I still remember the first teddy I’ve ever seen. It happened at a pet shop, and it probably wasn’t a good example, but it caught my attention. And at that moment I decided: I just MUST get one! My dream only got stronger when I visited my first show and saw the best representatives of this wonderful breed.

A real teddy is a miniature semblance of a cute teddy and pillow-like stuffed teddy bear, hence the name. But, as I soon learned, the pig’s coat develops in several stages before becoming thick and elastic, and not all animals will eventually achieve this! In this article I will try to describe how teddy’s coat develops and how best to define its quality throughout the life of a mumps.

It’s probably time to clarify that I’m not an expert. I’ve been doing Teddy for about 6 months only. However, I tried to make up for the lack of practical experience through enthusiasm and perseverance. This article is the result of a survey that I sent to all Teddy breeders I know online and by mail. If I had to rely on my knowledge, the article would not work. But anyone with a grain of perseverance and tenacity can gather information, and fortunately many competent Teddy breeders helped me. As a result, I just tried to concentrate and systematize their experience and knowledge over many years of work.

Most breeders believe that Teddy’s coat quality can be determined at birth or shortly thereafter. Look for curly mustaches and tummies in toddlers, as well as curls between the ears and around the shoulders.

According to Teri Leach, “Phoenix”, Arizona, curls on the belly are an absolute must! “Lying belly hair will never rise better,” she says, “and most of these animals will forever be left with smoothed fur. Tight C-shaped curls on the belly are indicative of a good coat. “

Along with curls, Teddies should have a pronounced waviness on the rest of the coat. Val Horning, Auburn, NY, explains: “You should feel and see a distinct undulation in the coat. It is equally important to pay attention to its length when assessing the curvature of a hair. ” Elongated hairs give an incomplete appearance to the animal, and most breeders believe that they prevent them from getting a thicker and firmer coat. Ideally, is the coat length limited? inches (about 2 cm), and the coat should be as even as possible over the entire surface of the guinea pig’s body. Therefore, different lengths of hair in colored Teddies will be considered a disadvantage.

Finally, density is the most important determinant of wool quality. Most of the breeders interviewed believed that density is also the most elusive metric that can be consistently achieved. Fortunately, it can be accurately assessed even at a very early age. Val Horning comments: “In newborns, the coat seems a little harsher as it is still quite short. Essentially, however, what is needed is a wool that, when separated, shows the skin as little as possible. Undoubtedly skill and skill come with some amount of practical experience. However, keeping records of your early assessment will soon give you the ability to predict results with a certain degree of accuracy once you trace how the little ones ended up.

The next stage in the development of Teddy’s coat is “fluffy”, when the coat becomes like fluffy hair dried after a “perm”. Most of the breeders I spoke to stated that Teddies reach this stage at three to four weeks of age, and that often the best animals were those that developed more slowly and evenly.

Usually at this stage the coat is fluffy, not pressed against the body, although some waviness is still present on the hair shaft. At the same time, you may notice the increasing density, and on a good coat, there should be no noticeable bald spots when separating the coat. It is good if the hair on the crown and along the back is thicker, but no less important is the abundance of hair on the sides and on the hips.

In the next stage, many breeders affectionately refer to the pigs as “freaks.” During this period, which roughly coincides with the transitional age and everything connected with it, your Teddy can easily plunge you into an avalanche of despair, especially if you are not yet familiar with the individual characteristics of the development of pigs in your line. The curls you have pinned your hopes on will gradually disappear, the coat may lie down and your cute little furball will suddenly look very unattractive.

According to Margaret Wells, Washington, “Intermediate coats are likely to lie down, look messy and generally make you wonder: what are you keeping this pig for? Do not despair, – she continues, – the bend of the coat, if it was in childhood, will return again in adulthood.

Meanwhile, this “ugly” stage can proceed in different ways. Early reports from breeders indicated that piglets stay in the form of ugly ducklings from four to five weeks, and from later, twelve. Many stressed that even within the same lineage, individual differences were observed. According to them, you will surely understand this when you see it. Most breeders said that the development of adult coat texture and density can be observed at about the age of 5-6 months. In fact, in some lines this happens earlier, in some – a little later, but the interval of 5-6 months was mentioned most often.

