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

Thu, 07/19/2012 - 20:00 — christina woods (Visitor)
This summer we clipped our Malamute/Shepherd and he is so happy. We live in Maryland and not the ideal for this kind of breed. We watched for any initial skin irritation or burn but he is not outside that much. He is much more friskier and so happy as are we to have less clumps of hair. i am wondering with the global warniming effects if dogs are not shedding completely when they should. This guy used to "blow" the coat twice a year but it seems he is blowing all the time....thus tha summer clip to get rid of all that hair. It seems like a win/win just keep a close eye on any skin irritation.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 10:34 — Linda (Visitor)
If your dog is kept inside most of the time, as mine are, they DO blow their coats all the time. I have shelties and they have so much hair that I did ask my vet about shaving/clipping because of the heat (live in TN). I was told never to shave my dogs due to the same things the article states as it is protection for the dog, not only from the sun but from ticks, mosquitoes, etc. A trim is fine. Global warming, really?

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 11:16 — Krissy (Visitor)
Another thing to keep in mind is that with dogs like Malamutes and Shelties is that every time you shave them you have a chance that the coat won't grow back the same. I'm a groomer and we see it every once and a while. Someone will bring in a double coated dog and ask us to shave it, and even though we recommend they not shave, they still insist.. Then a few months later they're yelling on the phone with us because the coat didn't grow back! Save your pup! Pay a groomer for a blow-out and a deshed! It's cheaper then a shave and your pet will be much happier!

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 11:50 — Carrie (Visitor)
Only if they have a medical condition such as a thyroid problem

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 16:19 — Jill (Visitor)
Actually that is not true. My Keeshond was shaved every summer (I never EVER had a groomer tell me not to) and she developed Alopecia X. I read that it can be CAUSED by shaving. I never would have done that had I known. I will never shave a dog again if I get another.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 22:11 — Lisa (Visitor)
I have a Keesie too! And yes you should NEVER EVER shave them!

Sun, 07/22/2012 - 18:35 — Karen (Visitor)
Certain breeds do seem to be more prone to this problem. I know it can happen with pomeranians too.

Mon, 07/23/2012 - 02:11 — kimberly (Visitor)
We live in Houston and have a Pom. We shave her in the beginning of summer and keep her shaved all summer long......she loves it! Eventhough, she is totally an inside baby, if she is not shaved, then she is completely miserable and drinking water all day long and having to go outside to pee as a result. She is sooo happy, cool and comfortable when she is shaved.....and has the energy of a 2 yr old baby!

Mon, 07/23/2012 - 02:11 — kimberly (Visitor)
We live in Houston and have a Pom. We shave her in the beginning of summer and keep her shaved all summer long......she loves it! Eventhough, she is totally an inside baby, if she is not shaved, then she is completely miserable and drinking water all day long and having to go outside to pee as a result. She is sooo happy, cool and comfortable when she is shaved.....and has the energy of a 2 yr old baby!

Wed, 08/01/2012 - 21:45 — Pat Cantrell-Smith (Visitor)
Our Pom Chester is 11 and the gal we adopted him from kept his coat short. We, however, let it grow out to it's full length in the winter, but in spring/summer, get his coat cut down to 1/2". We have NEVER had any problem with it growing back full and fluffy for winter. He is alot more comfortable without all that fur in the heat. Years ago we had a Belgian Teruvan mix in CA and he was miserable with the summer heat. To alleviate his misery we would get him a summer cut as well. He was much cooler and happier and lived to a ripe old age of 14 yrs, 3 mos.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 19:58 — Lisathegroomer (Visitor)
Human hair folicals have 1 hair coming out of them Dogs have 8-25 hairs coming out of them. 1 gaurd hair and lots of little fluffy under coat hairs. When the hair is cut to short not all hairs can get through the folical at once but they eventually would even if it took years. About wether to shave or not it depends on how well you take care of your dog or cats hair/fur. It is my experience that most people will not or are not able to take proper care of their dog/cats fur. As a result these animals become severly matted and the fur felted and it can shrink like a wool sweater. If this is the case, the kindest thing to do is to keep the animal short.

