Coat Funk
Usually the dogs have a beautiful, healthy coat at a young age, but as they get older, an abnormal coat conditions begins to surface. First the guard hairs around the neck begin to break off as if a collar was causing the damage. Then eventually, the rest of the guard coat begins to break off or fall out leaving behind only a "woolly" looking undercoat This coat does not fall out, nor do they "blow coat like normal. Two areas may appear untouched by this condition — the head/face and along with the spine where there may be normal guard coat hairs but very sparsely spaced. The tail may become affected at any point — early or later depending on the dog. Because the coat does not "blow" normally, the dog may have a "reddish tinge" due to the dead hairs and possible sun damage of the abnormal old hairs. Other unusual facts — when the hair is shaved in an area, it may grow back very slowly or begin to look like it is coming in normally again (only to eventually return to the abnormal coat condition), and if the dead hairs are pulled out, new hair may begin to come in normally, but with time, resumes its woolly look with the guard coat missing.