While Teddy’s coat deserves our closest attention, if you want to breed a good Teddy, other factors also matter. Breeders were slightly disagreeable about the size of the animals, but most agreed that size should be given a lot of attention due to the fact that Teddies tend to be slightly smaller than Americans. In addition, one experienced breeder stated that, according to her observation, smaller animals in her herd are less hardy, and, if they are females, are more prone to toxicosis during pregnancy. To this end, and to ensure that Teddies are consistently gaining weight, many breeders have chosen to note the size of the animal when judging. In general, a weight of 2 pounds (about 900 grams) by 3-4 months was considered normal for males.For females, a weight of approximately 28 ounces (about 790 grams) was found to be satisfactory. Obviously, the parameters of weight can be monitored more strictly if this is a problem of your line, and, again, this is just one of many factors that you need to pay attention to when deciding which animals to rely on in the future.

The aim of the study was also to study trends within the breed across the country, in terms of varieties, colors, type, etc. An interesting fact was revealed, often enough to draw a preliminary conclusion: there are frequent references to the fact that areas of white in colored individuals tend to be less dense and slightly longer than surfaces of a different color. Therefore, this could mean a common flaw and, thus, this feature still needs to be worked on. Most breeders admitted that colored colors are the most common at the present time, Agouti is not far behind them. Roans are also approaching this honorary title.

The most problematic were Tortoise and Selfies, as well as other colors that have not been worked on so far. Many breeders have also reported golf ball head type and pea-like eyes. Not all, but most, recognized that such a promising trend should be developed in these animals. In addition, several people mentioned the fact that Teddies with such round profiles were also more prone to developing coat imperfections and malocclusion.

The most common mistakes in breeding Teddy include unevenness and bald patches in the coat, saddle dips on the back, and flattened coat on the sides. Thickness has been noted as the most difficult to achieve element of wool quality, and thus the most important quality to consider when acquiring a breeding group.

Margaret Wells, Washington, advises: “When shopping, choose an animal with a good coat. It is easier to improve the head shape or type than the quality of the coat. Color and its distribution are also less problematic than wool, which is more important. ” Be that as it may, the clarity of the division of colors into sections should draw your attention to itself. One breeder states: “I prefer a pig with few spots, but a pure color, one that has the right spots, but the colors are mixed. It is difficult to get rid of dirty flowers afterwards. ” Thus, if you are dealing with colored or tortoiseshell Teddy, it is worth focusing on a purer color within a certain color area than on the correct distribution of these areas throughout the body.

As for the great controversy over whether Teddy’s coat should be tough or plush, most breeders interviewed feel that coarse, coarse-coated animals are preferred in the show ring, despite the opposite statement in the Standard. Here is a quote from one breeder: “Yes, the Standard says that there is no preference for harsh or velvety coats, but I find that coarse coats are always more beneficial.” Not all, but most breeders have confirmed this position, regardless of which part of the country they live in.

Finally, the purpose of the review was to find out which feeds and supplements breeders find best for Teddy. Many agreed with Shanna Mallory, Calif., Who stated, “Teddies have dry skin. For this reason, it is imperative to ensure that the diet includes some form of fat in order to maintain the coat. I find that using unrefined sunflower seeds twice a week helps a lot in this regard.

The types of food additives used by different breeders varied, but the survey revealed that oats, wheat germ, succulent foods, bone meal and the aforementioned sunflower seeds are used most often as additives to the main feed.

So that is all. I sincerely hope there was enough “meat” in the article for experienced and enough “milk” for beginners like me. I really enjoyed communicating with all of you, and I appreciate the time you spent answering the 20 survey points. The answers of most of you were so detailed that they gave me the opportunity not only to learn something, but also to gain a little of your experience. Thanks to the enthusiasm of people like you, the hobby hobby grows and flourishes, helping those who are just starting …