Sat, 07/21/2012 - 11:56 — CynB (Visitor)
I fully agree with you. This answer in the article is very poorly worded. Yes, a pet's fur acts as insulation from both heat and cold **IF** it is in well-maintained condition! This is a VERY big "IF"! So many owners either do not brush their pets AT ALL, while many more think they are brushing, but aren't doing so properly for their pet's coat type/breed. Matting is very uncomfortable for the animal, and trying to brush out multiple mats is even more so. Matting can also cause painful skin irritation. (I've even seen some animals with sores so bad under the mats that there were MAGGOTS on the sores!) Sometimes a pet is so matted that it MUST be shaved. Air trapped in the fur is what insulates (much like the air trapped in the foam layers of the walls of a cooler). Mats are so tight, that there is not sufficient air trapped in them, therefore they do NOT insulate.

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Fri, 07/20/2012 - 12:33 — Chaplinssmile (Visitor)
I had to shave my lovely Chow girl due to a terrible skin condition. When it grew back, it seemed that only the undercoat grew back, not the shiny outer coat. She never grew in the beautiful shiny coat she originally had. It grew in woolly.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 12:52 — Mary Guarino (Visitor)
Not a good idea to shave a Pom type dog down, I have 9 Pomeranian dogs, I shaved a few of mine, the hair never came back correctly.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 20:48 — barbara (Visitor)
a paperanian is a papillon pom mix -his name is snowball ,he got a new haircut , approx 1/4/inch hair left, he loves it, it makes him more energetic I think ! he was shaved about 6 months ago & his hair grew fine ,fluffy like a pom .

Sat, 07/21/2012 - 15:50 — ShadowDog (Visitor)
If you have your paperanian shaved down regularly, over time it will probably not grow back in as naturally as it should. I'm a groomer and have noticed this with pom type dogs. I sure hope you didn't pay some astronomical fee for your mixed breed dog. It's so irritating that people are creating so-called "designer dogs" and selling them for profit. When it comes right down to it, they are just mixed breeds that no one should have to pay some crazy fee for. Hopefully that's the case with your papillon/pom. mix.

Mon, 07/23/2012 - 07:52 — Cynthia Becker (Visitor)
I have worked with rescue chows for 20 years. I have spent weeks salvaging coats that would otherwise have been shaved to allow them to keep their guard coat. It takes 3 years to fully grow back and it does NOT grow back the same in most cases. It grows back wooly and kinky, which makes burs and dirt cling to the coat and facilitates tangles. Grooming is much more difficult after. Just dowse the dog with water before or during a walk and voila...instant air conditioning. The protection from insects, mosquitoes (heartworm), ticks (tick borne diseases) and other pests is worth not shaving all by itself. If you cant groom them and dont want to pay others to groom them, get a different type of dog. If you want a short haired dog, get a short haired dog to start with!

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:15 — Phyllis (Visitor)
I can attest to this fact - I have a sheltie/chow 'hybrid' who has the ultimate of double-coated hair from both parents (people think he is a Pomerian on steroids weighing in at 35 lbs and 15" hight to the shoulder). He is 13 years old now and I have had him shaved 3 times in his lifetime on advice of vets due to heat stroke even though he has always been an indoor boy. The first two times it took him over two years to grow back....all the while looking like a victim of mange. The last time (over three years ago) I foolishly ignored my own council he has never completely grown back to his full glory - at this age I do not expect that he ever will.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 14:17 — Cilly Jordan (Visitor)
We have a 3/4 wolf mix/malamute. We have shaved her every summer, sometimes more than onc ein the summer as we live in Texas. Her coat has always grown back just as full and beautiful and she is now 11 1/2 years old without bug or cancer problems. She always perks up after being shaved and when she isn't and it's hot she is so labored she won't get up and move around at all. For her comfort and because we care about her, we shave.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 15:39 — Dave (Visitor)
I agree with you 100%. My cocker spaniel is the same way once the heat hits he pants constantly and doesn't do much. But once we shave him he is like a brand new 11 month puppy with tons of energy. He's four now and we have never had any problems shaving him.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 16:20 — Sandi (Visitor)
I have two poms, female has very thick coat. I get her shaved at least 2 times during the summer, and by the next spring, her hair is almost to the floor. I need to keep her trimmed. She also pants relentlessly if I don't get her shaved. She just loves it. My boy is just the opposite. He never needs to be shaved. His spirit is always happy in the heat. I say shave them if you feel they will be happier. A happy pet is a happy pet owner!

