05/05/2021
It’s getting warm out and this is the time of year when groomers all over are asked to shave down double coated dogs because their owners want to keep them cool! For the purpose of this discussion I’m talking only about true double coated dogs, not designer breeds or single coated dogs. For example, goldens, aussies, husky’s, Pomeranians, corgis, labs, etc. Did you know that shaving them can actually do much more harm than good? Here’s why:
1. Their coat is designed to keep them cool. The undercoat they have is thicker in the winter and sheds out in the summer leaving their protective top coat intact.
2. Their top coat acts as a sun shade for their skin. Cutting it does not make them cooler, it actually makes them hotter! Think of it like this, it’s 90° out and you’re hot, and if you stripped off all your clothes you would be still be hot. But if you stood under a big shade tree you’d feel much cooler, with or without clothing. Their top coat does the same thing as that shade tree, it provides protection from the sun. Taking away that protection is like you standing naked in direct sunlight. No matter what our summer is going to be brutal, we sweat, our dogs pant, a haircut won’t change that for either us or them.
3. Shaving them can increase their risk of skin cancer since their skin is directly exposed to the suns rays. It’s the same as us going outside without sunscreen. Their top coat is their sunscreen.
4. Shaving them can actually damage their coats permanently. It might not happen to every dog, and it might not happen the first time or even the tenth time you shave them, but in the majority of dogs shaved regularly it will happen eventually. Their top coat will stop growing back leaving them with only a frizzy undercoat which gives them a patchy, dull appearance. This is known as clipper alopecia.
So all that being said, how can you keep them cool?
1. Regular grooming! Bathing, brushing, combing and removing that dead undercoat. A double coated dog should be completely groomed every 4-6 weeks to keep them properly maintained and equipped for the weather.
2. Shave their paw pads. Dogs only sweat through their feet, so removing that thick hair under their feet allows for better airflow and temperature regulation.
3. Do not leave them outside or exercise during the heat of the day. Dawn and dusk are more comfortable for everyone.
Here are a couple photos showing in more detail just how their coats are naturally designed to function as well as a double coated dog (in this case a Pomeranian) who is regularly shaved who has developed clipper alopecia.
