Coat, or the nature and quality of a show
mammalMammals are a class of vertebrate animals whose females are characterized by the possession of mammary glands while both males and females are characterized by sweat glands, hair, three middle ear bones used in hearing, and a neocortex region in the brain.Mammals are divided into three main...
's pelage, is important to the
animal fancyAnimal fancy is a hobby involving the appreciation, promotion, and/or breeding of pet or domestic animals.Fancy may include ownership, showing, trialling and other competitions, breeding and judging. Hobbyists may simply collect specimens of the animal in appropriate enclosures, such as aquaria...
in the judging of the animal, particularly at
conformation dog showsConformation shows, also referred to as breed shows, are a kind of dog show in which a judge familiar with a specific dog breed evaluates individual purebred dogs for how well the dogs conform to the established breed type for their breed, as described in a breed's individual breed standard...
,
cat showsA cat show is a judged event where the owners of cats compete to win titles in various cat registering organizations by entering their cats to be judged after a breed standard. Both pedigreed and companion cats are admissible, although the rules differ from organization to organization...
and
horse showsA Horse show is a judged exhibition of horses and ponies. Many different horse breeds and equestrian disciplines hold competitions worldwide, from local to the international levels. Most horse shows run from one to three days, sometimes longer for major, all-breed events or national and...
.
The pelage of a show animal may be divided into different types of
hairHair is a protein filament that grows through the epidermis from follicles deep within the dermis. The fine, soft hair found on many nonhuman mammals is typically called fur; wool is the characteristically curly hair found on sheep and goats. Found exclusively in mammals, hair is one of the...
(usually known as
furFur is a synonym for hair, used more commonly in reference to non-human animals, usually mammals; particularly those with extensive body hair coverage. The term is sometimes used to refer to the body hair of an animal as a complete coat, also known as the "pelage". Fur is also used to refer to...
) or
woolWool is a fibrous protein derived from the specialized skin cells called follicles. The wool is taken from animals in the Caprinae family, principally sheep, but the hair of certain species of other mammals including: goats, llamas, and rabbits may also be called wool...
with a texture ranging from downy to spiky; in addition the animal may be single-coated or may have a number of coats, such as an
undercoatDown hairs, also called the ground hairs, are the very fine, fluffy hairs closest to the skin on some mammals. The hairs are short and crimped, which makes them highly efficient for trapping air and insulating the animal....
and a
topcoatGuard hairs are the longest, most coarse hairs in a mammal's coat, forming the topcoat . They taper to a point and protect the undercoat from the elements. They are often water repellent and stick out above the rest of the coat...
(made up of guard hairs; also called outer coat and, sometimes, overcoat).
Coat, or the nature and quality of a show
mammalMammals are a class of vertebrate animals whose females are characterized by the possession of mammary glands while both males and females are characterized by sweat glands, hair, three middle ear bones used in hearing, and a neocortex region in the brain.Mammals are divided into three main...
's pelage, is important to the
animal fancyAnimal fancy is a hobby involving the appreciation, promotion, and/or breeding of pet or domestic animals.Fancy may include ownership, showing, trialling and other competitions, breeding and judging. Hobbyists may simply collect specimens of the animal in appropriate enclosures, such as aquaria...
in the judging of the animal, particularly at
conformation dog showsConformation shows, also referred to as breed shows, are a kind of dog show in which a judge familiar with a specific dog breed evaluates individual purebred dogs for how well the dogs conform to the established breed type for their breed, as described in a breed's individual breed standard...
,
cat showsA cat show is a judged event where the owners of cats compete to win titles in various cat registering organizations by entering their cats to be judged after a breed standard. Both pedigreed and companion cats are admissible, although the rules differ from organization to organization...
and
horse showsA Horse show is a judged exhibition of horses and ponies. Many different horse breeds and equestrian disciplines hold competitions worldwide, from local to the international levels. Most horse shows run from one to three days, sometimes longer for major, all-breed events or national and...
.
The pelage of a show animal may be divided into different types of
hairHair is a protein filament that grows through the epidermis from follicles deep within the dermis. The fine, soft hair found on many nonhuman mammals is typically called fur; wool is the characteristically curly hair found on sheep and goats. Found exclusively in mammals, hair is one of the...
