Twice this week I was able to talk people out of having me shave their dogs. One was a Japanese Spitz mix and the other was a Siberian Husky. Neither of these breeds should ever be shaved!
Both of these dogs went home looking beautiful after a bath, fluff dry, major deshedding and silhouette trim. Their owners were happy to see their dogs looking and feeling so much better, and they were also appreciative that I was able to explain to them why I discourage shaving these breeds. The exception to this rule is any dog that is so matted that I can not safely and humanely brush it out, which usually only happens with dogs that have previously been shaved, and occasionally with dogs that have very long hair that has been neglected. And by double-coated dogs, I mean those dogs whose hair grows only to a specified length and has an undercoat that sheds.
I have come up with the following handout to give to clients who request that I shave their double-coated dog.
…………………………………..
Shaving Down Double-Coated Breeds
Many clients ask me to “shave” down their Husky, Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, etc. These are dogs that typically do NOT get haircuts. So why do clients come in requesting a haircut for these types of breeds? They feel this is an easy way to reduce shedding and keep the dog cool.
Wrong! This is NOT the answer. A dog’s coat provides insulation from the heat and sun. Dogs do not perspire like humans do. They only perspire from the pads of their feet and from their noses. They do not “sweat” like humans do. A Husky, Golden, Lab, Malamute, and even a Newfoundland will be cooler with its coat on.
There is one important factor, however. Their coats must be kept thoroughly brushed out. Matted coats or coats with packed-in, dead undercoat will restrict airflow to your pet’s skin, consequently making him uncomfortable.
Shedding:
It may seem like a great idea to shave all the hair off. Sure, no more hair all over the house! Well, shorter hair all over the house anyway… What you are doing when you shave your double-coated dogs is actually interrupting the natural shedding process. You are cutting into the top coat, possibly damaging it, and causing the undercoat to grow uninhibited, as the undercoat grows much more quickly than the top coat, or “guard” coat.
The guard coat is the coarser hair that separates the finer undercoat hairs, preventing it from matting. When this coat is clipped, the hair will appear to grow back softer because you are seeing only undercoat as it grows back. This hair is thick and will matt easily and possibly result in patchy, uneven growth until the guard hairs eventually regrow. By then the coat may be so damaged that it will need to be shaved down again. Also, by interrupting the natural shedding cycle, you can actually be producing MORE shedding. The exact opposite of what you want!
What is the answer?
Keep your double-coated breeds thoroughly brushed & combed out. Keep them well groomed & they will be comfortable even in the hot summer sun.
Hey, thanks for the comment! I like the way your blog feels… I’m a recovering English geek, too, and I, like you, do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING actually related to my degree. I’m going to subscribe.
Well now see, no amount of education is going to change laziness. Which is what this really comes down to. Which is why I’ve always had short-haired dogs. Cuz I know that no matter how much I love them, I’m probably NOT going to properly groom them on a regular basis.
Dobeman, That’s too bad, but even so, I was able to brush out these dogs for clients who never brushed theirs either, so it’s still an option. Unfortunately most people who ask me to shave these dogs don’t realize that they can be groomed without shaving them. They are often amazed at the results of a proper groom. Still, you have the right idea; if you won’t brush your dog, get a short coated breed!
I really appreciate this post. I have two chows that I keep well brushed. They love it and I enjoy our brushing time. I am often asked by well meaning friends, why I don’t shave my dogs in the summer to keep them cool.
I always felt bad for not taking them in to be shaved. I have never done this because my dogs get stressed around others and I didn’t want to put them thru it.
But now I have a legit reason to keep the clippers away.
You are awesome!
betme, I’m so glad this was helpful for you! You are absolutely right in not shaving those dogs! Thanks for the comment.
OMFG, I feel like a jack ass. Where does a St. Bernard fall? And what about an Alaskan Malamute??
