My dog also has thick hair (golden retriever). We were told by lots of people not to clip her because the coat keeps out the heat etc but after watching her hardly move and become depressed during her first summer we decided to clip her and have clipped her every summer since. She is A LOT happier and runs around etc without getting overwhelmed by the heat. (Lots of our friends have gone years without clipping their dogs, but once seeing how happy our dog was, they decided to also clip and have continued clipping)
I advise you to clip him, see how happy it makes him and then make a decision from then on about wether to do it again.
Cait
2008-02-25 10:35:54 UTC
Please don't!
His undercoat protects him from heat as well as cold by trapping air- and dogs are terribly susceptible to sunburn. However, keeping him really well brushed out (a furminator works wonders) really is sufficient unless he is an outdoor-only dog. If you're really worried about the heat, I would recommend shaving his belly and underside ONLY- that way, he's still protected against sunburn, if it grows back poorly, you've only got a limited amount of him that's lacking in warmth, and he can lie on a cool surface to shed heat in the summer.
I've found that shaving dogs really doesn't eliminate the shedding for much more than a week or two- they just shed shorter hairs! The furminator (and a good diet high in omega 3/6 oils) really make a bigger difference at a lower cost.
Sarah C
2008-02-25 10:25:49 UTC
Honestly, I don't think it'd really be necessary. Most dogs will naturally shed their thicker coat once the weather warms up. If his coat does that, he shouldn't be so uncomfortable that you would need to shave him down. Just make sure he gets ample water, and has some shelter. Even if his coat doesn't shed to be a bit thinner, it doesn't look anywhere near thick/long enough to overheat him quickly. Just keep an eye on him.
nrgrl1
2008-02-25 09:41:19 UTC
im a dog groomer. Pros are that there will be less sheding and the dog may be cooler. Cons are that his coat may not grow back the same as before you shaved it. It might come back thinner or patchy. But i shave lots of dogs and lots of different breeds and most grow there coats back fine. But it is a risk.
Socion
2008-02-25 09:46:31 UTC
You wouldn't want to "shave" him. The sun could burn the exposed skin and be a skin cancer risk. If it's really hot, you could have his hair mowed down to not less than 1\2". A trim rather than a shave. He wouldn't look as pretty as he does now, but he'd be more comfortable and you'd have less shedding.
bilbobagsend
2008-02-25 09:58:48 UTC
pros will be hell be cooler and happier
cons are getting it doone without stressing too much most dogs hate it
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