The wire-haired dog's guard coat is meant to be soft.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. It is soft only in puppies
• D. It is never soft

Answer: (B)

Wire-haired breeds have two coat layers: a hard, wiry outer guard coat and a soft undercoat beneath. The guard coat is there to protect the dog from weather, debris, and abrasion, so it should feel stiff and coarse, not soft. The soft texture you feel is the undercoat, which provides insulation. Because of this structure, saying the guard coat is meant to be soft isn’t accurate. Puppies may have evolving coats, but the guard coat itself isn’t designed to be soft in mature dogs.