Many years ago (longer than I care to recall) I was told by a dog person that a good coat was 'bred for, fed for and cared for' in other words, the breeding determined if the dog had a naturally good coat and therefor the owner held the reponsiblity in their hands as to whether they enhanced this by good feeding and good grooming!  Now I have quoted this to a few people recently with regards to poor coats and skin, advised they look at the dog's diet and improve the grooming.  Am I mad?  Does this saying really excist or did somebody just randomly say it?  It makes sense which is why I've said it to some people but just want to make sure I'm not saying something that may have been fashionable millieniums ago but doesn't ring true now!

It's certainly true of people too!  Plenty of water and a good diet can make a massive difference to skin and hair, in quite a short time. 

Are you saying that dog people have disagreed with you - I'd have thought that everyone would know this as it really is very obvious and so easy for people to test out.  Take a dog from a rescue situation that has been fed on rubbish.  Add good food, exercise, and regular grooming (correct for coat) then hey presto!! :)

My breeds wire coats are certainly bred for but condition and management (of coat AND skin) are entirely down to the owner

No nobody is disagreeing, and after this advice have noticed improvements.  I just wondered does the saying 'a good food is bred for, feed for & cared for' actually excist or was it passed onto me as something that just person just said, like his saying?

Wish I could take that advice myself.. too much junk at times!

> a good coat was 'bred for, fed for and cared for'

Spot on, I'd say. Feeding and care will make a huge difference to condition, but won't fundamentally change coat texture. Quantity of coat can be marginally improved, I think, but general coat type is genetic in my view.

M.

Makes sense to me!

Haven't heard of the saying, so he could well have made it up, but it's a good saying I think. I definately agree, I also breed a breed with handstripped wire coats, and it definately has to be bred for, fed for, and cared for!

it makes perfect sense. waggamama - what sort of food would you be looking at for the wire coats ?

I also breed a breed with handstripped wire coats, and it definately has to be bred for, fed for, and cared for!

my breed is also a hand stripped wire haired one so would be very interested to know which food you use :)