shaving dog

[crazybc]

Hi guys!

 

I was wondering if anyone has had their bc shaved?

My poor girl is miserable all summer long. She has a really heavy coat and being almost all black on top doesn't help. I have been taking her out for walks at 6:30am and by the time we are done about an hour later she is so hot. I hose her down, she gets into the pond etc. She then stays in the house until about 7-8pm.

 

Will her coat grow back like it is before it is shaved?

 

Thanks

[Beth G]

I always wondered that but heard it isnt good for them. What do you guys think?

[Kat's Dogs]

Nope. Not usually.

 

It won't ever grow back the same. However, if you are in a hot place and will keep the dog shaved year round it is a wise thing to do. But if you let the coat grow back it will probably look, funny.

 

They don't have the same kind of coat like a shih tzu's who's you can cut every day and it will always come back the same.

 

So unless you are going to keep it that way, I wouldn't do it. If you don't want to shave you could do more brushing and get as much of the dead fur out as you can to thin the coat and try getting her wet before you go. Even bring along a wet towel for a mid-way cool down, or bring some water and a folding water dish. Even little stuff like that would help a lot.

[RaisingRiver]

I've heard that if you shave some dogs, the hair doesn't grow back the same (coarse/direction-wise)... but unsure if it's true.

 

I have seen a shaved down Aussie - he was a woolie boy and they say they shave him every summer and I've seem him both ways so he looked normal long again. And they left him long enough in the summer that he looked like a shorthaired variety, wouldn't really know he was shaved if you didn't already know him.

[Pipedream Farm]

I have to say, I've never been convinced that there's any real benefit to it. The reason I say that is bacause of all my border collies with a variety of coat lengths and thicknesses, I have the most trouble with a slick smooth coated one in the heat. Definitely brush her out really well to get out any dead hair. If you really want to shave her, I've always heard it's best to simply shave the belly hair and groin area--not an all over body shave.

Renee

[Beth G]

I just brush mine everyday and try and keep them out of the heat. I have heard that their coat actually benefits them from the heat and bugs.

 

I was walking last week and saw that this woman, had shaved her pom down to nothing(We're talking skin)!! And all I could think was that the poor boy was going to suffer badly from sunburn and bugs!!

[nancy in AZ]

I had Kit shaved one summer a couple of years ago. Not so much for relief from the heat as prevention from getting foxtails buried in her fur next to her skin. They shaved her way too close. I was worried about sunburn. But it all came out fine. Her coat grew back perfectly normal, by the way. Whether it would for all BCs, I couldn't say.

[Little Bo Boop]

My friend shaves her Border Collies (some of them) and the hair always grows back just fine. I would never shave mine, but that's a personal preference, plus I don't think it really helps to cool them off, mine cool off just fine with a dip in the pool. I have had to shave a good portion of that hair on their back legs though, the ones that get all matted up, if you don't stay ahead of it, they get all knotted up and you can't comb it out, so I just shave it.

[D'Elle]

I always shaved one dog I had who I am sure was part Aussie, every summer. The hair always grew back looking exactly the sam e as before. Is it really true that on some BCs it will grow back funny? Has anyone here actually had experience with that, or is it just a tale?

[JacknKegsDad]

Jack is clipped a couple of times a year - beginning of Spring and mid/late Summer.

It's hot here for 9-10 months of the year.

 

It grows back as per usual.

His fur has always been "woolly" (i.e. has a distinct curl to it)...rather than slick and smooth....so he constantly looks like he's been fluffed and dried.

 

The clipping is a two-fold exercise...one for heat (he's WAY more active and doesn't pant all day when he's clipped)....and secondly because the area is known for ticks.

Finding them on a rough coated dog is very difficult....so we clip him to make the daily checks easier.

 

I'd rather have him looking somewhat bizarre ("bat" ears and a skinny little tail) over the hotter months than not have him.

[Joe Anne]

I have talked to several Groomers over the years that refuse to shave a BC. Of course that could be them, but they too say you are taking a big chance of the hair coming in right or even completely after shaving. I have also heard, that an animals coat helps to insulate them and actually keeps them cooler. You do risk the chance of sunburn if you shave them.

Why don't you check with a couple of professional groomers then decide. I actually thought we had a couple of pro groomers on these boards????

[prosperia]

I *think* that Kimsoleau (I hope I spelled that right) shaved Jazz last year.

