19/02/2024
Did you know that double-coated breeds have two layers of coat to protect them from the elements?
The outer layer is made of long guard hairs, that is designed to protect your dog from snow and ice and is water resistant.
The undercoat is often shorter, softer and thicker, it lays close to the skin and keeps your dog warm and dry.
In the warmer months your dog should shed their soft undercoat, leaving mostly guard hairs. In the heat, the guard coat protects your dog from sunburn, and insulates them.
A deshedding service can remove a lot more undercoat that would naturally occur. Without the undercoat, air can circulate through the guard hairs, cooling the skin.
Shaving double coated dogs can drastically change their coat texture and ruins your dogโs ability to regulate their body temperature. After shaving a double coated dog, the guard hairs are slower growing, so the soft undercoat grows back first.
You will probably notice at this stage that your dog doesnโt feel the same as they did, they may feel sticky, or like velcro. Youโll also find that plant material and anything else your dog comes in contact with, tangles and mattโs into the coat very easily.
Having no guard hairs, and having thick soft undercoat prevents your dog from circulating air to the skin and prevents the natural cooling process. This contributes to overheating, hot spots and other skin issues.
It can take years for a shaved double coat to fully regrow into a healthy, functional coat, and in many cases it never grows back the same.
So you might think that shaving your double coated dog in the summer is the easiest way to help them combat the heat, but a simple wash and tidy with a deshed service, will not only help cool your dog down, it will promote a healthy coat cycle.