(usually known as
furFur is a synonym for hair, used more commonly in reference to non-human animals, usually mammals; particularly those with extensive body hair coverage. The term is sometimes used to refer to the body hair of an animal as a complete coat, also known as the "pelage". Fur is also used to refer to...
) or
woolWool is a fibrous protein derived from the specialized skin cells called follicles. The wool is taken from animals in the Caprinae family, principally sheep, but the hair of certain species of other mammals including: goats, llamas, and rabbits may also be called wool...
with a texture ranging from downy to spiky; in addition the animal may be single-coated or may have a number of coats, such as an
undercoatDown hairs, also called the ground hairs, are the very fine, fluffy hairs closest to the skin on some mammals. The hairs are short and crimped, which makes them highly efficient for trapping air and insulating the animal....
and a
topcoatGuard hairs are the longest, most coarse hairs in a mammal's coat, forming the topcoat . They taper to a point and protect the undercoat from the elements. They are often water repellent and stick out above the rest of the coat...
(made up of guard hairs; also called outer coat and, sometimes, overcoat). The state of the coat is considered an indication of the animal's
breedingSelective breeding is the process of breeding plants and animals for particular genetic traits. Typically, strains which are selectively bred are domesticated, and the breeding is sometimes done by a professional breeder. Bred animals are known as breeds, while bred plants are known as varieties,...
and health.
Some considerations in judging the quality of an animal's coat:
- Colour (coat colour other than those allowed in the breed standard
A breed standard in animal fancy and animal husbandry is a set of guidelines which is used to ensure that the animals produced by a breeder or breeding facility conform to the specifics of the breed....
results in disqualification)
- Markings (distribution of colour, spots, and patches; for example the spotted coat of a Dalmatian
The Dalmatian is a breed of dog widely associated with Dalmatia, a region of Croatia, although the exact origin remain unknown. It is noted for its white coat with either black or liver spots.-Body:...
and the merleMerle is a color combination in dogs’ coats. It is a solid base color with lighter blue/gray or reddish patches, which gives a mottled or uneven speckled effect...
coat of an Australian ShepherdThe Australian Shepherd is a breed of herding dog that was developed on ranches in the Western United States. Despite its name, the breed, commonly known as an Aussie, did not originate in Australia...
are distinctive, the markings of a terrierA terrier is a dog of any one of many breeds or landraces of terrier type, which are typically small, wiry, very active and fearless dogs.- History :...
vary.)
- Pattern (specific, predictable markings; tabby, for example is a common pattern in cat
The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felines and felids, is a small carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
s)
- Texture of hair (smooth, rough, curly, straight, broken)
- Length of hair
Coat (also known as a
rugA rug is a covering or garment made by humans to protect their pets from the elements, as in a horse rug or dog coat.Rugs are also used to protect the pelage of show animals, particularly if the wool or fleece is to be judged, as in alpaca fleece sent to an agricultural show, where it would be...
) may also refer to a covering or garment made by humans to protect their
petA pet is an animal kept for companionship and enjoyment or a household animal, as opposed to livestock, laboratory animals, working animals or sport animals, which are kept for economic reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their loyal or playful characteristics, for their attractive...
s from the elements.
See also
- Cat coat genetics
The genetics of cat coat coloration, pattern, length, and texture is a complex subject, and many different genes are involved.- Genes involved in albinism, dominant white, and white spotting :...
for details about catThe cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felines and felids, is a small carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
's coats
- Coat (dog)
The coat of a dog is the pelage that covers its body. A dog coat may be a double coat, made up of a soft undercoat and a coarse topcoat, or a single coat, without an undercoat...
for details about dogThe dog is a domesticated form of the Gray Wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The domestic dog has been one of the most widely kept working and companion animals in human history...
's coats
- Equine coat color
Horses exhibit a diverse array of coat colors and distinctive markings. A specialized vocabulary has evolved to describe them. Color is one of the first things that is noticed about a horse...
and Equine coat color geneticsEquine coat color genetics determine a horse's coat color. There are many different coat colors possible, but all colors are produced by the action of only a few different genes. The simplest genetic default color of all domesticated horses can be described as either "red" or "non-red", depending...
for information on the coats of horses