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Should you shave your dog??
14 Jul 2010 19:22 #1
by The Groomer Girl
Should you shave your dog?? was created by The Groomer Girl
Please Don’t Make Me Go Outside Naked!
About a month ago, a woman came into my shop, asking to have her Pug shaved. As I was explaining why I do not offer that service, she stormed out the door and said she’d go elsewhere. I wish she would have stayed and heard what I had to say, so she would realize she was doing her dog a disservice, not a favor.
In the summertime, almost everyone who comes to get their dog groomed at my place insists that their dog needs to be short to help because Fluffy is just DYING of heat stroke. Two other common reasons are to help see fleas and ticks, or to help someone in the household with allergies. If it makes people feel better, I don’t mind clipping down dogs with coats designed for clipping (as this also helps reduce matting), but double coated and shorthaired dogs should NEVER be shaved or even have their feathering trimmed too short, as it is designed to protect them from the heat or cold.
As odd as it sounds, this is true. A good example of this idea is the Bedouin people of the Arabic deserts. They wear long black robes and completely cover their head and face with heavy black cloth. Most people would probably think they are burning alive, but their robes keep the sun out, not in. Another good example is my hairless dog, who pants like mad the moment she is in hot sun. This is because she has no hair to protect her from the heat.
As for finding fleas and ticks, a flea comb or a good dousing of water can help turn them up. And as for allergies, the reigning majority of people allergic to animals are allergic to dander, not hair. A good bath will help relieve them.
Double coated and shorthaired dogs have a different kind of hair as opposed to a Poodle or Shih Tzu. It sheds and grows back. When you shave this hair, it damages the follicle and in most cases, the hair grows back either very thick and dull, or very thin and wiry. In some cases, it doesn’t grow back at all. Also, shaving a dog down can expose the skin, leaving pink skinned dogs prone to sunburn (especially in the mountains!).
I don’t agree to shave these dogs because I believe in doing what is best for the dog, as opposed to what the owner thinks they want. Dogs need their protection. Please don’t take it away.
The Groomer Girl is a dog and cat groomer with experience in dog breeds, dog grooming, cat grooming and dog and cat training. Feel free to ask questions and she will continue to post articles. Some of her favorite websites are http://www.akc.org and http://www.humanesociety.org
About a month ago, a woman came into my shop, asking to have her Pug shaved. As I was explaining why I do not offer that service, she stormed out the door and said she’d go elsewhere. I wish she would have stayed and heard what I had to say, so she would realize she was doing her dog a disservice, not a favor.
In the summertime, almost everyone who comes to get their dog groomed at my place insists that their dog needs to be short to help because Fluffy is just DYING of heat stroke. Two other common reasons are to help see fleas and ticks, or to help someone in the household with allergies. If it makes people feel better, I don’t mind clipping down dogs with coats designed for clipping (as this also helps reduce matting), but double coated and shorthaired dogs should NEVER be shaved or even have their feathering trimmed too short, as it is designed to protect them from the heat or cold.
As odd as it sounds, this is true. A good example of this idea is the Bedouin people of the Arabic deserts. They wear long black robes and completely cover their head and face with heavy black cloth. Most people would probably think they are burning alive, but their robes keep the sun out, not in. Another good example is my hairless dog, who pants like mad the moment she is in hot sun. This is because she has no hair to protect her from the heat.
As for finding fleas and ticks, a flea comb or a good dousing of water can help turn them up. And as for allergies, the reigning majority of people allergic to animals are allergic to dander, not hair. A good bath will help relieve them.
Double coated and shorthaired dogs have a different kind of hair as opposed to a Poodle or Shih Tzu. It sheds and grows back. When you shave this hair, it damages the follicle and in most cases, the hair grows back either very thick and dull, or very thin and wiry. In some cases, it doesn’t grow back at all. Also, shaving a dog down can expose the skin, leaving pink skinned dogs prone to sunburn (especially in the mountains!).
I don’t agree to shave these dogs because I believe in doing what is best for the dog, as opposed to what the owner thinks they want. Dogs need their protection. Please don’t take it away.
The Groomer Girl is a dog and cat groomer with experience in dog breeds, dog grooming, cat grooming and dog and cat training. Feel free to ask questions and she will continue to post articles. Some of her favorite websites are http://www.akc.org and http://www.humanesociety.org
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