Heat Wave! Should You Shave Your Pet?

Thursday, July 19, 2012 - 11:45am

Nearly everywhere in America, this summer is a scorcher, and we know that as a responsible pet parent, you want to do everything you can to keep your best four-legged friends cool. So when you look at your Pomeranian, Golden Retriever or long-haired cat wearing a thick, fluffy coat, you might feel tempted to break out your grooming tools and give him a serious hair cut.

But hold those clippers! While you or I would hate to sport a fur coat in 100-degree weather, your pets’ fur coats are actually providing them with heat relief.

“A dog’s coat is kind of like insulation for your house,” explains Dr. Louise Murray, Vice President of ASPCA Bergh Memorial Hospital. “Insulation stops your home from getting too cold in winter, but it also keeps it from overheating in summer—and your dog’s coat does the same thing.”

Dogs’ coats have several layers, and these layers are essential to your dog’s comfort in the heat. Robbing your dog of this natural cooling system can lead to discomfort and overheating. And keeping your dog cool isn’t the only reason to leave his coat intact, Dr. Murray warns. Your dog’s coat prevents your pup from getting sunburn and helps protect her from skin cancer.

So what can you do? “It’s OK to trim your long-haired dog’s long hair, such as any hair that hangs down on his legs,” Dr. Murray says. Just never attempt to clip mats off your pet’s coat with scissors, Dr. Murray adds. And if you’ve got a long-haired kitty, leave her coat intact. Instead, brush her a little more frequently during the hot summer months.

To protect your pet from sunburn and skin cancer, save longer walks for evenings, and consider applying pet-specific sun block to thinly covered areas like the bridge of your dog’s nose, the tips of his ears and his belly, Dr. Murray suggests, noting that pets with thin coats, as well as those with white or light-colored coats, are especially at risk for sun damage.

Of course, pet parents should remember to keep pets inside with plenty of water during hot days—hydration is key! For more important information on summer pet care, visit our Hot-Weather Tips.

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Pet Care

Comments

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:37 — phyllis (Visitor)
Checking sources is valid...policing grammer....uhmmm?

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:39 — sjb (Visitor)
Whether it should be "invite" or "invited" depends on the intended meaning of the sentence.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:40 — KNelty (Visitor)
LOL! Good one!

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:35 — sjb (Visitor)
Please refrain from asking others to refrain from political commentary and then offering your own.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 14:36 — gloria (Visitor)
Well said. I love how people make everythhing about them. When the focus should be on the annimals.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:57 — sjb (Visitor)
Evaporative cooling by panting is only one way that dogs lose heat energy. Dogs also lose or gain heat energy by conduction, convection, and radiation. Simple physics: thicker insulation = less heat loss to the surrounding air by conduction and convection. Dr. Murray may be a fine vet, but she is mistaken about this. Comparing a dog to a house is a bad analogy. An air conditioned house benefits from insulation, but to the contrary a dog constantly generates heat internally. Some hair is good for blocking and reflecting UV and other radiant energy, but the idea that it insulates from heat in surrounding air is ridiculous. I don't claim to know anything about other affects of shaving or trimming on the skin or on normal regrowth of hair.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 10:04 — Christine Heidt (Visitor)
Dear Gail, I disagree with shaving a dog for summer. For ten years I had my Malamute and Pomeranian groomed 3 times a year and they were fine. Then, without my permission, the same groomer took it upon herself to shave my dogs (is probably easier than combing out all that underfur)and both dogs developed a 'razor burn'. I went to three different veterinarians who confirmed that these breeds should not be shaven and I had to put the dogs on Prednison and antibiotics. Needless to say, their fur did NOT GROW BACK. Both looked like pigs instead of dogs. Three years later I had to put them to sleep. The incompetent groomer never acknowledged her mistake. Christine Heidt, Saint Lazare, Que/Canada

