Grooming - traditional or not?

Question

Do you prefer to keep your dogs groomed to what the breed normally is, or groomed in other ways?

For example, I came across these pictures of papillons with their coat clipped. (I personally wouldn't ever consider doing that to my pap.)
http://www.groomers.net/discus/messages/126/90386.html?1179670833 (scroll down a bit, there are 2 pictures)

Answer 1

I am both a groomer and Pap owner. And on both accounts, I think those shaved Paps are the ugliest thing I've ever seen.



I try to talk my clients out of any non-standard clippings or groomings of their dogs. If I can't, I'll do what they ask, but I don't like it. So many people have gotten into this ridiculous idea that "all dogs should be shaved in the summer", I don't know where it came from, but it's a horrible idea. People ask me to shave Golden Retrievers, Pomeranians, Huskies, Shepherds, and even LABS!! I actually will not shave a Lab, I flat-out refuse. I will only shave a double-coated breed for a valid medical reason. Even Goldens I just trim short and thin out the undercoat. I would never personally own a dog I couldn't keep in a normal, standard clip or coat.



My Paps are kept in full long coats, the only hair I remove is a little off the sanitary areas and the pads of the feet. I don't trim anything else, not even the feathers on the top of the toes. My mom trims the long tail feathers off hers, but I think that looks awful too. I don't understand why people buy dogs with long or curly hair, and then shave it all off again- people, there ARE short haired dogs in the world, if you don't want the hair, buy a short haired dog!



Sorry, I get very agitated by those people. :-)

Answer 2

Wow! I can't say I like the look of a clipped pap...



I would never clip my dogs. I take time to even groom the feet right and get a proper hare foot. If I wanted a shorthaired dog, I'd have gotten a different breed. Papillon coats aren't thick or hard to keep up so I don't see the point at all.



I also groom my sheltie myself too. I have always groomed my shelties, paps, and mutt myself instead of taking them to the groomers. I took the shelties once and they tried to shave them for a summer cut. Never took them again!

Answer 3

In some breeds, the "traditional" clip is simply too much for the average pet owner to manage. For example, cocker spaniels, portuguese water dogs, old english sheepdogs, bichon frises. The very long and THICK coats on the animals usually come in too matted to do much with except shave, so for them I'll often to a modified shorter pet version of the clip.



And some people don't like the traditional look of their breed (don't ask me why they got that breed). So I'll have people come in with a poodle and say "don't make him look like a poodle", or want a teddy bear clip on their schnauzer.



And then there's the people who simply want them shaved, either because the dog gets too matted and they can't keep up, or because the dog is shedding (I have one person bringing a PUG in for shaving). I figure it's their dog, they're paying for the grooming, as long as it isn't harmful to the dog I'll do it.

Answer 4

I prefer to keep my dogs groomed properly - of course they aren't a coated breed but I still keep them groomed up as if for show as it keeps them 'clean' and they get used to it. As far as coated breeds I prefer the grooming that they are recognized as and find that most that are clipped down tend to be because of lack of desire to maintain their coats in proper condition or if they have atypical coats to begin with - nothing 'wrong' with grooming them different but just isn't my preference. If I am going to be a dog that is normally recognized with a specific coat type/clip, then that is usually how I prefer it.

Answer 5

If you're not planning on showing your dog, you can groom him however you want. The best thing to do is groom him so he's comfortable - keep the hair away from his eyes, and if you have trouble keeping him clean, trim his feet and back end a little. Just do what he needs - most dogs do not need a full body clip unless the owners are not keeping them brushed and clean.

Answer 6

I have a Sheltie that I don't professionally groom. I keep him well brushed, and he's very handsome, I just have yet to see the point in taking him to the groomers every couple months, when I can do a bunch myself.



I have a friend who grooms her dog, though her dog isn't really a breed, so has no *real* grooming standard.

Answer 7

My dogs are easy groom breeds. borders, aussies, and collies. Basically just brush and your done so I keep mine traditionally groomed, if I had a pain in the butt to groom breed like a shih tzu or lhasa I would puppy clip it. If I had a poodle I would probebly go for a more creative fun clip on occasion

Answer 8

i have a husky mix and a husky German Shepherd.



I don't go by what the show breeds look like..personal for some breeds i think they just look ridiculous..example the bichon frise with the giant puff ball head.



What i do is anything that is beneficial to them and their health.. So I brush them every other day to get rid of dead hairs and twice as much when they blow their coats. I cut there hair around their paws..mainly in the winter this way snow and ice doesn't stick to there ( I have heard it can painful for them). I trim their nails.. don't want them to break any and need surgery etc. I clean their ears every so often so no infection will occur. I try to brush their teeth daily but also use a liquid that goes in their water to help remove plaque. Lastly i bath them every 3-4 months..they keep a pretty good coat on their own so they don't really need baths often.