Catherinette, yes those are double-coated breeds. Best thing you could do is brush the dog well as it grows back so that you remove as much undercoat as possible as it sheds so the guard coat will grow in without everything getting matted. It’s also harder for the undercoat to shed after it is shaved because it is so short it will just stay in the cuticle instead of being pulled out naturally, so you need to brush it out in order to make the dog more comfortable. Dead coat left in the skin can make them itchy.
Or you could keep it shaved. I do have some people who insist on shaving them, in which case I will do it. It won’t hurt the dog as long as you take precautions, such as not leaving them in the sun and making sure you brush the undercoat. (Can’t stress that brushing thing enough!)
The best thing to brush with when the dog’s hair is still very short is a Furminator, or something similar. You can also use a rubber brush. As it grows out you can use a comb and then a soft slicker brush. For longer, thick hair you can use a coat king or undercoat rake. I always follow with a metal comb.
OOPS! i shaved my huskys coat once before and it has just shed and the coat is very short and soft. It is quite uneven as well. The hair on the head is face is very short compared to the rest of the body and looks very uneven. What can i do about it
Ryan, it might grow back if you wait long enough and keep the undercoat brushed out. Or you can choose to continue shaving it. Also check with your vet; sometimes poor regrowth is also a sign of thyroid disfunction.
What about shaving a longhaired dachshund?
I would rather not shave a long haired dachshund. I prefer to trim them using thinning shears. Wirehaired dachshunds should be handstripped.
[...] 4, 2008 by birdpress This post I wrote about why you should not shave a double-coated dog has been viewed more than any other [...]
I have a 14 year old black lab male who has some benign tumors on his shoulders and lower back. They are harmless to him, but make him look a bit like the hunchback of notre dame. He is double coated and when he was younger I shaved him for what I thought was his comfort. His coat has never looked the same. In the last year or so, I have had a hard time grooming him due to these tumors and he no longer wants to sit for any length of time. This spring, his coat is a mess, I gave him a sorely needed bath, and now his coat is coming out in clumps of undercoat. He looks like he’s molting…. that combined with the tumors, he’s quite a site! I love him dearly and don’t want to hurt him or make him uncomfortable. I don’t want to stress him by taking him to the groomer. The tool I’m using to comb him is like a double sided loop of saw type teeth. don’t know what to call it. Is this the wrong thing for him? What should I be using?
Help for an old gentlemen lab
The brush you described sounds like a shedding blade, often used on horses. There is a similar tool called a Furminator which works much better. There are also cheaper knock-offs of them too. Another thing that is the same idea is using a regular #40 clipper blade and combing through the coat with it. This is called “carding” the coat, where the small teeth grip the undercoat and pull it loose. I usually only use the clipper blade for the very short areas, such as on the legs.
The Furminator a great tool for shorter haired dogs such as labs, and I use one all the time. Just be careful with the shedding blade, or any sharp comb or brush, and make sure you aren’t scratching the skin. It doesn’t take much pressure to use it.
Another option is a rubber brush. They come in all shapes and sizes, but all have rubber “nubs” that massage and loosen the undercoat. Look for one made for dogs, not horses, although the ones for horses may work too. The horse ones usually have large nubs and the dog ones have smaller, thinner ones. These are good because they are very gentle. You should use it in a circular motion and it will grip the coat and pull a lot of it out.
I know you worry about leaving your dog with a groomer, but maybe you could find one that you would trust? You can ask your vet or other people you know with dogs for a recommendation. I would look for a groomer that has a private bathing and grooming area where there are not many other dogs around, as opposed to a large chain store or something. Just call and ask questions, or ask if you can stop in and see where they work if you prefer.
The reason a professional might help better with the shedding coat is because we use high velocity dryers to remove much of the shedding coat while drying the dog after the bath. This is gentler and more effective than brushing alone. (Also ask and make sure the groomer you use does this; tell them you don’t want the dog kennel dried.)
You may also want to ask your vet for a gentle sedative prior to grooming, just to ease his anxiety.