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 17:02 — Becky (Visitor)
I currently have 3 Cocker Spaniels and previously have had 2 other cockers, I have never had any problems having them groomed (shaved) about every 6 to 8 weeks. They appear to feel better once they lose all their hair. The oldest is 9 yrs old, they I have a 6 yrs and the baby that is 2 yrs old. I only let them have a bit longer coat is in the winter months, they seem to like it this way.

Sat, 07/21/2012 - 15:58 — ShadowDog (Visitor)
You are right to shave your cocker. A normal cocker clip is to shave most of the body anyway, just leaving hair mainly on the legs and underside. It's the double coated long-haired dogs like collies, malamutes, pomeranians, huskies, etc. who should not be shaved but rather combed and brushed out on a regular basis. But I agree with previous remarks as to shaving a badly matted dog even if it is a collie, etc. because air can't get in through the matts to the skin and that can cause all kinds of skin problems. There are certain breeds that should definitely get haircuts. I don't think the author of this post was clear enough on that.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 20:38 — alexis suidn (Visitor)
My llasa mix gets cut shorter every summer. Not shaved though. Can't see his skin at all. If I didn't he'd never stops panting. My malamute was the same. When the heat started she'd lay lifeless in a puddle of her own drool till I cut her down.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 21:55 — Jennifer Griffith (Visitor)
Clipping a cocker spaniel's coat is very common, & part of the coat is clipped even on show dogs. It's likely to grow back just fine every time. The texture is completely different from that of spitz-type dogs & arctic dogs, which have that coarse outer coat. Their coats aren't generally clipped under normal circumstances - & certainly not on show dogs; judging by some of the other comments here, there's apparently no guarantee that they'll look natural again after the fur grows back. It also confirms that I made the right choice in never clipping my dog for the summer, regardless of the temptation.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 19:22 — Tonya (Visitor)
Completely agree. I have a Cocker Spaniel/American Eskimo mix & we shave him every summer. He is white but has the long, wavy Spaniel fur. We live in Kansas so it's super hot. We've never had any problems with it growing back, in fact, I wish mine grew that fast! He is always happier when he gets his "haircut" & looks darn handsome too :)

Mon, 07/23/2012 - 21:51 — Jeannee (Visitor)
I have to agree w/ you and say this was my identical, word for word I could have written this, experience w/ my late Myndie, who was a Border Collie/Lab/Cocker mix!!! She was black, w/ white on the chest in the shape of a cross. After she was shaved, she resembled one of those big black seals! So one year I called her groomer's -new girl on the phones- and said "It's time for Myndie to be shaved down to the Seal." To which the woman gushed, "Oh, you mean that guy who sings so well who's with Heidi Klum?!" ;)~~ True story!

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 15:52 — Melissa Dore (Visitor)
My Golden Retriever has/had the thickest coat my groomer had ever seen and we made the decision to give him a hair cut this summer - not shaving, but cutting. He developed some health problems, and went through an extensive list of diagnostic tests some of which required his belly to be shaved down to the skin. Turns out he has Cushings Disease, and his hair is not growing back . . . he looks ridiculous with that bare belly and bald patch on his leg from all the blood tests. Hope he gets some of it back by winter!