Answer 9

I have my Field Spaniel groomed to showing standard, because the grooming guidelines aren't just for making him look good, they are also very practical.



I have his ears trimmed down to allow air circulation into his ear canal to help prevent ear infection. I also have his feathering trimmed so that they don't drag on the ground to prevent collection of too many burs and stray leaves. Besides that, he doesn't need much trimming as unlike other spaniels the coat on his body is more setter like and doesn't grow out.

Answer 10

I prefer to keep mine appearing as they should

.However, if a person doesn't have the time or ability for grooming the long coated breeds, it is far better to clip than to allow matting.

Answer 11

When my Afghans' show careers are over I clipper them down. Keeping an Afghan in full coat takes hours and hours every week! It's not fair to them to put them through that! They LOVE their short suits! And, a short haircut shows off their beautiful, athletic bodies!

Right now I am cording my male Havanese, (he has the frizzy type of coat that cords easily.)

When his show career is over I will clipper him down too.

As a groomer, I see no reason to hand strip terriers unless they are show dogs. They look just as nice in the traditional terrier shape, when a #7 blade is used.

Why on earth would anyone shave a Papillon?! Their coats aren't that hard to take care of!

Answer 12

Well, you know I have a Papillon who looks very similar to Josie. Personally, I think Papillons look like rats without their full coat. When Louie gets wet, his coat clings to his skin so it looks like it's short and he looks like a totally different dog. I think the coat is part of what makes Paps so beautiful so I would never do that.



I have a Golden Retriever and their coats are supposed to remain full for their own protection. I have a Greyhound, whose coat is quite short so there's nothing to work with.

Answer 13

I don't have to worry about that as I have brush and go dogs ( a bluetick and a redbone coonhound) and a 13 yr old Collie/Shepherd (she has a double coat - but I do it myself). I do help my uncle out with his toy poodle's grooming (take her to the groomers for him) and he keeps her in a puppy cut with the little poof on the head (sorry - unsure of what that is called). But we keep her trimmed every six weeks - but not to the hunting clip that poodles are famous for (as he said he does'nt want her to look foo-foo - his words).

Answer 14

I groom to what's manageable.



They aren't show dogs, they're working and sporting dogs. My GSD mixes are more easily groomed, no fur cutting, but they do need brushing daily (daily daily daily daily my goodness, so much fur, I sweep EVERY DAY and always pull up a litter of dust puppies).



My Greater Swiss that's living with my folks gets shaved all the way down twice a year to prevent matting. She doesn't get bathed as much as she should over there, so I just take it all off to make it easier on her and myself when she does need grooming.



:P And then there's my old crazy native american vietnam vet with a plate in his head hillbilly uncle with a pap, whom he does not groom. (Found her floating down the Mississippi river, so I think anywhere is better.) I cut her up like a Clydesdale! Her tail gets shortened but stays floofy, her ears and feed too. The rest of her body gets cut pretty short. That way she doesn't get matted up but she stays pretty warm.

Answer 15

I prefer to keep my dog groomed like they should be. Although, I do alter my cocker spaniels cut by shortening the furnishings...but everything else looks like a cocker.



However, I don't think there is anything wrong with other people clipping their dogs differently

Answer 16

I have my American Cocker groomed the traditional way. It's a lot of maintenance I have to take him in each 5 weeks for a refresh. I don't keep his coat all the way down to the ground though, that would be insane. I do not show him but I want him to look the way he's meant to be.



ADD: Really! what's with the thumb down!

Answer 17

I agree with another poster..why get a long coat in a dog if you just shave it? I do not like the look of any dog shaved down (with the exception of a poodle) because it's not necessarily good for them and it seems silly.



I have two ausssies and wouldn't dream of clipping or shaving them down. The only grooming they get done is their face and ears and a sanitary cut. The rest is just wash and brush. It's nice being able to find a lady to groom your dog for a decent price as well. I only pay $20 and she does exactly what I want!

Answer 18

It's a pet peeve of mine when people shave down their coated dogs. Honestly, is it THAT hard to brush a dog out once a week? I can't stand when I see a Beardie that looks like a Bedlington Terrier because it's been shaved down. This person chose a longhair dog .. why not keep it a longhair dog??

Answer 19

Kip is a miniature schnauzer, and I clip him instead of hand-stripping, which is what is called for in conformation trials. So technically, clipping is *not* traditional. Additionally, I keep his feathering shorter than a show dog, since it makes it easier to care for, especially since he spends a lot of time outside, with the mud and the burrs and....

Answer 20

I do not go traditional with my Westie.

Westies are supposed to be handstipped, but I'm not paying 300 dollars for it if he's not in shows.

He looks very much like a Westie, but not handstripped.

Answer 21

I have a Pap also, she is going natural,clean and combed she is beautifully marked and I love her just as she is.

Answer 22

anything goes

what ever makes you happy

u can even try alittle color hair now that is safe

Answer 23

it depends on if its cute or not