less Poodle genetics, they will be less hypoallergenic. This feature apparently comes from the curly coat and non-shedding features. It is created because the dander and some other protein allergens are not allowed by the curly dog coat to stick to their dog skin.
What should you do if you want a Goldendoodle with a straight or flat coat? If you are a fan of a Goldendoodle with straight or flat hair, find out the way to get one below.
Usually, the generation of Goldendoodle can play a part in the possibility of the dog to have a straight or flat coat. For everyone who is looking for a Goldendoodle with a straight or flat coat, the best one that you can consider is the 1st generation or F! Goldendoodle, which is the mix of a Poodle and a Golden Retriever. Aside from that, there is also a high chance of getting a dog with this kind of hair from the 2nd generation or F2 Goldendoodle. The 2nd generation or F2 Goldendoodle refers to the one that crosses F1 Goldendoodle with F1 Goldendoodle. Just like F1, F1 Goldendoodle will consist of 50% Poodle and 50% Golden Retriever. Basically, the one that you should get is a Goldendoodle that is at least 50% Golden Retriever. By following the advice, the chance of you getting the one with a straight or flat coat is high. While it is still considered rare, you can also try to find a breeder that back crosses Goldendoodle with Golden Retriever if you want to get a Goldendoodle that has a straight or flat coat.