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 10:47 — Jessica Butts (Visitor)
I'm wondering why the two dogs had to be put to sleep? Of course I'm terribly sorry for your loss. I'm wondering if the shaving caused their deaths three years later? Were their immune systems harmed by the steroids (prednisone) ? It wasn't because of their appearance,right? I'm sorry and please don't feel insulted but I don't know you and was concerned. My deceased grandfather put one dog to sleep bc of cancer and chose to put his healthy dog to sleep at the same time. Why? Because he wanted his heartbreak to be accomplished in one swoop and was worried the healthy dog would be lonely.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 12:12 — Victoria Reeve (Visitor)
It is not at all absurd to assume a causal connection between the dogs being shaved, developing razor rash and later having to be euthanized. The reason: Prednisone suppresses the immune system and alters the function of the adrenal glands. The dogs could easily have developed any number of illnesses/diseases as a result.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 11:00 — Frank (Visitor)
Your post makes it sound like you are relating your dogs being clipped or shaved with their eventual deaths., or that the resultant "need" for a course of steroids and antibiotics caused their deaths three years later. I hope I'm reading that wrong, because if I am not, that sounds utterly absurd.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 16:06 — Liz (Visitor)
It's not absurd. At all. Read the post by Victoria Reeve, directly above yours. She explains why it's not absurd very well. I'm not a Vet, but I am a Vet Tech (Associates Degree), a Registered Nurse and, perhaps most importantly, I was on Prednisone for over fifteen years (for lupus) and can attest to the havoc it causes on the immune system and adrenal glands.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 11:20 — Cheryl Smith (Visitor)
Christine, the very same thing happened to my Golden Retriever cross, when the stupid groomer shaved her without my permission. Her fur never grew back, either, and she died less than a year later.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 10:09 — TaryP (Visitor)
People who shave off their double coated dog's hair or ignore the health advice from reputable people (aka ASPCA, and their vets) should be arrested for animal abuse! It is anthropomorphising to assume that a dog with long hair is hot because a woman with thick long hair is hot. Dogs expel extra heat very differently than humans and have different body heat/cooling systems. Just look at the many longer haired and double coated breeds that are bred into a hot region (e.g. border collies/ aussie shepherds). Do NOT shave or close clip a double coated breed - you're harming your dog if you do!

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 10:28 — Karen (Visitor)
And here we go with Tarynp the extremist thinking everybody should be arrested REALLY? SILLY

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 15:20 — Bad Becky (Visitor)
I have a Sheltie that I have trimmed down every summer. He's a house dog and only goes out to do his business and hang out with our other 3 dogs when the weather is nice. Do I know about thermoregulation? Yes. Am I 'anthropomorphizing' my dog? No. Am I abusing my buddy? Are you kidding? Do you need a reality check? DEFINATELY!

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 10:30 — pat (Visitor)
yes it is all very confusing as what to do with your dogs fur but i have also heard that the short shvae cuts disturb the natural shedding process so this i do find to b true

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 10:37 — Judith (Visitor)
Gail holcomb, The dog is not a human no matter what you are thinking. It's easy for a parent/owner to reflect their own discomfort in summer onto their pets. But that being said, animals are supposed to have that hair for their protection. You are being thoughless and since your pet can't talk and tell you of it's discomfort leave it's hair alone and brush him/her. AS I have read here most people trim the hair for thier not wanting to deal with shedding. Just brush them more and that will take care of them. Don't trim their hair.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 10:38 — Jan Gagnon (Visitor)
I have five long hair dogs and I keep them all in full coat winter and summer. They don't suffer during the long very hot summers here in Fresno. I heard early on that a dogs coat is its protection from the elements and I wholeheartedly support the theory. We need to remember that we are not dogs and a full coat to us means something totally different to an animal. Also, if they were in the wild, they would have no one to clip their coats. Our creator's plan was a good one for our furry friends...at least in my opinion.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 11:04 — Frank (Visitor)
Seriously? Dogs are like the shining example of mans ability to manipulate genetics. No breed of companion dog is "natural", they have all been pushed and prodded Into the forms we see today, either for work or show purposes. Dont think for a moment that god or nature made the Aussie or the Newfie or the beagle--we did. Which raises the question of whether trimming a dogs fur is "unnatural" or not--the whole thing is unnatural. Just because Australian shepherds were developed in California, for example, doesn't mean that's their "ideal" climate.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 11:10 — Laura (Visitor)
an omnipotent creator did not create dogs in a perfect way. Humans created dogs and bread their traits to please us. So their coats, body sizes, health problems, dispositions, etc, are all due to what HUMANS wanted out of their dog. We have got to be smarter people if are going to be responsible for the creation of animals like cats and dogs.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 16:51 — noneya (Visitor)
Actually when we took the breeds that make up the very first dogs you know from wolves...If God didn't give us the idea of it in the first place...we wouldn't have "made" anything we got the dna straight from wolves,foxes...etc and that came from God so next time you think that you made a dog try not getting dna from a pre exitsisting dog or any other creature we manipulated dna but God gave us the knowledge to do so. we are God's hands and feet but we dare not get to big for our britches! and God created wolves perfectly! and actually science is still looking for how dogs became in the first place...you know the first domestic dog(s) the answer is God's nature did it! and plus it says in the Bible that He gave us dominion over the animals! I think it dpends on the breed now I would stay away from completely shaving any dog but you can trim a yorkie because their hair is a lot like ours! and no double coat! and yes combing helps a lot! If you can get your doggie to let you! My yorkie puppy as far as I know has never been even trimmed he's 4 months and so far he's been fine this summer but he stays inside except for potty breaks and has plenty of water!