Good luck! I hope I was some help.
Thank you so much for the suggestions. I took the money plunge and bought a small furminator and it really does work. It takes a long time though and he doesn’t want to stand for it. but it really did work. I’m doing a little each day and he tolerates it. Next I will get the rubber brush.
Great idea on the sedative too, I will have to ask the vet.
Thanks again
Hey! This is EXACTLY what I want to put on my website. You basically took the words right out of my mouth. I don’t know how many times I have to explain to people about this. I even get some people upset with me, but I stick to my guns and NEVER shave a natural.
I would like to use your words on my site if I may.
Thanks!
Yes, you may.
I’m glad you liked how I worded it. I wish more groomers would explain this to people, don’t you? It seems that a lot of them just go ahead and shave them and then the dog’s hair is messed up and we can’t fix it! That’s why I decided to write this, and also post it here. People just don’t know.
oh ya, I talk ppl out of it all the time. Some give me attitude about it, but I just apologize and say I won’t do it and suggest Petsmart.
Some are surprised and are ahppy that I took the time to explain it to them, and then say that is makes total sense. When I explain about the heat, I say that even boxers (who have no coat) are not in this temperature. I also sometimes tell them that if they wer out, and had their shirt off (to a man eheh) that they still be hot. That seems to help them out to understand it better.
Yes, that’s one way of explaining it!
Two more things…
1, re furmanator
They are expensive and I suggest the Shedender for home use – it works the same, is much cheaper and for noncommercial use it does the job.
2. a good sedative/relaxant is Rescue Remedy. I find that works sometimes too, and when I can, i let the dogs hang out in the shop when they are al worked up to get a “feel” of things.
I have heard of these but haven’t used either of them. Thanks for the recommendations.
Hi there
I have a Samoyed who I do get groomed monthly. But we also have a cottage and walk on Lake Ontario so my Sammie is in the water a lot. He is matted and smelly right now. I try brushing him but I haven’t found a decent brush or comb that gets through his thick coat.
Any suggestions of products would be welcome
Hi, Karen! Well, if you have him groomed monthly I don’t imagine he is matted beyond brushing, so you could try working it out with a slicker brush. I love the Les Pooch brushes (you can google it) because they are gentle but strong and work very well. They are expensive though. The best thing is to just keep up with the coat by blow drying him if possible when he is wet and brushing and combing him often. You can try a conditioning spray on his coat while brushing too, although I would check the ingredients and avoid anything with silicone in it because that will eventually dry out the coat and make it more prone to matting.
I rescued a St. Bernard that had been shaved. They said it was done due to many ‘mats’ that they couldnt get out with brushing alone. What, if any steps, procedures or suggestions can you give me? I want to make my new dog happy & comfortable. Thank you so much!
I suggest carding the coat as it grows back. You can use a #40 clipper blade with the blade part removed, or purchase a furminator or similar tool to do the same thing. The idea is to keep the undercoat brushed out as much as possible so that the guard hairs can grow back. The reason for that is that the undercoat grows so much faster than the guard coat, and without those coarser guard hairs to separate them, the soft undercoat will mat up very easily. You can also trim the hair at a longer length to keep it managable as it grows in. I wish you lots of luck with your new dog!
Hello: Our Ridgeback mix had surgery back in late Aug/08 and had to repeat the surgery in early Sept/08. (he blew out his right hind knee). He was shaved both times. Anyway his undercoat has grown in except for a hand sized patch that is still stubbly – like next day beard growth, right about where a human kidney would be. I only use the furminator on him when shedding – I’ll start using daily on his growing hair as suggested. Do you have any other thoughts on this. He is 8 years old, could his age be a factor?
I suppose it could; older dogs coats often thin out. With dogs that get bald patches though, it’s a good idea to get his thyroid checked out because sometimes that is the cause. Ask your vet about it. It also could just take more time since this was only done in September, so you might just want to give it a few months. I’d still ask the vet in case it’s a medical problem, especially since he recently had surgery. You didn’t mention what the surgery was for-?