[Agilitybcs]

I shave my BC because she's had heat strokes and the only times shes had them was when she wasn't shaved so I do it each summer. Her hair always grows back the same.

[juliepoudrier]

I don't believe I've ever seen a working stockdog shaved beyond the belly/groin area as mentioned by Renee.

 

As for tick searches, I find my fingertips much more sensitive/accurate for finding them, and the dogs seem to enoy the "massage."

 

J.

[EmmaDawg]

Originally posted by Joe Anne:

I actually thought we had a couple of pro groomers on these boards????

I used to be a pro groomer. I shaved my aussie every year, just short enough so she looked like a smooth coated breed. Not so short as to expose the skin. She was MUCH cooler and clearly happier after her haircut, and I did this most every summer of her 16 year life. We lived in a tick infested area and she was a major poofball, clipping her short was the best solution.

 

We had several BCs and collie types that would come in for haircuts at the start of summer, and they always had full normal haircoats when we saw them again next year. Year after year.

 

Having said that, I think it depends on the dog. If your BC is very poofy, and there is no more undercoat to remove, a short clip may make her feel better and you will have an easier time finding ticks. But it just depends on the coat. If your dog has a light coat with no fluff to it, even if it is long, odds are that a haircut won't do much more for her as those types of coats don't hold much heat to begin with.

 

Whatever you do, I would not ask for your dog to be shaved. You do not want a buzz cut, they need a little hair left for protection. Leaving 3/4 inch or so, enough so the hair lays flat (the length needed for it to lay flat depends on the individual coat) will protect the dog from sunburn.

 

Note that even if you get a short clip, please still keep the undercoat brushed out as it grows. The undercoat is the primary factor in making the coat too hot, the length is second. It's just that some dogs have such poofy coats that even with all the undercoat removed, the fur is still too thick for air to flow. In that case, I think a short hairdo is appropriate.

[Deneen]

If you're really concered about your dog getting warm on walks/hikes , you could get a K-9 cooling jacket.

 

 

http://www.sahalie.com/jump.jsp?itemID=107...ProductID=10783

 

"This comfortable, lightweight nylon vest is filled with water-absorbing polymer crystals that keep even hot dogs cool for up to 8 hours! Just soak the jacket in water before slipping it on...the natural evaporation process pulls heat away from your dog's body into the jacket, where it quickly dissipates as water vapor into the air. A water-resistant lining keeps dampness away from your dog, so he feels cool, not wet. Reusable crystals will last for years and years. Bright coloring and reflective strips add safety. Velcro? strap adjustment for a fine-tuned fit.

Hand wash, air dry."

 

~Kelly Deneen

[Debbie Crowder-BaaramuLuke]

I'll admit to being a groomer. It's a fine trade, get to work indoors with dogs (and cats) which is a good contrast to having fun outdoors with horses and sheep...and dogs. People give you tips once in a while like a hairdresser, some love you to death, some hate your guts, but that's clients. Pets will respect you for whatever you do humanely, and that's why I prefaced this question the way I did. All the coat/skin care rituals I perform on my pets and others are as basic as they get, but the time spent feeling over them, brushing, checking stuff and the like is comforting and appreciated.

I personally hate to shave any dog who doesn't need it, like most Border Collies. If they are too matted to brush out, it's more humane to clip them. I don't think it makes them more able to withstand hot summer days here in Virginia. Heat tolerance is a complicated thing-- to me it has more to do with fitness, acclimation, general health and common sense. I like to leave a coat to do what it does best, like hold in temperature, shield from direct sun, and when wet, help cool a body by evaporation. Dogs don't sweat, we all know that. They pant and they do sweat out their foot pads and they go under trucks, porches, trees and other shady places to get cooler.

I do shave some long-coated breeds that have bad skin and need frequent medicated baths, and for people who are not going to keep up with coat care any other way, but that's generally Golden Retrievers and Chows, that sort of thing. I've never clipped any part of my dogs except for hotspots or injuries. Groin clipping (except around tatoos)is even non-essential to me for the wicking the hairs do to remove moisture from sensitive underparts.

I don't condemn the practice if clients perceive it to help, but I do warn of avoiding lots of direct sun, mosquito bites and embarrassment. The coat does grow back okay IF the pet is healthy (no thyroid issues, for example) but it takes a long time to be natural again, between 6 months to a year.