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 20:57 — Dawn Williams (Visitor)
I'm sorry to hear about your Retriever not growing back his hair from the diagnostic tests. I too have a dog who has been diagnoised with Cushings disease but maybe because of her breed she grows her hair back (I believe she is a Tibetain Spaniel mix). It does take a little longer for the hair to grow back from the shave but a normal hair cut that I do for the heat and the humidity that we get here in the NC area helps her a lot. I do it short but not down to her skin. Don't give up on your G.R. growing back his fur in time for fall.

Sat, 07/21/2012 - 11:42 — Valerie (Visitor)
I have a 15 year old Chow/Shepard mix that I have been shaving for many years after a Vet told me that the insultaion the hair provides was not worth her suffering in the heat. She is always delighted when it is done, more playful and pants less. She was diagnosed Cushings Disease about 8 years ago and has her hair falling out to the point people would stare and ask what was wrong with her. We stopped shaving of course and just tried to trim so she did not have tufts of long hair. Her full beautiful tail looked like a rat's tail, no hair at all. But THERE IS HOPE... suddenly she started to grow her hair back and she almost has her full coat back and her tail is actually bushy again! The vet is stumped...even her Liver is better (as of the last blood test!). We had to shave her about 6 weeks ago and are getting ready to do it again. She just can't handle the heat which we feel is the most important verses if her coat will grow back in to it's full shiny glory. She isn't a show dog.

Tue, 10/09/2012 - 22:56 — Janine Ribbletts (Visitor)
Why did the hair grow back? Is your dog on a med for the cushings?

Tue, 10/09/2012 - 22:56 — Janine Ribbletts (Visitor)
Why did the hair grow back? Is your dog on a med for the cushings?

Sat, 07/21/2012 - 12:05 — Kathy (Visitor)
My dog Mollie has Cushing's disease also. Shaving her has nothing to do with the balding; it is the Cushing's disease. Mollie is on Trilostane, a very expensive medicine. I only give her half of what was prescribed (every OTHER day) because I can't afford $60 per month for my dogs meds OR my own. She is getting along okay. Mollie also has cataracts and glaucoma but I love her and we do the best we can.

Sat, 07/21/2012 - 22:57 — Melissa Dore (Visitor)
I understand about the price of the medication for Cushings! My dog is on Vetoryl/60mg/2 times a day, and it is very expensive! I know the Cushings is what is causing his balding and am hopeful after reading some of the comments from others whose dog's hair eventually grew back! Thanks for all your comments and encouragement!

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:23 — Carl Hall (Visitor)
Yes, global warming is a reality even though sime people won't admit that rampant irresponsible human behaviors are having a profound effect on our environment. Also, the fact that the ozone layer is severely compromised is causing more skin cancers than ever around the world! Better to be safe than sorry!!

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 21:12 — S. O. Rooney (Visitor)
Thank you so much for inserting a note of sanity about climate change. I'm 57 and have lived in the Portland (Oregon) area all my life, and I can attest to the fact that it is getting warmer. When I was a little girl (a long, long time ago) we used to have a foot or two of snow every winter. Now we rarely get any. People think that global warming would have to mean heatwaves all the time. Though this sounds familiar, actually the weather can be quite erratic as it changes.

Thu, 07/26/2012 - 08:58 — STEVE (Visitor)
Carl, GLobal warming might be a reality, but there is absolutely NO scientific fact that any "irresponsible human behaviors" have anything to do with it. The MAJORITY of scientists believe that it is a natural occuring phenomenon of our planet and we couldn't start or stop it if we tried. SO...stop your stupid "blame the evil humans" stuff and stick to dogs.