He had knee surgery (ACL)
wwwDOTthepetcenterDOTcom/sur/ACL.html
the first surgery didn’t take so the vet had to repeat the process and also ‘notch’ his knee cap so it would stay in place. Poor handsome rascal was in pain for a bit, but he’s come along real well but for the bald patch. I’ll speak to the vet and see what he has to say. I think that maybe I am just anxious for him cause its darn cold out now.
Here’s a pic of a 2yr old female that looks just like my Bentley.
rrhudyDOTmywebDOTuga.edu/bfrr/Images/gingerfound1.jpg
cept both Bentleys ears are straight up. His coat is the same color.
Thank you very much.
My attempt to ‘SUbmit” gets a discard if I leave the above URL’s clickable so please just rm the DOT
Andy, I did a little research because I was under the impression that a Ridgeback did not have an undercoat. From what I found, it doesn’t. I’m guessing the “stubble” you referred to was just regular coat, which makes sense. That coat should take longer to grow.
I also found out, however, that they are indeed one of the breeds most prone to thyroid problems, so if the hair does NOT grow back, I strongly urge you to have the vet check on this. You can also research symptoms on the web to see if he has any other ones. Some symptoms are lethargy, weight changes, loss of luster in coat, as well as hair loss.
I’ve been doing some research and he does not exhibit any symptoms other than the hair not growing back in this spot. I will pay more attention to him and follow up w/ the vet if he doesn’t start to grow out that spot by end of Jan/09.
I really appreciate your help and thoughts on this. I’ll update at end of Jan/09 and let you know how he’s doing.
PS: I think u are right about no double coat. I looked closer and maybe what he is growing now is just downy soft cause its new growth and will turn red as it grows.
Yeah, if there are no other symptoms it is likely that it is just taking a while for the coat to grow in. Good for you for being observant though. Good luck.
I just found your site. Thanks for the great info. Just came back from the vet with our wooly husky ans the vet asked if we shaved her in the summer. She did not realize you should not shave them. Said she never heard of it! Luckily she was not our regular vet. I’ll make sure we don’t have her again. Makes me wonder what else she doesn’t know.
I’ve heard that vets aren’t required to take any kind of grooming classes, so a lot of them aren’t too knowledgable in that area. Unfortunately I’ve also found that a lot of them are fairly ignorant in other areas, specifically nutrition! Nothing against vets, because some of them are great, but like any other profession, not all are good in all areas you’d expect. Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment, Linda.
Hi
I wanted to give an update on Bentley. He has come along fine and is doign well after his ACL surgery. Still has a bald spot so we went to the vet yesterday. He chkd to verify that Bent doesnt have a skin infection and he is OK. He is starting to get fuzz around the edges of the bald spot and it is filling in slowly. Per the vet he has seen it take up to a year for some spots to grow in. Still does not exibit any signs of a thyroid problem. I guess that time will tell. The rest of his fur has all grown back in just fine. Vet suggests I make sure he has an Omega -3 tab daily as that is good for his coat. For a big dog he sure is picky about what he eats. The other two dogs we have love their omega 3 tabs as we have been giving them for years but not Bent – he’s gotta be different. We’ll start putting them in a treat I guess, but he’s onto that trick so we gotta watch him close.
I’m married w/ a teenage son but I gotta admit that life would be lonely w/o these guys in it.
Thanks so much for everything….
Andy, thanks for the update! I’m glad to hear that he seems to be doing well. It sounds as if you have found a good vet too. I agree about the omega 3’s. If you can’t get him to eat the supplement, you could also supplement by giving him about quarter of a (14.5 oz.) can of canned salmon to his diet every day. I have a friend who does this.
I’m also married (no kids) and I agree that no human can take the place of your dog.
