When I started working with dog fur/ hair to create needle felted dog replicas, I became curious about the difference between dog hair or fur. What to call this new material I was working with, were those two words interchangeable? Was there a difference?
OK, so now I now there is a difference and I shall attempt to explain that in this post.
So there is no chemical difference between hair and fur, they are both made from keratin. They can however differ in texture and growth cycles.
Hair
Examples of dogs with hair include Poodle, Bedlington Terrier, Schnauzer Bearded Collie and Bichon Frise.
Hair can be straight, wavy or curly and generally feels smoother and finer. It tends to be longer and thicker than fur. Hair grows in a single layer rather than in a double coat and goes through a longer growth cycle. Because of this longer growth cycle, dogs with hair shed less frequently, this leads to people with allergies choosing them over dogs with fur, though this doesn’t always solve the problem! Dogs with hair might need more grooming (as in doggie haircuts) so that their hair doesn’t get too long.
Fur
Dogs with fur include Golden Retriever, Labrador, Newfoundland, Pomeranian
Dogs with fur have shorter growth cycles so they shed more frequently, this is so that they can change the thickness of their coat depending on the season. The fur is finer and denser than hair and often grows in a double coat with a coarser overcoat over the finer undercoat. This helps them to regulate their body temperature. So dogs with fur seem to be more adaptable to changing climates and weather. Their fur is shed before it gets too long so less visits to the dog salon!
So I now know more than I did and I hope you do too! If you want to get in touch about your dog or to enquire about my work with dog fur, I would love to hear from you!
Please use the contact page to get in touch!
Amanda x
Felt Fabulous 