Thu, 08/02/2012 - 19:45 — Sarah (Visitor)
I totally agree with Steve's comment. Carl, Global warming is a fact but whether man-caused or not is still a subject that is being debated by scientists. The part of CO2 that man is responsible for in the environment is less than .1% All this nonsense is causing pricing to rise for many products and all for not. So we make it impossible through regulations to use our own coal and guess what? We aren't using it but China is. So we export our natural resource to China where they don't follow any EPA regulations and use our cheap resource. How does that help our environment. So stick to dogs and forget trying to link global warming with dogs coats.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 18:12 — Carolyn (Visitor)
Interesting. I had a long-haired tortie, and every so often I took her to the vet so he could brush out the mats she had in spite of my brushing her. He would put her to sleep to do it. Once he told me I should just let him shave her, as it would be easier. I never did though. Her previous mother used to shave her, but I just never wanted to. I don't regret it.

Mon, 07/23/2012 - 03:35 — Laura (Visitor)
I have a male tortie, he's 5 yrs old, I brush him daily and get a lot of loose hair, I have never shaved any of my cats. the tortie is the only one with a thick coat of fur and he gets matted up on the rear no matter what. All 10 of my cats are inside, I've got 5 ferals (wild cats)and 5 tamed cats, I take great care of them, fact my baby just turned 21 yrs old in April and she is a feral. thanks for the info. about shaving an animal. I live in utah. Laura

Sat, 07/21/2012 - 08:21 — Debra Schwendeman (Visitor)
I had a shep/golden/collie mix that drooled do badly in the heat it looked like a water bowl had been knocked over.I had a talk with my groomer & got a 'puppy cut' which is a cute short coat. The dog was estactic!! Barely a drool.Her coat appeared to come in ok. People,be realistic here. Do you love your dog? Then what is more important,it's comfort or 'the look'? Would you love him/her less if the coat isn't perfect? Just as we are all different so are dogs.What some can tolerate,others can't. How many of you get your hair 'trimmed/styled' shorter for summer? Gotcha! Go by the individual dog,NOT the breed! I now am furmom to a lhasa apso & a poodle mix who both get a puppy cut for summer.According to my groomer most small breeds are kept in these cuts for easy maintenance.This issue will be debated back & forth forver. Bottom line? You know your dog. Deep in your heart (&gut) you know if it's suffering.Do what is right;not for the vet,for your groomer or a friend's dog (though feel free to share with them)..but for your best friend. He/she has no choice.You do.

Mon, 07/23/2012 - 01:25 — MagiL (Visitor)
That's a big YES on climate change or global warming. Haven't you noticed the record temperatures, major shifting in the weather patterns and the drastic drought conditions? What else would it possibly be? Wishful thinking will not change things back to the way they were. We need to look at reality. A little common sense, please!

Thu, 08/02/2012 - 19:51 — Sarah (Visitor)
There is no proof that global warming is caused by man. Scientists are not in agreement with this position that it is caused by man. This is more than a common sense issue, it is an issue that has been stolen by one political party for their own financial benefit. The part that man contributes to our environment of CO2 is less than 1%. Stick to dogs....we have also had record cold temperatures to offset the record heat temperatures.

Wed, 07/25/2012 - 20:22 — Pam (Visitor)
Don't make sarcastic comments towards other writers. Unless you are an expert on The Effects of Global Warming on Canine Coats, which I am not, do not discount another person's contributions. I am so sick of mean people, really!

Wed, 10/31/2012 - 15:34 — kxcrer (Visitor)
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Fri, 07/20/2012 - 11:08 — Stan (Visitor)
Many of the world`s climate scientists DO NOT subscribe to the current PC notion of global warming. There is much scientific evidence that the planet is actually on a COOLING trend. You might want to redirect your thoughts to your dog`s breed, age, health, diet, lifestyle & micro-climate.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 12:12 — RoyW (Visitor)
Actually, 97% of the experts in the field do agree on global warming. No reputable / knowledgable expert who works in the field believes that cooling is going on. Troll.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 12:34 — Alan (Visitor)
http://www.climatedepot.com/a/9035/SPECIAL-REPORT-More-Than-1000-International-Scientists-Dissent-Over-ManMade-Global-Warming-Claims--Challenge-UN-IPCC--Gore

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:08 — Jeremy (Visitor)
That is not an objective source you cite. http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Climate_Depot

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