is it ok to shave your dog

Criosphynx

everyone says this. But they don't clarify. What does a ruined pom coat look like? I have read this on website after website, but never had another pom owner have a problem either (i've asked everyone I've met)

She was shaved when I got her so I must assume the previous owners shaved her as well. She is elderly so I would assume shes had a decade or more of being shaved several times a year. Her coat is thick and appears to be a normal pom coat to me. With two coats.

Its shaving, or my dog will over heat and be miserable. Its nothing to do with shedding or brushing or me being lazy. Perhaps she could keep heat out at one point and now her coat cant, but in the summer she drinks and insane amount of water, pants like a madman and barely moves until I shave her down. The water intake, panting and listlessness stop within moments of the coat coming off.

I can find photos of her in full coat, if I post them can som'one tell me whether or not her coat is "ruined"?

Angelwing

The coat is ruined when the undercoat starts growing faster and there are no longer guard hairs growing or very little grow back. The coat will appear 'fuzzy' and dry. Or the undercoat only grows to a certain point so some spots will be shorter than others. Some spots may be bald. 99% of the time you can tell when a double coated dog has been shaved. Even if all the hairs grow back it's generally never the same. Very rare. Please post a pic.

Criosphynx

interesting...thank you for the clarification. It is appreciated.


I will post pics when I get home.

Criosphynx

Ok epic fail. I just went through 500+ photos and she is either shaved or wearing sweaters in all of them, I even went through videos...I have a couple washed out over exposed ones photos I'll post.

The hair is thick, so thick I can't see her skin if I part it. No bald spots and the lenght seems very even to me. The guard hairs come in longer than the undercoat. :shrugs:






I have like ten thousand photos like this one



this one its not grown in all the way

fawkese1

OT sorry...but i love that pic of her in the critter carrier ok...done

Criosphynx

you mean the one of Critter in a Kritter keeper?

I found all sorts of cute pics of her, maybe I'll upload som'


you know this made me think that maybe her coat is wonky...I mean it looks fine, BUT shes either in sweaters or shaved down all. the. time. That must say som'thing about the insulation factor. I just don't understand how shes still cold with all that hair.

Sheltiemama

Our little foster Sheltie had been shaved when she arrived at rescue. Shelties have an undercoat normally. Her hair grew back and it's incredibly thick. She looks like a puffball! BUT it's all undercoat. Virtually no top coat at all. Her coat doesn't look like any other Sheltie I've seen.

When I was having Scotty tested for allergies, they shaved his butt on each side about 2" square. It took about 1 1/2 years before you couldn't tell where he had been shaved. Seriously.

Gone2Dogs

Along the same thread but a bit of a vent....I am getting tired of owners waiting til their dog is matted, stinking and starting to get sores before getting them shaved to fix their neglect. Apparently this is a nice holiday treat for their dogs as I have done a great many such dogs of late.
At least most of these are dogs that are 'supposed' to be shaved. Spaniels are a filthy favorite. Big clue, if your dog can't walk properly because mats are snagging it's legs and tummy....Or if it can't hear because it's ears are matted two inches think. Another clue...if your dog smells like excrement...probably what is in those big mats on it's butt.
Nice upside....it is great to see (and smell) the improvement.

Angelwing

Yes, upload more pics!

Yeah, it's especially hard to have to wait for a terrier to have proper hair again if you are hand stripping.

Gone2Dogs, I know exactly what you mean. I would like to report these owners for animal abuse, because really that's what it is. I mean, does the owner go for extended periods of time not brushing, washing or taking care of their hair? We've started handing out pamphlets, but the owners usually don't end up reading them. I like to charge way more for matted dogs and then tell the owner it will be cheaper next time if they bring in a dog that is not matted.

ben46valdez

Read this article its about shaving

Answers.com - Does it make sense to shave your pet in order to eliminate shedding