I took my dog (Golden) to the groomer today and asked for a regular trim. Much to my horror I returned to pick her up and they had shaved her! Her beautiful golden locks are all gone. I guess I’m just naive and assume groomers would know that Golden’s aren’t supposed to be shaved down. Needless to say I had some choice words for the staff which I won’t repeat here.
What do I need to do to assure proper re-growth and about how long will it take my poor pup to grow her pretty hair back?
Oh, that sucks! I can’t imagine a groomer shaving a golden without being asked, but I suppose some would do whatever is easiest. Was your dog very matted? I have shaved rear ends and bellies of goldens that were too matted to brush and blended in to the rest of the dog. Usually those are the only areas that really mat up on them, plus their tails sometimes.
Anyway, not to repeat myself, but the best thing to do is to continue to brush the dog as she grows her hair back. A furminator or similar tool is best for this because it will grab on to the undercoat, which longer brushes won’t.
Her hair may or may not grow back patchy or thinner. It often depends on the age and/or health of the dog. I would also bring her to a (different!) groomer every couple of months for a good bath and blow dry, which will get even more undercoat out and allow the hair to grow back better.
Thanks for the quick post back!
No, she was not matted and I brush her regularly with a Furminator especially after a day at the beach or wading in the tidal lagoons – she had beautiful straight golden hair!
She is very healthy and 3 years old so I’m assuming that age is on our side. As you suggested, I will give her nice brushings with her Furminator as her hair comes in.
Last question, are there any supplements to her meals that might help her grow her hair back more evenly and decrease possible matting due to the fast undercoat growth?
As Andy mentioned in the comment above, Omega 3 supplements are good for a dog’s skin and coat. When her hair gets longer you can use a slicker brush or pin brush and comb on the coat, especially on her furnishings where the hair is longer and a Furminator won’t do much. Good luck.
If you want to see a reader’s feedback
, I rate this article for four from five. Detailed info, but I have to go to that damn yahoo to find the missed pieces. Thanks, anyway!
Well, seeing as this is my personal blog, not a public article, that is a fine “score”, LOL. If you have questions after reading this, as you can see, I’m always happy to answer to the best of my knowledge and experience. I hope you found what you were looking for.
What about pugs with nasty summer allergies? He’s a 3 year old fawn, so has a double coat that is really thick at his neck and bloomers. In order to get through allergy season he’s on a year-round grain-free diet, omega 3/6 supplements and in the summer he gets twice weekly baths with relief shampoo and conditioner. All summer his outdoor time is severely limited and he’s inside the air conditioning all day. His coat is in excellent condition, but takes HOURS to dry and I’m worried about hot spots and irritation from the dampness. I’ve been toying with a short clip for the summer season to better aid me in applying medications, for better contact between the shampoo/conditioner at bath time and to better monitor the state of his skin. In all truth, I don’t care if it comes back patchy and requires brushing. He gets furminated once a week and rubber brushed daily. What are your thoughts?
I really think you need to ask a vet on that one, but personally I still wouldn’t clip him. I’d worry that the hair growing back would cause him to itch and make things worse. I would blow dry him instead. At work I use a professional high velocity pet dryer that dries dogs pretty quickly, but you can get a smaller version for home use. Here is a link to one I just found that looks good: http://www.buyamericanmart.com/qupopetdr.html
Or you could just do a search for pet dryers and find something similar. If he isn’t used to it, it might scare him at first, but just go slowly and start at the back. All (or nearly all) dogs get used to it pretty quickly, and it won’t hurt them one bit. Just don’t blow it in his face, obviously. Also, the strong air helps to blow out a lot of that loose undercoat, which would be another benefit for your dog.
Thanks for the info.!
I have a 3 year old golden and live in the hot state of Louisiana. I was planning on having him shaved this Saturday thinking that it may help him stay cooler. Glad I did a little research first and found this article. I will just have him bathed and trimmed as usual instead. I always want to the best for my Teddy Bear!
