Differences Between Long and Short Haired GSDs Grooming

To my untrained eye, there seems a considerable difference between the long haired GSD and the Short Haired GSD. For instance and most obviously, the latter appears smaller and less chunky. Just wondering if those of you in the know can give us your thoughts and opinions.

Thanks

Hi,

I don't know enough to be specific or even to generalise really, but I have 2 GSDs, but short haired.

Yiannis has a lot of filling out to do as he's only 3 onths old and will grow a lot if heis ears and feet are anything to go by.

Zane is very tall, very long, quite chunky and is visibly much larger than many long haired GSDs. Maybe I have the exception to the rule or maybe it's random.

I must admit I am hopefuly that Yannis turns out to be the same re size etc as Zane. But this would also mean I would have 2 GSDs that are quite a bit bigger than most.

Laura xx

Just a guess but if you took 2 dogs of the same size and build and gave one a short coat and one a long coat surely the longer coated one would naturally look slightly bigger and bulkier just because the coat is thicker and fluffier? therefore masking the dogs physique slightly more than that of a dog with a shorter flatter coat??

That would be my guess anyway, like I say I'm no expert.

Hi Werewolf there are 3 coat types in GSDs, Stock hair (standard coat) Long Stock Hair and long haired which does not always have an undercoat and parts along the back. Occiasionaly you get a standard coat that is too short and not dense enough.
The majority of Long Coats in the UK are from English lines which tend to have larger bones, you do get WG line longcoat but now there is a genetic test for coat length you may find less if breeders start to test for this.

The DNA test allows to distinguish between 3 possible genotypes:

1. N/N clear (those having 2 copies of the normal short-hair allele [N]).

2. N/F carrier (those having 1 copy of the normal short-hair allele [N] and 1 copy of the long-hair mutation [F]).

3. F/F affected (those having 2 copies of the long-hair mutation [F]).

So the long haired variety carries the mutated gene?

IO hadn't heard of the coat types described like this. The only way they've ever been described to me before is : long coat, semi long coat and short coat.

Shows how much I know doesn't it?! ;-)

Laura xx

Have we seen any piccies of your GSDs Laura? I would love to see them

I wouldn't say there is any difference in size generally between the longcoat or standard coat, it is an individual thing.

My longcoats

Thanks everyone.

I don't personally know many GSDs. There is a small long coat in the village, a huge (semi ?) long coat I know well, her feet are huge as is everything about her, she would make the small long coat look tiny if they were stood side by side. And there are two short coated whites who look average sized.

Just my obseravation , not due to coat length, due to paw and head size really, to me the long coats appear bigger and stockier in their build.

Thick and heavy coats makes them look bigger than they are, I think most are of a similar soxe, but many, bred soley for colour or coat are of far less quality IMO.

mmm, interesting. My GSD is a stock coat and when he was in his prime he was the biggest GSD I had ever seen. I had a friend with a long coated GSD of the same age which appeared quite small next to Ben. I don't think coat length has a bearing on size but sometime longhair GSD appear larger than they really are underneath all the hair.

Thanks for your answer. For me it isn't just how much bigger they look because they have longer coats. I am looking at feet size etc as well.

Maybe it is just me xx

Has anyone got any pics of long and short coated GSDs together ?

Hi Werewolf, here is a pic of my Cox (adult) and Moobli's Yogi (then about 6-7 months I think):



I think this pic will confirm your observations, but it's only one pic.

What a good looking pair! Thanks for posting the pic xxxxx

And yes it highlights what I am wondering ref size xxx

I've had 4 longcoats and two shortcoats over the years, and I would most definitely say the longcoats seem a lot chunkier. However, the longcoats are skinny when wet (as I told my vet once when he said Georgie was overweight!!) so the thickness of the coat has a LOT to do with it, you've only got to look at Yogi up there! Re the feet size, I too think they have much bigger feet, maybe again, that's because there's lots of hair on the top, whereas the shortcoats have very short hair on the feet so in turn it doesn't make them look quite so chunky either!I think there's a lot more coat differences than just the 3, because mine have varied considerably, one being like Flame with the very thick wiry fur, two being soft silky looking fur but still very thick, and one being very, very thick like Yogi's i.e. Georgie, and then again the new puppy is going to be totally different again, in that it will be quite flat, long fur, and it's parting on her back already, she's now got a line like a ridgeback! Lol!

Maybe it's just a case of when you see a shortcoat, they're usually quite lean and you see the shape of the dog, whereas with a very thick long coat, you never really see the skeleton shape of the dog, unless it's wet!:?

Piccies of Ben please Yogi is turning into a very big boy, I will have to measure him.

but Yogi is part Grizzly Bear ;-)

You'll have to tell me how tall he is, to see if he has now caught up with Cox, who is 27 inches to the shoulder. Hard to tell when they are running about

I will measure him later and let you know I think Cox is still a bit taller, but Yogi still has probably 3-4 months of growing to do. Does anyone know at what age GSDs stop growing (upwards!)? Is it around 12 months?

well yodas height has levelled out now so he just has a little more filling to do- he prob stopped growing upwards at 13/14 months ish- but after 12months it slowed right down.

I think it's 18 months isn't it:? I know 2 years is the time you get the dog you will always have in size, weight, height and coat that's a dead cert!;-) gsd's do not fully mature until they are 2 years old rather than the usual 18 months.