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 12:22 — Brenda (Visitor)
I agree our creater knew what he was doing so leave it alone and get off this subject to more serious ones like how people abuse animals just ride a bike around your own neighbor hood and see how many are on log chains cutting into skin or no shade food or water now this is a subject worth discussing how many people turn a blind eye to animal abuse it's sickening.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 10:54 — RJ (Visitor)
Don't be so quick to be disap;pointed in the ASPCA. This is "good" information in general, for all breeds. Of course, you should ask your Vet for clarification. My parents had a Chow Chow when I was a teenager, and my father thought he was doing the right thing by having her shaved one summer. Unfortunately, it caused her to have a stroke which eventually lead to her early demise. It was sad and my father felt awful about it.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 14:39 — Mary (Visitor)
Well I am really getting educated here because I did not know how dangerous it could be to get your dog shaved. After reading all these comments I know I will never get my golden shaved again. We did it this year for the first time back in May and her hair is growing back and she looks like a Lab now. But we will not do it again. Thanks for all the info...

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 11:02 — tom kuhlman (Visitor)
Believe it or not, but what you are doing is even more cruel. If you were to take a dogs temperature at the surface of it's skin outside in the hot sun before shaving it's coat and then do the same afterwards you would see that the skin surface is now MUCH hotter with a shaven coat. Do it the way they described here not the way you think. Or just go on abusing and being cruel to your dog by shaving it in the summer.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 14:21 — sjb (Visitor)
You are correct that in direct sunlight the dog's skin temp would likely be higher. But at almost all other times the temp would be lower. What percentage of the time is your dog in direct sunlight?

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 11:02 — Wanda (Visitor)
I totally agree that it is bad advice. I cut one of my dogs long fur a few days ago and she began to act like a different dog - lots of energy and loving to play. Also, the shorter fur makes it easier to notice external parasites. I have cut the hair of other long haired dogs in the past. It always made a world of difference in their energy levels.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 11:13 — Lisa (Visitor)
I think it's a little irresponsible and dramatic for you to say that it's "cruel" to leave your dog's coat intact in hot weather. Wild dogs and wolves don't have the option of being groomed and they survive just fine. I would rather listen to my vet, who is a trained professional, and not shave my dogs in the summertime to protect them from everything the article states. However, dogs that are groomed short on a regular basis acclimate to not having a long coat. If you feel comfortable shaving your dog in the summer, that's fine - but to say that the ASPCA is spreading "thoughtless information" is ridiculous.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 11:14 — Emma (multi yea... (Visitor)
I've seen this advice and stuck to it for many years. All of the most reliable sources advise NOT to cut dog hair, IT IS INSULLATION to protect from cold and HEAT, and other protections, i.e. natural oils etc.! That's the way God created them, He doesn't make mistakes, WE DO!!! Please rethink!

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 11:58 — Myke James (Visitor)
Firstly, to the person who stated that "god doesn't make mistakes/we do". THAT is your personal opinion!! Not everyone believes in a god per se. There are myriad examples in nature of defects, and gross mistakes. They are usually taken care of in the wild by predator consumption, or early death because the specific unit of the species was not viable!! We are the only animal who spends billions of dollars a year on keeping defective members of our species alive through articial means!!! Other animals are smart enough to know that the weak, sick, and the old are a grave threat to the herd's survival and must be eliminated forthwith!! Either through predation, or outright culling within the herd!! Because we humans are capable of hubris, we compromise our species everyday by keeping the weak and inferior alive!!! This is unnatural, and unsustainable!!! We as a species will suffer greatly, for the last 80 some odd years, of "medical advances" and liberal social policy. In the wild, the Excess get EATEN!!! Or the entire Herd Dies of Starvation!!