[Jack & Co.]

Debbie - as a former Cocker Spaniel owner, I bow and kiss your feet! My dog considered a visit to the groomer the doggy equivalent of a spa treatment. I'll never forget how compassionate and kind my groomer was to Chuck in his last months. She cried when I called her with my sad news.

 

Now, whisper in my ear, how do I keep those mats from appearing behind Jack's ears? I brush and brush, but to no avail.

[Rainierlass]

You could get one of those cooling neckscarves that you soak in water - - - Tess wears one and I believe it helps to keep her a bit cooler - - I wear one on the golf course on hot days and it is really nice - - - this Ebay seller ( I am not affiliated with her in anyway - just a buyer)even lets you pic the fabric and she has some really cute ones -

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/COOL-BREEZE-U-PIC-BODY...1QQcmdZViewItem

 

 

- I like the black and white 'cute dogs' one about half way down on the left -and a really sassy bright colored dag paws one!! - you might give it a try - as a groomer for 15 yrs I found that a dog's coat is an insulator - against cold AND heat - - a good brushing to get the undercoat out and lots of shade!

 

Stay cool!

 

Maggie and Tessaleigh McWigglesby

[Debbie Crowder-BaaramuLuke]

Ah, adoration! I love it. Most of my clients are cool folks who appreciate what I do, and their pets even like coming in. Working in a veterinary setting I do a LOT of geriatrics that their previous groomers can't handle anymore. I love old anything, old dogs, old cats, old horses, old sheep shearers...(he he he).

Anyway, it feels good to make something else feel good. I fell into the career in 1979 while in college studying to do something I would have hated eventually. I got within 12 hours of an undergrad. degree and realized I found a trade I could live with.

Okay, mats behind the ears...after you brush, (are you flattening out the ear flap over the canal to expose that wicked little area?) follow up with a good, long toothed, coarse comb. I prefer metal ones, Resco makes my favorite. NEVER clip out a mat there with scissors...gives my boss too much business. Find yourself a cheap little clipper and whack them out if needed. Anybody can do it.

[Jack & Co.]

Ah, you are wise indeed. I have held scissors in my hand with malicious intent toward the mats. I will put a little more muscle into them with the proper tools and see if I can do away with them. Thanks so much for the tips!

 

My dog was 14 when he died, but even toward the end, when he returned from the groomer, he still looked and smelled like a million dollars with his fancy haircut and doggy perfume. Sadly, my husband could never make peace with a boy dog with cute little ribbons in his ears so I had to take them off before he got home from work!

[crazybc]

Thanks all for the responses. I have decided not to shave her. We will just walk her early in the morning and mid-evening. I think we will also get her a kiddie pool to get into. Hopefully this will keep her from smelling like pond water.

I have also figured out that I am vain about her coat. I love the way it shines in the sun and blows in the wind. I even love those feathers on her legs. Thanks again-now I think I will go and clean up my plant pot outside that Scout used as a safe place for some poor animal that is flat as a pancake and smells like a garbage bin. Everyday holds new surprises when you own a BC!!

[katendarby]

I frequently shave down both my dogs (see my thread under HELP and the incident I had with the last groomer, good grief). May do it only every couple of years, but their coats grow back just fine, feathers and all. Darby has always had a very fuzzy coat, not smooth and long like his sister, so even shaved down, I use the Furminator on them, there's still under coat.

[Aliki]

I dont think anyone actually knows a BC that was shaved and its hair grew up back funny.. I have a feeling that's an urban myth.

 

We didn't shave Kade the first year, but he collapses with exhaustion in the summer because it does get pretty hot around here (90s). We shaved him yesterday, not down to the skin, but more like a trim-- he's got about 1/2-inch or more of fur all around, so he resembles a 6-month old BC (that short fuzz hair). I think he'd run the risk of sunburn if i trimmed it shorter. He seems very content with his new look.

[urge to herd]

We took the plunge and had a groomer trim Sammi last week. She's much more comfortable. She's not panting all day, she doesn't move restlessly from spot to spot, and she lays down at bedtime, curls up and goes to sleep, instead of panting for half an hour and trying several different spots in the bedroom.

 

She's pretty cute, too! We'll do it again next year. Like somebody else said, we took care to leave at least 3/4 inch of fur all around.

 

Ruth n the BC3