# getting your dog shaved down for the summer or no?



## NutroGeoff (May 15, 2013)

Does anyone here get their dog's coat shaved real short for the summer? I see people bringing labs and Goldens and all kinds of dogs in to get shaved down now that it's starting to warm up. I have heard though, that their longer fur actually helps them to stay cooler in the summer. What is your opinion?


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## doggykong (Jan 8, 2014)

NutroGeoff said:


> Does anyone here get their dog's coat shaved real short for the summer? I see people bringing labs and Goldens and all kinds of dogs in to get shaved down now that it's starting to warm up. I have heard though, that their longer fur actually helps them to stay cooler in the summer. What is your opinion?


I don't personally have experience with this, but my neighbor has an Australian Shepherd that she shaves it's hair in the winter time and leaves the coat long in the summer time. I haven't asked her the reasoning behind it, I thought it was odd, but now that you posted this, it really makes me think. I can see how the longer fur would keep it cooler but in my mind I would also think a lot of hair would be hot, so IDK. Both ways make sense, I am interested in seeing other replys about this. Does anyone with longer haired dogs know why you would shave in the winter? (we did have a mild winter so maybe that was why also?)


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## Savage Destiny (Mar 16, 2011)

Nope, nope, nope. BAD. BAAAAD. 

Sorry, I just feel very strongly about this. Double coated dogs are absolutely NOT meant to be shaved. They have their coat for a reason. Their skin is not designed to have the sun beating down on it. Shaving them leaves them open to sunburn and heat exhaustion. Not to mention that shaving ruins the coat and it grows back coarse, fuzzy, and does not shed out properly anymore. 

The best way to keep them cool is to PROPERLY brush them out. Not just a once-over, a real brush out where ALL undercoat is removed so air can circulate through the top coat. Most people do not actually do a proper brush out, so their dog gets hot due to leftover undercoat.


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## Celt (Dec 27, 2010)

I have done both ways. Brushing isn't always enough for some dogs. We never shaved down our golden until he became elderly. The heat was just too much for him, so we shaved him down and he was more comfortable. His coat grew back in no problem and looked just as good as before. My niece shaves down all of her poms and they do seem more comfortable shaved down than unshaven. All 4's coats grow back just as well as their original did and has no problems. In fact, during wintertime, she's always getting complements on how soft, thick and lush their coats are. You do have to be careful if your pup has "pink" skin because the shorter coat does leave them susceptible to sunburn.


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## flashyfawn (Mar 8, 2012)

I think a lot of people believe that a dog needs to be shaved in order to keep it cool but I mean honestly, if it's super hot outside, then yes the dog is probably hot regardless of whether or not it has a full coat. As a groomer, I can tell you that the vast majority of people do not brush their dogs so with a double coated dog, I think you have three choices - learn to brush correctly as Savage Destiny said, or bring it to the groomer monthly to have that done, or keep the dog shaved if you are unable or unwilling to do the first two things. The skin needs to breathe and even on a long haired dog, the skin still gets air if the dog is brushed out correctly. Having a ton of packed, matted undercoat is not healthy for the skin and definitely could contribute to a dog feeling hot, not to mention uncomfortable.

As for Labs or other similar coated dogs being shaved, IME that is usually either the owner not wanting to deal with shedding (and yes they still shed even if they are shaved) or believing that shaving will keep the dog cooler which is iffy. There is always a risk that the coat will not grow back properly. Sometimes it will grow back fine, and you can shave a dog 10 times and then on the 11th time the coat doesn't grow back right, if at all. So you do have to play the odds on that one but it is definitely a risk, particularly on Poms who are known for clipper alopecia. We do shave double coated dogs but we educate the owners about the risks, and then they decide if it's still something they want to do.

I have no idea why someone would shave a dog in the winter but not the summer, that does seem odd.


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## Shamrockmommy (Sep 10, 2009)

Well I spent many years as a professional groomer and have shaved down many dogs. I do not recommend something like a lab or golden being shaved, it really messes with their coat regrowing, as well as some double coated dogs like collies, samoyeds and similar. For those I recommend a grooming doing a "longish" snap-on comb/guide to preserve the guard and under coat. Sometimes when you shave the hair really short the undercoat fails to fall out and coat regrowth is very strange, sometimes the coat never completely recovers. It does help, with those dogs, to go over them with a furminator to pull out the undercoat that is not falling out naturally on its own.

That said, I have a PWD with an "improper" coat (instead of being long and curly or wavy, it grows in the pattern of a border collie, with short hairs on the face and front of legs, and then body hair grows 4-8" or so everywhere else depending on the area). Her coat is very pretty but it's a lot to maintain and she is definitely hotter than when I clip her down. I use the longest metal blade on her ¾HT which is also the shortest I would go on any double coated breed . 

She likes it, I like that it's easier to bathe/dry/brush her. I really do think they are cooler when the coat is shorter. Another way to do it on collies/goldens, etc is to trim the "pants and feathers" up short and leave the topcoat full so it is not damaged. 

