Shaving! Correct for only some breeds?

[Crowsfeet]

Well, we used to shave Hap(aussie-mix, 2 inch length hair, furry-furry-furry..), but last we had him boarded for a short vacation, the operators of the kennel said they didn't shave "those kinds of dogs". Because their coat is adept to handling summer heat, and since he has an undercoat and such, shaving his protective coat may make him more vulnerable to sunburn?

The weather is pretty warm again, and honestly, I'd like to shave him. He's shedding like crazy, and is consistently panting. Do you know of any breeds/fur/hair-types that absolutely shouldn't be shaved? Is it really just an owner-preference kind of thing?

 

[PoodleMommy]

Your opening a can of worms with this question.... dont say I didnt warn you

Breeds with an undercoat are capable of dealing with the heat, actually shaving them can make them less able to deal with the heat.

Also, shaving them down can make their hair grow back different.

In the end, you will hear different opinions from everyone you ask... people will tell you "sparky" their double coated dog was shaved every year and they were fine.

If the shedding is the only reason you are looking to shave him... I would try brushing him really good with a furminator once a week or so and see if that helps.

 

[Zoom]

Aussies really shouldnt' be shaved. Their coats are designed for working outdoors on a ranch all day long. Keep him brushed out, because the excess undercoat will make him hotter. But shaving will open him up to sunburn and will actually cause him to be hotter, because the sun will just go right to the skin.

 

[Fran101]

I wouldnt shave a dog with an undercoat.. but ive seen it done and the hair does grow back very weird..

as for shedding, a shedding blade is a god send

in the end, its your dog, do what you think is best for him/her

 

[Wakh]

I'm less inclined to believe the whole idea that the undercoat helps them deal with heat. "Sparky", my double coated pomeranian, was shaved down every summer and she was fine.

Seriously though, shaving her every summer appeared to aid in her struggle with the summer heat. Less panting, more energy... Her coat grew in fine as long as we kept up on her grooming regimen. I'd do it again if I had a dog with a thick double coat if they were too hot and thorough brushing didn't help.

ETA: By shaved, I don't mean shaved right down to the skin. I left about an inch and a half of hair.

 

[Lauren17]

Shaving dogs like golden retrievers and australian shepherds has become very popular around my area. It has become a bit of a pet peeve of mine lol. Their coats are made to regulate their body temp in all kinds of weather, so I think its better to leave their coat long. However, like I said a lot of people do shave them still and they do seem to handle it fine. IMO I'd just get an undercoat rake and a shedding blade to brush your dog out. This is how I will be spending my weekend with Duke he never seems to quit shedding lol

 

[Zoom]

Poms are also bred down from an Arctic breed, which are generally less tolerant of the heat as a whole to begin with. Aussies as a breed were solidified on the American Plains and in California. Portland doesn't get hotter than the High Plains of Colorado or the middle of Kansas or Texas. And none of those dogs were ever shaved down.

 

[Crowsfeet]

(No worms please!)

Bah, it sounds like we won't be shaving him then, hahah. I obviously don't want to do anything that will be detrimental to my dog's health! And shedding is really just a superficial thing - I have a few good brushes.

It's just weird, because the times we shaved him, he went to into this excited little doggy frenzy when he was done.. and he does the same thing right after a bath. Which I always attributed to him feeling much better.

Keep in mind(with a grain of salt?) that I'm a bit "young"(19), and that I adopted this dog with my family when I was about 14.. what I want to say is, they shaved him! I didn't know! Hahah I was mainly posting because I was curious, and when I research via Google, sometimes I get a lot of annoying mixed info to sort through, and sometimes it's just easier to listen to direct experience. It's been something I've wondered about for a while. (So thanks, guys!)

It funny though, because it just seems so counter-intuitive, you know? You see your dog, panting in the summer heat with its long coat, wondering how on Earth that feels. But, hey.

 

[Dekka]

I'm less inclined to believe the whole idea that the undercoat helps them deal with heat. "Sparky", my double coated pomeranian, was shaved down every summer and she was fine.

FWIW.. its not the undercoat that helps with staying cool. In the warm months you need to get rid of the undercoat and leave the guard hairs. This is like wearing loose breathable clothing. It keeps the skin shaded and lets air move through the coat.

If you clip its like wearing tight but warm clothing. (like all over polar fleece).

If you can't get all the under coat out then yes your dog will have problems.

 

[Wakh]

Fair enough, I guess the shorter coat she sported in summer made for much easier undercoat removal when we brushed her. Good to know!

 

[bubbatd]

I'm not apposed to clipping , but I am to shaving . Especially Goldens .

 

[fillyone]

One thing that helps Dante (double coated German Shepherd) is to keep the fur between his paw pads clipped close in the summer

 

[bubbatd]

Agree on the paws ! I only had mine grow for ice and snow .

 

[IcyHound]

He needs a good grooming with an undercoat rake and a good bath. Then some omega3 fatty acids in his diet to help with the shedding and an air conditioned house the rest of the time.

 

[FluffyZooCrew]

What type of dogs have an undercoat?

I have two Shih Tzu's that I shave down. And I shave down Annie, and she's a whippet mix with really wirey hair like a schnauzer. And I shaved Frankie, and he's like... poodle mix with afghan hound hair.

My mom has a really old pom with serious heart and lung issues. He gets really overheated during the summer, so she shaves him down per the advice of his specialist. His hair always grows back fluffy and normal in the winter.

This is a new thing to me, I didn't know there were breeds that "shouldn't" be shaved. I thought it was an owner's decision if they wanted to shave the dog down? I've known several people that have shaved down shelties, collies, and huskies during our god-awful hotass summers. I never knew it was debate-able (sp? lol).

But really though, what breeds of dogs have an undercoat? I probably should know that answer, but I really don't! LOL!

 

[Zoom]

Labs, Goldens, Aussies, Border Collies, GSD's, etc...

 

[colliewog]

Collies, Shelties, Corgis, Huskies, Malamutes

 

[FluffyZooCrew]

Ohhhhhh! I didn't know that! Always wondered what breeds were being referred to when someone talked about a "double coated" breed.

 

[Psyfalcon]

Yeah. If you could shave out the undercoat, and leave the guard hairs, it would be great. Some dogs do seem to enjoy the short hair, it must be cooler (there is always some undercoat left), but they are more susceptible to the sun. Buster has finally had a really good coat blowout, for the first time ever at 3. He is now dressed for sun protection in the Desert.

Plus, Portland is a very moderate climate, with only a few weeks over 80f on average. It is also STILL RAINY SEASON HERE. Its not over until July.

 

[ihartgonzo]

I used to get Gonzo shaved during the summer. My Stepmom demanded it, as she was a dog fur freak. I noticed a DRASTIC improvement in his stamina/endurance/energy level in the heat after he was clipped. I don't see a problem with it, if your dog is inside most of the day and out of the sun, to clip them. They are able to cool down on cold surfaces (like tile) and in water much, much faster and more efficiently. Particularly if you can't/won't thoroughly brush out their undercoat on a regular basis, as a dog carrying around lots of dead fur and undercoat is not going to be cooler.

Ever since I moved out a couple of years ago, I haven't had Gonzo clipped. His coat does seem to be a bit damaged. It's nice and soft and everything, but he has areas where he has developed cowlicks and the color isn't as dark as it once was (although, that could also be related to age). I do brush him out several days a week... I feel your pain. But he is getting older, and he no longer lives with a fur nazi or competes in dog sports, so I won't be clipping him again.