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:49 — Bonnie (Visitor)
You know it is quite funny that I was just telling my husband the other day how it never ceases to amaze me the stupid things that fall out of mens' mouths. With your stupidity you would have me put my daughter who is 34yrs old down at birth because she was not born "perfect" or my mother down because she is 85. Seriously??? You state that we humans are compromising our species by letting these "outcasts" of yours live and yet the world today is more populated than ever. Go back to sleep, Myke and when you have something valuable to add to the conversation, do some research and then and ONLY THEN, make your comments. By the way I have a Pekeniese and we have shaved her every summer for years and we live in Florida. She is an inside dog and only walks twice a day for exercise and to do her "business".

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 14:06 — sjb (Visitor)
Domestic dogs are the result of thousands of generations of selective breeding by humans, hardly the way God created them. As a result, many breeds have characteristics that are not natural or in any way beneficial to the dog's health and well-being.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 11:48 — Bobbie M (Visitor)
I couldn't agree more. This is a wives' tale. Years ago, I read an article that talked about their coats acting as insulation and asked my vet about it. He said it did act as insulation and also kept heat in as a fur coat would do for humans. He warned about sunburns but I'm careful not to shave them too closely and they are inside dogs. My two large shepherd mixes have gotten hair cuts for 10 years without issue. The fur on my older guy doesn't grow back as quickly now but he's much happier when he has short hair in the Missouri summer heat and I'm happy the shedding is reduced!

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 11:49 — Jane (Visitor)
This article says nothing about leaving your pets fur untouched. Every pet owner should bathe and groom their furry friends. It simply states that dogs have fur to protect them from the environment. I agree, you should never shave a double coated dog or cat....that is why they shed. If you take a look at dogs and where they came from before we domisticated them, they were wild. Look at all the wild animals with fur that actually live outside. Think about it! They have fur for a reason...protection. I know that we love our pets and want to do our best by them, and yes summer is hot. And just because you're hot you think your pet is hot, but shaving them is not the answer. They were born with fur for a reason. Just take care of your pet with regular groomings....baths, trimming, and brushing. And always make sure they have plenty of water.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 11:51 — Kim (Visitor)
Ms. Holcomb, Guess what? You are not a dog and your dog is a fur covered animal. If their fur was meant only to keep them warm in cold temps., don't you think they would shed it all in the summer? Trust that nature is taking care of your dog and the doctors/scientists at ASPCA study the NATURE of all animal species(except for humans). Second to willful cruelty, projecting human comforts and desires onto pets has probably been the root cause of more premature deaths of pets and it borders on negligent abuse. In fact, I think it is abuse when you choose ignorance. A human comparison: Children don't like to wear helmets or use seatbelts because they're uncomfortable. We can relate to that. But informed, responsible adults still make them wear them, in spite of their complaining. And now it's the law because there were too many who chose ignorance and took the path of least resistance, costing lives and taxpayers. Would you continue to shave your dogs if there were laws against it? Maybe there should be...

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 15:32 — sjb (Visitor)
You think domestic dogs are natural? If nature is taking care of all animals, why do we need vets? Why do you think nature takes care of all other animals, but not humans?

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 18:08 — kim (Visitor)
Okay, Vets have studied animal science and they have first hand and objective experience with hundreds, if not thousands of domestic dogs. We need the vets to help us understand how our domestication of these animals can be accomplished with the least amount of harm. Domestic or not, they are a different species than humans. And in most cases, animals have natural abilities to adapt to their environment - whether indigenous to it or not. Nature would take care of humans too if we let it. And nature's way is not always convenient or easy. Our "intelligence" allows us to find ways to get around those inconveniences. Some of this has been beneficial to our civilization and longevity. But some is ultimately destructive. And I'm saying that we shouldn't subject our pets to the same. According to the Animal Doctors/Scientist, shaving dogs in any kind of weather is ultimately destructive.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:25 — Jaclyn (Visitor)
Please re-read the article. They said not to SHAVE, they DID however reccommend trimming/clipping. There is a HUGE difference. Trimming typically leaves a small amount of fur, shaving removes it entirely. And some of the commentors are right, some breeds of dog simply don't regrow their fur properly. We would trim our American Eskimo's fur down, but they're one of the breeds that don't regrow when shaved. And I know there is one breed that when the fur does grow back, it's discolored. I can't remember the name, however.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 14:36 — Val Tisdel (Visitor)
Clipping is not shaving. you're leaving the undercoat.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 16:14 — M. Doram (Visitor)
Gail, This is not misinformation! I am so relieved to see this here because I have been telling my clients this for years. It's not wearing a wool blanket - it's like taking the insulation out of the walls in your house. The undercoat protects them from heat and cold. You can clip a dog and leave a 1" length, keeping the undercoat, and the dog may feel lighter, but hot is hot - and dogs do not sweat through their skin. The undercoat acts like a thermostat, so the dog grows and sheds it as needed. Shaving a dog close to the skin can make them feel the heat and sun MORE, in addition to the chance that the hair won't grow back the same.

