Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous heat, Or to take arms against a sea of hair and by opposing - shave them.
Sorry, Shakespeare nerd here. But it truly is The Question! So many people ask us if they should shave their dog. Is it healthy, is it safe, and most common; "Doesn't their hair keep them cool?" So, here we go:
There are certainly pros and cons to shaving your dog's hair, but first let me state that by "shaving" we do not mean taking a Bic to your dog and making them bald. For those who have never seen the look we are describing, here is a lovely cocker spaniel (Hanna) who has been "completely shaved" (that means, ears, top of head, face - ALL).
Sorry, Shakespeare nerd here. But it truly is The Question! So many people ask us if they should shave their dog. Is it healthy, is it safe, and most common; "Doesn't their hair keep them cool?" So, here we go:
There are certainly pros and cons to shaving your dog's hair, but first let me state that by "shaving" we do not mean taking a Bic to your dog and making them bald. For those who have never seen the look we are describing, here is a lovely cocker spaniel (Hanna) who has been "completely shaved" (that means, ears, top of head, face - ALL).
So you see, it's really just a super short haircut, not a "surgical shave" one may see in small doses during vet visits. Is she cooler? You bet!! Let's do some quick pros/cons.
Pros: short hair means better grooming management, better view of any pests, get to reveal any hidden skin issues, less hair in your home, and a much cooler dog.
Cons: now the mosquitos can get a better chance at that skin! Thin coated dogs should watch for sunburn for the first few weeks after grooming (as any short-haired breed dog should be monitored for sunburn), and lastly, you may not like the look.
Now to answer a few common questions:
YES, the hair will grow back, albeit at different speeds for different dogs.
YES, the hair will grow back with the same look. Sometimes older dogs who have been shaved multiple times per year over the course of their lives have strange growth patterns as the hair returns, but it's not common and most owners simply keep shaving them for comfort reasons.
Lastly, "doesn't the hair keep my dog cool". The answer is Yes AND No.
The full coat of hair is meant to keep a dog cool by way of a "fur insulator" which is meant to keep a pocket of cool air close to their skin. Keep in mind these are man made breeds, not wild animals. Wild animals with loads of hair don't tend to live in hot regions. If they do, they have options to hide in cool caves, swim in lakes, and migrate to cooler areas. Our pets are not migrating (one hopes) so it's up to us to keep them cool. This means the hair needs maintenance. If those pockets of cool air are filled with matted hair, dead hair, or any other sort of dirt and debris, there goes the "fur insulator". Yes, if you are vigilant you can brush your hairy partner to keep that coat in full function. If it's not a total mess, we can do that for you as well, but either way, it needs to be maintained throughout the hot, humid season. Unfortunately, we don't all have the time we wish we had. This is why many owners decide to shave. Shaving the dog will help get air to the skin when the fur has become too thick and even though dogs do not sweat through their skin, shaving a thick coat of unbreathable fur will certainly help!! ESPECIALLY, if the dog is matted. At that point not only do you risk an over heated dog, but sores and such from the matted skin. Brushing is no longer an option, so shaving is indeed your best bet.
The bottom line is time, and preference. Do you have time to do a percentage of the work at home? Keeping your dog fairly brushed and clean? If so, we can do something like this:
Pros: short hair means better grooming management, better view of any pests, get to reveal any hidden skin issues, less hair in your home, and a much cooler dog.
Cons: now the mosquitos can get a better chance at that skin! Thin coated dogs should watch for sunburn for the first few weeks after grooming (as any short-haired breed dog should be monitored for sunburn), and lastly, you may not like the look.
Now to answer a few common questions:
YES, the hair will grow back, albeit at different speeds for different dogs.
YES, the hair will grow back with the same look. Sometimes older dogs who have been shaved multiple times per year over the course of their lives have strange growth patterns as the hair returns, but it's not common and most owners simply keep shaving them for comfort reasons.
Lastly, "doesn't the hair keep my dog cool". The answer is Yes AND No.
The full coat of hair is meant to keep a dog cool by way of a "fur insulator" which is meant to keep a pocket of cool air close to their skin. Keep in mind these are man made breeds, not wild animals. Wild animals with loads of hair don't tend to live in hot regions. If they do, they have options to hide in cool caves, swim in lakes, and migrate to cooler areas. Our pets are not migrating (one hopes) so it's up to us to keep them cool. This means the hair needs maintenance. If those pockets of cool air are filled with matted hair, dead hair, or any other sort of dirt and debris, there goes the "fur insulator". Yes, if you are vigilant you can brush your hairy partner to keep that coat in full function. If it's not a total mess, we can do that for you as well, but either way, it needs to be maintained throughout the hot, humid season. Unfortunately, we don't all have the time we wish we had. This is why many owners decide to shave. Shaving the dog will help get air to the skin when the fur has become too thick and even though dogs do not sweat through their skin, shaving a thick coat of unbreathable fur will certainly help!! ESPECIALLY, if the dog is matted. At that point not only do you risk an over heated dog, but sores and such from the matted skin. Brushing is no longer an option, so shaving is indeed your best bet.
The bottom line is time, and preference. Do you have time to do a percentage of the work at home? Keeping your dog fairly brushed and clean? If so, we can do something like this:
Salute here was in pretty darn good shape for all that hair! Some tight knots in the back end required going a bit shorter, and some matting behind the ears (VERY normal) had to be shaved, but all in all - this was a very do-able brush-out! Other breeds are harder to keep up with. Many of us don't have time, or maybe just no time this particular season, or simply LOVE the look, not to mention the clean house one gets from a short-haired dog! (you long-haired breeds know what I mean, it's not just the little hairs everywhere, it's the tumbleweeds blowing around from room to room!) So here's an elkhound (Damien) who's hair was so thick this year, he was loving his shave-down.
This breed has probably one of the most drastic changes for a shave-down, Collies and Shelties would be other examples. Dogs with that full mane look always seem totally changed when shaved. Yes, he lost his dark colored fur, yes he looks very different, but it'll all grow back. And when it does, his owner will have a better chance of keeping that coat in check. Plus- it's kinda hard to make this guy look bad, we think he looks handsome with his new look!!
Now, for fear of turning into a full-length Shakespeare play, I'll end this humble blog post. I hope we answered your questions, but if you have more, by all means, post them in the comments or shoot us an email! Thanks for stopping by!
-ingrid
Now, for fear of turning into a full-length Shakespeare play, I'll end this humble blog post. I hope we answered your questions, but if you have more, by all means, post them in the comments or shoot us an email! Thanks for stopping by!
-ingrid
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