Thanks again!
Thanks for commenting, Tiffany. I’m glad this post was helpful.
I have an australian shepherd mix, so her fur is only about 2 to 3 inches at its longest and its more coarse then soft, so I dont think she is double coated. I was planning on getting her trimmed down for the summer to about an inch or less all around but now I’m not so sure if I should. Is there anyway to determine if shaving her would be helpful or hurtful?
Thanks
Hi. Yes, an Australian shepherd is double-coated. You probably can’t see the undercoat because you don’t know what to look for. An undercoat rake or even a fine-toothed comb will pull out the soft, downy undercoat. This is the coat the sheds all over your house. Anyway, I would not recommend clipping this dog, but if you are determined to do so, it is best to leave an inch or more of coat. In order to clip it “long” like this, however, your groomer will most likely have to do a good undercoat removal first in order to get a good finish. Really, a good undercoat removal should be all that is necessary, or in addition to a light trim, such as around her feet and furnishings, which is mostly for looks, or to keep the dog cleaner if the furnishings are long. I trim furnishings with thinning shears or sometimes with a longer guard comb. I’m curious why you would want to clip this dog’s body though?
[...] Dogs such as golden retrievers, shelties, border collies, or really any double-coated or “combination-coated” dogs, often get those little mats behind their ears or on their belly. Sometimes they also get matted in the longer furnishings on the back of their legs. It is often possible to clip out these mats and blend the hair around it so that it is not even noticeable. Unless the dog is really too matted to brush, or the dog is too old or fragile to withstand a lot of brushing, it is best not to shave a double-coated dog. You can see my post on that here. [...]
Hello. I have been combing the web all day trying to find true professional information. After hours of searching, praise God that I found this site which is clearly written by a professional.
The Situation: I took my wonderful heavy-coated Great Pyrenees male puppy (age 9 months) to the so-called groomer at my veterinarian’s office this morning, to get what I called a puppy clip (I think commonly called a field clip or profile clip), asking that they shorten the top hair especially around his butt, legs, stomach and chest, which are catching brambles and other noxious debris at our farm which we visit during the summer every couple of weeks. And I explicitly told them to leave the head and tail absolutely alone, and to be sure that any shortened areas blend well with the rest of the dog. I want to emphasize that this dog had NO MATS. We use a rake and a Furminator several days each week on him.
When I picked him up, the “groomer” had completely shaved him down to the skin, leaving the tail as it was (it is now a normal bushy tail sprouting from a bald dog). And despite my instructions, he even removed most of the hair from his wonderful lofty head, face, and neck …. leaving just close-cropped slightly feathery ear flaps. The appearance is horrifically bad – his coat is simply chopped to pieces.
When, in tears, I asked WHY he did this, he said that to do what I wanted he would have to attach a comb to the clippers and that it would take too long to finish. (Obviously I think that the vet is describing him very loosely as a groomer when in fact he likely has no training or experience.)
The Big Question: Approximately how LONG does it take for a 9 month old Great Pyre, who is shaved to the skin in LATE JULY, to recover a normal coat? Months? A year? More? And is there some sort of timetable for the various re-growth stages, e.g., first the undercoat which will take about XX weeks/months? …. then after XX months, there will be some regrowth of the guard hair? ….. or it will all start to regrow at the same time and take approximately XX months or a year or more ?
The dog is quite healthy. Eats approximately 8-9 cups of high quality dry food each day with salmon oil added. He is a purebred double dew clawed Great Pyre whom we adopted from one of the better breed rescue groups about 3 months ago. It is heartbreaking to look at him, and to see him appearing so head-down and ashamed. He knows that something has happened to him. And we know that we must continue to lavish love on him so that he doesn’t think that he has done something wrong.
In any event, please help me cope with this terrible event in a constructive manner, by telling me what we are facing here in some sort of a realistic timeframe. Thank you sincerely, in advance.
