Glossary

Smooth coat

A short, close-lying coat that needs little grooming, found on breeds such as the Boxer, Beagle, Greyhound and Doberman Pinscher.

Also called: short coat, short-haired, shorthaired, smooth coated, short smooth coat

A smooth coat is short, dense hair that lies flat against the body. It is easy to groom, and a weekly brush with a rubber mitt is usually enough. Breeds include the Boxer, the Beagle, the Greyhound, the Doberman Pinscher, the Dalmatian and the Pug.

Smooth does not mean low shedding. Short hairs fall out year round and can stick to fabric, and some smooth-coated breeds, such as the Beagle, also have a double coat. Others, like the Greyhound, have almost no undercoat and feel the cold, so coats or jackets help in winter.

The coat compares with the harsh wire coat, the flowing silky coat and the tight curly coat. Some breeds come in both smooth and long or wire varieties, such as the Smooth Fox Terrier and the Dachshund.

Last reviewed November 8, 2026

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Related terms

Wire coat A harsh, bristly outer coat with a dense undercoat, found on many terriers and some gundogs, traditionally kept tidy by hand stripping. Silky coat A fine, glossy, flowing coat that tangles easily and needs regular brushing, found on breeds such as the Yorkshire Terrier, Maltese and Afghan Hound. Curly coat A coat of tight curls or waves, as on the Poodle, Bichon Frise and Curly-Coated Retriever, which sheds little but mats without regular grooming. Double coat A coat with two layers, a soft dense undercoat beneath longer, coarser guard hairs, that insulates a dog against cold and heat and sheds heavily in season.