The number, type and length of the Fine and Guard hairs make up the distinctive coat types of different breeds. Dobermans have predominantly guard hairs that are rather coarse and short. Boxers have predominantly fine hairs that are soft and short. Yorkshire Terriers have only guard hairs that are soft and long.
All dogs shed some hair.
In a natural environment, dogs shed hair every six months. Dogs that live inside, however, tend to shed year around although some seasonality may still occur. Although long haired dogs may appear to shed more, the actual number of hairs shed are approximately the same as short haired dogs. Dogs that do not shed need to have their coats clipped every 6-8 weeks. Coats tend to grow faster in the summer than in the winter.