Thanks for the comment, and I will do my best to give you advice. I will not claim to be an expert in Great Pyrenees, so I can’t tell you for sure how long it will take for the coat to grow back, but my guess would be that he should look back to normal in about six months or so. The good news is that he is young and healthy, so you should not have a problem with coat re-growth. Expect the undercoat to grow back more quickly, so you should keep this brushed out. It will probably just look like he is re-growing very soft hair. It will probably not be as obvious as regrowth on a dog with a very coarse coat, such as a lab or a husky, because a Pyrenees has a fairly soft coat anyway (comparatively). On very coarse-coated dogs, you can often actually see the guard coat sticking out and looking prickly through the softer hairs. Your dog’s hair should blend together more and not be so noticable.
Your mistake was in asking for a field clip or puppy clip on this dog in the first place. A field clip is typically done on spaniels that want more of a working clip. It is a smooth, all-over clip that usually leaves the fringe on the legs. A “puppy clip” is commonly referred to a short, all-over clip on a long-haired dog such as a poodle or a shih tzu. Different groomers have different names (and ideas) of what these “clips” mean though. Even different schools have different terms for different clips, so you really need to be specific when asking for any kind of haircut on your dog. It is best to describe what you want rather than refer to the name of a clip. I believe this may have led to a misunderstanding between you and the groomer.
I can understand why you wanted the hair shortened on your dog – so that the hair will not catch on things and get dirty and knotted. But in order to clip the hair long, (as opposed to shaving it), which is what I believe you wanted, your groomer was right in that she would have had to use a guard comb. In order to clip it that way, however, it would indeed have taken a very long time because all the undercoat would first have to be removed and a fine-toothed comb must be able to get through the hair in order for a guard comb to go through evenly and not leave the coat choppy-looking. You should have been told that this would take a long time and you would be expected to pay accordingly, or else you could then have then changed your mind, or asked the groomer what your options were. Unfortunately, your groomer chose to simply clip underneath the undercoat rather than through it, which is much easier and faster to do.
Honestly, when I am asked to clip a double-coated dog, especially something with hair as thick as yours probably was, I will say I can either shave it or I can do a “proper” groom, and I try to talk the person out of shaving it. It is simply too much work to try to use a guard comb to clip the hair long, although I have done that before, and of course charged for my time. Most people do not want to pay the amount I would charge to do this, and I’m usually glad that the price discourages them, because I don’t like to do it.
Well, I have babbled on enough, LOL, but I hope I have helped explain a little. I guess mostly what I want you to take from what I said is that you should be very specific with what you ask your groomer to do, and specific with what you don’t want her to do. And don’t panic! The coat will grow back, and your dog will be fine. I really think six months will be plenty of time to have him back in full coat. In the meantime, follow the common sense rules, like don’t leave him out in direct sunlight for too long to guard against sunburn and over-heating. A month from now he should have enough coat that you won’t have to worry about it anymore. Just keep him brushed.
One more thing… I usually only use a Furminator on short to medium-coated dogs. On longer coats you should line brush the coat (hold up the coat with one hand and brush it from the roots with the other) with a soft slicker brush, and follow with a metal comb to separate the hairs and remove the fine undercoat. There is also a tool called a Coat King, which you can buy online, that works great on these coats. Just be sure to be gentle with it if you get one, because you can injure your dog with it if you are not careful.
I hope this helped! Good luck with your dog.
Thank you so much for the fast response! You have certainly relieved my mind – the coat regrowing in 6 months or so is much better than I feared. The issue of communication with the groomer is clearly significant. In fact we were not allowed to talk directly to the groomer, until after the deed had been done. We had to place our order with the vet, and they quoted a price of $50 which seemed reasonable.