Sat, 07/21/2012 - 14:03 — pamela (Visitor)
I agree this is bad advice and have heard it several times before. I live in a hot dry climate but every time I have failed to have one of my dogs with a very thich coat, shaved in the summer, it has been horrible for that dog. They are much happier and more energetic when the thick coat comes off.

Thu, 07/19/2012 - 23:12 — Tara (Visitor)
Im a dog groomer and I have to tell over 10 people a day about the dangers of shaving dogs in the summer. I am so sick of hearing people say "but shes panting" or "hes really hot". Shaving dogs in the heat is a bad idea, especially if they are outside alot. They are at a high risk of heat stroke with their fur gone. If you are going to get your dog a haircut I would suggest not going shorter than 3/4 of an inch. If its a longer haired breed such as a golden, chow, husky etc...try getting them a furminator bath to release the undercoat but leave their regular coat alone. If you absolutely feel that you need to shave your dogs there are two things you should do. First, apply dog sunblock before you go on your daily walks and second, keep them indoors until it grows back. Thank you ASPCA for getting this important information out here. There are alot of naive pet parents out there. Dogs 101 show also had this information in the episode with the samoyed that I was happy to see aired. Great Job!!!

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 12:21 — sandra (Visitor)
I'm also a groomer and totally agree. Thank you for taking the high road and not attacking others for their comments.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 00:45 — Fran (Visitor)
Great advice! When people think dogs are suffering because of their natural hair it is non-sense. Animals evolved this way and humans impose their neurosis on their pets. The dog's skin is exposed more and prone to being burned by sun. I've felt a dog with purposely shortened coat temperature compared to one left with natural coat and the difference is amazing. The dog shaved down is hotter ALWAYS. Please ASPCA continue to spread the truth regardless of who sends you donations. ASPCA is founded on principles of preventing cruelty. The above article is a perfect example of the Society's mission.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 10:04 — Michelle (Visitor)
Animals have evolved into their climates, however, dogs have been bred down from wolves and have not evolved into their climates. We manipulated them to be what we wanted. They are not living in the climates that they were bred to live in. Think ... Canadian Chihuahua or Texas Husky. I agree that their coats offer a certain level of protection but we have to consider the breed and the climate. Obviously, no animal should be left outside in the sun, that's where the cruelty comes in.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:24 — bill (Visitor)
we live in the country the dogs,a cocker and german shorthair, are picking up ticks in the woods despite treatments,I gave my cocker a haircut but only let him out very briefly during day to potty and he spends alot of time outside at night, the ticks are easier to spot now and his coat grows back unbelievably fast, so I agree keep out of sun if you give haircut,never shave,and if you can keep checking with aspca for advice and direction.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 09:28 — Mary (Visitor)
I am so thankful that you are getting this information out to the public. I had no idea that this was not good for my golden(Molly). From now on she will only get trimmed and I will use the furminator. Thanks!

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 09:47 — James Barlow (Visitor)
We have a St. Bernard who could not survive if we did not clip her down in the summer. Did the same to our prior Old English with absolutely no problems.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 09:48 — l papania (Visitor)
i have an 8lb Maltese. I comb her every other night & I very carefully clip the mats I find between groomer visits. Why is this NOT recommended? Please & Thank you! (Your hot weather tips make sense & I appreciate it.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 10:08 — MS (Visitor)
I think it is not advised to use scissors to clip mats because it is easy to inadvertantly cut the skin that is sometimes hard to see under all the fur. A grooming clippers is much safer and would be fine to use.

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