Hair or Fur

I've noticed that some people call a dog coat hair and others call it fur, what is the difference ??

I dont think there is a difference, i guess its just what you prefer to call it?

"Fur" tends to get used for soft, dense hair, like rabbit fur and wolf fur, whereas "hair" tends to get used for longer growths, like horse manes, or for short growing hair that lies close to the body, like "domestic short-haired cats".

Whether it is referred to as "hair", or "fur", how long it grows and whether it ever stops growing, is based :

- first on the species of mammal involved
(for example, neck hair on horses, versus neck hair on cats)

- then - if there are breeds of that mammal - on the breed
(for example, the length of neck hair/fur on Siamese cats versus length of neck hair/fur on Persian cats, or length of neck hair/fur on Friesian or Andalusian horses <famous for growing long manes>, or Appaloosa horses <famous for not growing much mane or tail hair>)

- and finally on the genetics of the individuals themselves.

When, or if, the hair/fur in a certain area ever stops growing, depends on the type of hair/fur it is.

Whether fur/hair is shed, depends on all of the above, as well.

As another correction to the original answer, which stated that "A sheep has wool, not hair or fur", one of the major ways to divide sheep breeds, is into "wool sheep" and "hair sheep".

"Hair sheep" have short, typically coarse, hair that tends to grow to only a short length, and then not any longer, unlike "wool sheep" whose fleece tends to just grow and grow and grow. I have several different breeds of both "wool sheep" and "hair sheep", myself. I only have to worry about shearing the "wool sheep" when hot weather comes.

The original answer's statements on the reasons and uses for hair ("is likely for sex and attraction") are highly speculative.

Scientific American published an interview in 2001, with an expert from the New York American Museum of Natural History, where the question of the difference between hair and fur was asked (again, short answer, "no difference"). It's very interesting, and can be found here:


http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=what-is-the-difference-be




The original answer is below:
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There is a major difference between hair and fur. Fur grows to a set length and stops. Hair continues to grow. We have hair on our heads and fur on our arms and legs.
Fur is probably for primitive warmth and protection. Hair is likely for sex and attraction like differently colored eyes and special feathers. Further evidence of this is men having a beard and women do not. Much of nature allows a male to be flashier so as to attract a mate.
There is very little difference. There are slight differences in how the terms are used.
A horse has hair, a dog or cat can have either fur or hair. Usually fur refers to longer softer coats of hair. Hair is the more generic word.
A sheep has wool, not hair or fur.
I pity anyone trying to learn English.....
Another key difference between fur and hair is that fur is shed, often annually, while hair remains throughout the entire year.

I don't think there is much difference either, my mother always told me cats have fur and dogs have hair , it all looks the same to me.

wow, Janey!

Wow thanks for that Janey. I guess you never know until you ask.

I wish I could take the credit!!!

janey wrote:

I wish I could take the credit!!!

Then take the credit for looking up the answer

Lol well I call my 2 my 'furkids' so I'm gonna go with fur lol x

I'm just pleased that Janey had an hour when she was sober enough to find an answer

Professor Janey

Dave wrote:I'm just pleased that Janey had an hour when she was sober enough to find an answer

Professor Janey

It was just before we where going for celebration drinks after work