Start with what you can see and feel. Mixed breed coats can borrow traits from either parent, both parents, or seemingly some mysterious third dog nobody invited.
Run your fingers through the coat. Look for curl, density, undercoat, coarse guard hairs, feathering and furnishings. If your dog seems to fit two categories, that is normal for a mixed breed.
Is it curly, straight, wiry, sleek or fluffy?
Is it silky, coarse, dense, cottony or slick?
Can you see a soft undercoat beneath longer outer hairs?
These are practical grooming groups, not breed standards.
Looks like: Waves, loose curls, tight curls or a soft fleece texture.
You may see it in: Poodle mixes, Bichon mixes, some spaniel mixes
Maintenance: HIGH
Looks like: Coarse outer hair, wispy texture, brows, beard or a rough little face.
You may see it in: Terrier mixes, schnauzer mixes, wire coated crosses
Maintenance: MODERATE
Looks like: A softer dense layer underneath longer or tougher outer hairs.
You may see it in: Husky, shepherd, spitz and retriever mixes
Maintenance: MODERATE TO HIGH
Looks like: Hair lies close to the body and may look deceptively low maintenance.
You may see it in: Hound, bully, pointer and short coated mixes
Maintenance: LOW TO MODERATE
Looks like: Longer brows, beard, muzzle hair, ear fringe or feathered legs.
You may see it in: Many terrier, poodle, spaniel and schnauzer mixes
Maintenance: VARIES
Welcome to mixed breeds. A dog can have a dense undercoat on the body, softer furnishings on the face and an entirely different texture on the legs. Use the closest category as your starting point, then read the guides for the other traits you see.
Mixed breed coat inheritance is one of the reasons Cuts4Mutts exists. Two dogs with the same parent breeds can end up with very different grooming needs.
Straight, wavy, curly and coarse traits can combine in ways that change how the coat tangles and trims.
A dense undercoat changes brushing, drying and shedding even when the outer coat looks soft.
Beards, brows and longer facial hair can appear even when the rest of the coat behaves differently.
Use this finder to narrow things down, but groom the coat that is actually on your dog. Condition, age, health, behavior, matting and individual texture all matter.
Once you know the coat you’re dealing with, head into the tutorials for tools, brushing, bathing, trimming and maintenance.