“Dripping in coat.” How often have you heard this said of a dog luxuriating in a healthy, long, gorgeous coat? With a gift for the obvious, we mention that there are breeds that seem to “drip” in coat, and they’re referred to “drop coated” breeds because their single or double coat hangs straight, long and flat over their body (sometimes reaching the ground in the smaller breeds).

Some groomers feel that an advantage of such a coat is that there’s one hair per follicle which (in theory) means they shed less. The downside? These coats, stunning as they are, take a lot of work to maintain. The hair of these breeds is highly susceptible to damage and breakage that can be caused by harsh shampoo, neglect, excessive blow-drying, and exposure to the elements –  and a damaged coat can take a long time to repair. Meh. Some people knit. Others groom. That said, can you name 13 drop coated breeds? Answer appears under the image credit.

Polish Lowland Sheepdog by Jean-Michel Labat is available in a print, greeting card, tote bag and phone case here.

The drop coated breeds are the Polish Lowland Sheepdog, Briard, Maltese, Yorkshire Terrier, Afghan Hound, Cocker Spaniel,Bearded Collie, Lhasa Apso,Havanese, Shih Tzu, Tibetan Terrier, Skye Terrier, and Silky Terrier.