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Hi there! My black chow chow Otis we thought was a soft coat chow with those mini-wispy hairs throughout. His belly clearly showed sort of a rough coat with longer hairs which are more straight with a wirey texture.

Only recently (the past month or so), Otis' coat starting with his lower back and stretching along his spine is beginning to take on his belly coat's texture. He's 7 months old -- I was simply wondering if this "softer" fur was just a puppy thing he's growing out, or if it's some sort of coat shedding during the end of winter. Or perhaps he may be a mix between rough and soft coat?

Thanks

Nope. Those are called guard furs. they will start on the middle of the back and run along the spine. they are the beginning of adult fur, and will remain the coarsest of his fur types. he will begin to shed the puppy fur and take on more of a 'hair' quality as he ages. this could take anywhere from the next 4-6 months to over a year for full transition. winter shedding, depending on climate, will either speed or slow the process.