I did tell the clinic manager that I definitely did not want my dog shaved (as I had heard of some people doing with to their dogs) …. and I actually used the term “puppy clip” when speaking to her. (I mentioned field clip to you as my thought about what it might otherwise be called – uninformed to be sure – but I did not say that to the clinic – only that I wanted a puppy clip.) I had seen a really wonderful clip at an arts fest recently, of a standard poodle with what they called a puppy clip, in which the fur on his head was left quite recognizable as a standard poodle, and the fur was quite even at about an inch all over the dog. But now I am realizing that there are many technical differences when clipping a double coated dog of which I need to become aware.
I want to thank you for your detailed and very professional comments. Like all good teachers and mentors, you have spurred my consciousness into a fast trip to one of the big book stores, to find books on care and management of Great Pyres, and also a book on coat management of double coated dogs. Many thanks to you!
I work in a vet clinic and I would never let them schedule my dogs or quote prices for me! I could not imagine working that way. The vet and the receptionists have no clue about dog grooming. I also would not have groomed a Pyrenees for $50, so you did get a pretty good deal, LOL. Well, other than the shaving part.
Yes, a puppy clip on a poodle is going to be different than on a Pyrenees. Actually, if you go by the “show” terms, a poodle is the only one with a defined “puppy clip” which is actually a show clip and allowed in the show ring. (Full-grown poodles are shown in a Continental clip.) It is a hand-scissored, “sculpted” clip, very different than what pet owners usually want. All the more reason for us to be careful with what we give our clients!
I’m glad I was able to help, and maybe you will come back and update me in a few months on how your dog’s coat is coming along.
i have shaved my japanese spiz last summer no one told me that i couln’d do it :0 i so glad i found u….would her hair ever grow back to the same length.??..because istaking her more than 7 months and it does not look the same
. what can i do to help her coat to grow back to the way it was?
tkx
Joselayne, read my reply to Thomas, above (toward the middle of the comments.) It should regrow eventually as long as your dog is in good health. Her age may also be a factor; if she is old it may not grow back the same. Good luck.
thank you so much for your help
Hi, I commented a while back and I wanted to thank you for the advice. I went ahead and trimmed my Australia Shepard because we live in west Texas and the temperature normally gets around 100 degrees in the summer. I did as you said and lefts about an inch on her but her fur isn’t as thick or fluffy as in the pictures I see on the internet. But thank you for the help.
We need your help an advice…my wife took our 10year old Shetland to our local petco for a bath and a light trim on his belly. which we had done nearly every year to prevent him from “raking in” hundreds of leaves as he enters and leaves the house this time of year. The groomer aparently lost interest in the effort needed to properly brush out the dog and clipped him. We are paniced that his beautiful coat is now gone forever! At his age what should we expect?
The only reason I would clip a sheltie is if he was too matted to brush out, which has happened to me before. With such long coats, they need to be groomed more than once a year, unless you do a lot of brushing and in-between grooming at home. I have several shelties that I groom about every eight weeks, and even then I get a lot of undercoat out each time. These dogs will shed but if it isn’t brushed the shedded hair will get trapped in the coat, which can lead to problems if it is left long enough.
Sometimes if they don’t come in regularly and are not brushed at home, long-haired dogs, even double-coated ones, will get matted to the point that it is cruel to try to brush it all out at once like that, so at that point the only humane thing to do is to clip it. I am not sure if that is your situation or not, but either way your groomer should have informed you of this before clipping, so I can understand why you’d be upset.
At 10 years old, there is a good chance the coat will not grow back as nicely as it would on a younger dog, although it isn’t impossible, if he is in really good shape. The shelties I see often have skin issues as they get older. I would just keep him brushed and give him proper nutrition, maybe add some Omega 3 supplements to his diet. In any case, it is not something to panic over, just maybe a disappointment over the loss of his hair. He may be more comfortable now, depending on the condition of his coat before you brought him to the groomer. All I can do is to repeat that you should always be very specific with your groomer and make sure they know that you do not want his coat clipped. Then, if they feel that it is necessary, they can tell you first and let you decide what you want to do.