[Dailydrool] Underfluffies

[Pamela McQuade]

I know some discussion about shedding and underfluffies has been going on lately. I have my own observation to add to the  mix.

Over the years I have noticed that some hounds have enough underfluffies to build a whole pack of dogs. Abner and our current permanent foster Holly have been like that. Underfluffy production with these dogs is continous and year round. Then there has been Jane, who has a modest amount of underfluffiness; she often ends up with tufts on her behind in the spring and fall, but in between I don't notice copious shedding. When we just had her and Belvedere, I didn't take out the vacuum cleaner as much, but I think it was with Abner's advent in our lives that I ended up with a Dyson.

However I have also noticed that some hounds seem to do without underfluffiness almost completely. Belvedere, who was born in the Deep South, is one of these hounds. When I was drowning in underfluffies from Abner and Holly, I was always glad I had him, to balance out the fur production a bit. Bel came into our lives a bit thin, and he shivered when it was cold outside. He came to us with a flimsy sweater, so I was glad when a friend gave us a thicker one and we put some weight on him; that seemed to pretty much solve the problem except in the very coldest of weather. But Dexter, our foster who isn't going anywhere, seems to be the most thin-coated basset I've ever seen. There is absolutely no undercoat on him as far as I can see. He's always cold if it is windy, so we don't go out much in the really cold weather unless he's well wrapped up in Bel's heavier sweater. His new coat is almost out from under my sewing machine, and I'm hoping that will
 make him comfy in all weather.

On their program "Dogs 101," Animal Planet had an episode that talked about grooming and the various kinds of coats that dogs have. I quickly figured that bassets have a double coat, since they have underfluffies. So I can't quite account for Dexter's complete lack of them. I am wondering if dachshunds lack a double coat and if, as I have always said, Dex has something other than basset in his background. He certainly howls more than any basset I've had, and he looks somewhat like Beth Howering's Don Vito Barkeleone, who is known to be part dachsie.
 
Anyone have wisdom on this topic?
Pam, food slave to the Dashing Bassets