Hope this helps


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## Savage Destiny (Mar 16, 2011)

Celt said:


> I have done both ways. Brushing isn't always enough for some dogs. We never shaved down our golden until he became elderly. The heat was just too much for him, so we shaved him down and he was more comfortable. His coat grew back in no problem and looked just as good as before. My niece shaves down all of her poms and they do seem more comfortable shaved down than unshaven. All 4's coats grow back just as well as their original did and has no problems. In fact, during wintertime, she's always getting complements on how soft, thick and lush their coats are. You do have to be careful if your pup has "pink" skin because the shorter coat does leave them susceptible to sunburn.


Brushing is enough when done truly properly, as I said. Unfortunately most people don't know how to do that, or think they are but really aren't. 

Your niece is extremely, EXTREMELY lucky that her Poms have not had their coats affected. Sooner or later it will happen, though, because every time they're shaved the risk goes up. And Pom coats are the worst when they don't grow back in right.


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## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

i wouldn't shave my dog. a dog's coat keeps them cool in the summer
and warm in the winter.


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## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

i don't know if this is correct but i brush my dog in all directions with an under coat comb. i use the
under coat comb on his back, chest , tail, back of his legs. i use a pin brush when i brush underneath
him, on his head and the inside of his legs. i brush in all directions with the pin brush. then i brush
him in the direction the hair lays. i bruch him 3 to 4 times a week.



flashyfawn said:


> I think a lot of people believe that a dog needs to be shaved in order to keep it cool but I mean honestly, if it's super hot outside, then yes the dog is probably hot regardless of whether or not it has a full coat. As a groomer, I can tell you that the vast majority of people do not brush their dogs so with a double coated dog, I think you have three choices - learn to brush correctly as Savage Destiny said, or bring it to the groomer monthly to have that done, or keep the dog shaved if you are unable or unwilling to do the first two things.
> 
> >>>>> The skin needs to breathe and even on a long haired dog, the skin still gets air if the dog is brushed out correctly. <<<<<
> 
> ...


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## NutroGeoff (May 15, 2013)

Oh wow. Yeah I have never had any of my labs shaved and they have always seemed to do pretty well. Even in the Texas summers. My mom does tend to keep her shih tzus trimmed up a bit, but not shaved down real close.


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## InkedMarie (Sep 9, 2011)

No. I've had four Shelties & they've done just fine up here. I just saw an article on why you shouldn't shave most breeds; if I find it, I'll share it.


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## NutroGeoff (May 15, 2013)

InkedMarie said:


> No. I've had four Shelties & they've done just fine up here. I just saw an article on why you shouldn't shave most breeds; if I find it, I'll share it.


Oh wow! That would be great! Thanks!


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## InkedMarie (Sep 9, 2011)

NutroGeoff said:


> Oh wow! That would be great! Thanks!


BBird's GroomBlog: SHAVING DOGS FOR SUMMER? - Consider This


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## Taser (Mar 14, 2013)

Excellent article. Thank you. We had Siberian Huskies for over 20 years and never ever considered shaving them down.


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## NutroGeoff (May 15, 2013)

InkedMarie said:


> BBird's GroomBlog: SHAVING DOGS FOR SUMMER? - Consider This


Oh wow. That's a really good article. Thank you very much!


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## bett (Mar 15, 2012)

noooooooooooooo


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## NutroGeoff (May 15, 2013)

bett said:


> noooooooooooooo


I actually saw someone's dog that they were having groomed at Petsmart. It was a corgi that had been groomed before. The hair only grew back in random patches and looked terrible.


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## StellaLucyDesi (Oct 29, 2008)

This article is timely for me. I have Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. They have great, beautiful coats. Cavs are considered a "natural" breed, and you are never supposed to trim them, except for the bottoms of their feet, especially when they are showing in the ring. However, mine are retired champions and just "show" around the house now LOL. Anyway, lots of Cavvie owners shave their dogs in a puppy coat for summer, if they're not show dogs, and I do think it's cute. I've been toying with the idea, as I have seniors and they do tend to get hot in the summer. I've been too nervous to do it yet, though. I know my groomer would do it for me if I asked, as he does other Cavs that come to him. However, after reading the article provided by Marie I think I'll keep doing what I've been doing and just have them trimmed up a bit....ears, feathers, feet, sanitary.


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## NutroGeoff (May 15, 2013)

Awww cavs are cute. They are such sweet dogs!


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## ILuvLabs (Oct 27, 2008)

Just finished reading an article about this.........I'll see if I can find it if anyone wants to see it..........I'm constantly reading articles about dogs & their care so I hope I can find it! Anyway, it was talking about how people have their dogs shaved thinking it's cooler for them when their fur actually keeps them cool. I know so many people who shave their dogs every summer. I did hear eons ago that their coats are meant to keep them cool which is why it blows my mind to see how many dogs are shaved. My Lab gets shaved between her pads when her nails are cut & that's about it........


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## NutroGeoff (May 15, 2013)

Yeah. I never even thought about shaving Baxter. Or any of my other dogs.


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## ammyjones789 (May 1, 2014)

Never! Never! Never!


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## NutroGeoff (May 15, 2013)

Do you have any experience with it? Kind of sounds like you have seen it go bad before. Haha.


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## NutroGeoff (May 15, 2013)

Saw a pomeranian tonight in Petsmart, it had apparently been shaved down before, only the hair didn't grow back properly. It had a mane and the rest of its body looked like one of those Chinese crested dogs with no fur. It was so crazy.


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