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 - 12:56 — joanna (Visitor)
We have a beautiful little Havanese, & for those who aren't familiar w/ the breed, they are descended from Lhaso's & Bijons, so they have hair & not fur. We always keep her in a puppy cut. However, in the summer, we do cut her down very short. She seems happier. But it also makes it easier for us to keep her clean - when she comes in fr the yard, she isn't full of knots, she isn't as dirty & it's much easier to check for tics. She's an inside dog. She's never outside alone, in fact she'll only stay in the yard if we're out there w/ her. She'll generally run around a few times & then she'll plop herself down on a cool patch of grass under the shade of our big tree & stay there. If we're out in the yard for any length of time, we put water out for her. We also carry water for her if we walk her in hot weather. We have NEVER had her shaved!

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 12:59 — Linda B (Visitor)
I have a Siberian cat... he is mostly indoors and I know his coat changes with seasons... any recommendations on giving him a cut?

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:05 — dana9 (Visitor)
I don't think it's fair to call the article "thoughtless misinformation." It just needs to be more specific as to how short the coat can be clipped. For long-haired dogs in summer, leaving a couple of centimeters will give them enough protection from the sun; leaving their hair full-length holds IN body heat, and body temperature is nearly always higher than air temperature.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:07 — Nancy (Visitor)
There is a difference between shaving and clipping, so a lot of theses comments on this thread make absolutely no sense!

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:10 — rugbymom (Visitor)
I get my Cavalier King Charles completely clipped in the summer and she loves it! It keeps her cool, tick and burr free. I know when her coat gets too long because she goes to sleep on the cold bathroom floor instead of my bed.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:13 — kristy (Visitor)
I'm conflicted on this, while I do see the danger of sunburn, no one can convince me that an animal solely created by man with man's best interest in mind is comfortable and "works" like it should. Why would a husky have natural insulation from san fransisco heatwaves? They were bred for hundreds of years for COLD WEATHER, same with a LOT of other breeds, we bredc them for specific areas of the world and then years later decided to move them around, it doesn't make sense that it always works out so that the dog never ever ever has to be shaved.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:17 — debbie (Visitor)
we shave our long haired cat and all of our dogs, even the short haired ones. their personalities change dramatically afterward. they appreciate the fact that the cooler air can get to their skin and become much more "alive" and playful. i wholeheartedly disagree with your stance...by leaving long hair and undercoat intact, body heat cannot escape and cooler air cannot get to the skin! if you saw the immediate and lasting difference in the activity levels and happiness of our animals, i believe that you would change your mind!!

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:18 — Gil. (Visitor)
There's a difference between a clip and a shave. I have the groomer clip my golden retriever to 1/2 to 3/4 inch. She looks like a yellow lab when done. And how she changes - Looks like a puppy,acts like a puppy, frisky and sooo playful. She has clearly been happiest these past 4 weeks in Florida with her "summer-cut". She's a house dog - walks in the AM before sunrise, for about 10 minutes at noon, and again after the sun goes down. In and out the door to do her business as needed. The sun has not been a problem for her.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:22 — Squirrel (Visitor)
I bet she gets that cute fuzzy silky feeling on her short fur too. ^.^ My dogs feel like velvet when they get shaved. I love it.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:18 — Margurite (Visitor)
My collie is shaved like a lion. So I suppose only the back half of him will be in danger of overheating. He's 10, he loves not having the woolly mess back there. He lives inside, on tile floors and with the shorter hair he has better contact with cooler surfaces. I never leave him outside unattended. Each person needs to consider their dog's lifestyle... He's on flea prevention, but it's a lot easier to see Everything (flea or tick) on the back half of him now. and I can MUCH MORE QUICKLY see a rash developing because the hair is short vs waiting for him to chew and lick it into a bad hot spot... I can catch it early now. Shaving him works for me. Each person needs to consider their lifestyle. No one piece of advice covers everyone. Now, Not Shaving and Not Maintaining is worse than Shaving and Not Maintaining. Not maintaining and brushing and bathing a long coat is necessary, and if worse things pop up because of NOT maintaining...just shave.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:18 — Allison (Visitor)
I have long haired cats that loved to be brushed, but I still cannot keep up with the mats they get. I cut them out, but them they have bald spots. Even with all the brushing I do they cough up a lot a fur balls. I've been getting them "lion cuts" for a few years now and they love it. I have a special fence in my mostly shaded yard made just for cats and of course a cat door so they can go in and out whenever they like. They are safe cool, and happy. I just want to point out in the right curcumstances cutting the fur is not always bad.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:20 — Squirrel (Visitor)
My vet said it's an exagerated breeder myth that people use so they can keep their long-haired dogs long-haired in the heat or in hotter climates. People think too much about apperance and not enoguh about the animal. My groomer and vet both agreed to shaving my chow-mix. He won't go outside for more than the bathroom if he has a coat thicker than an inch in the summer, but once it's shaved he'll run outside for hours. Sometimes it grows back like cotton and sometimes it grows back like silk. As long as he's happy, I'm happy. I recieved a rescue shihtzu whose whole body was a mat and now I shave him myself regularly or he jsut lays on the tile panting all the time. Now the little guy runs head-long into tall grasses, gets excited for walks and spends plenty of time digging in his sandbox and playing fetch.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:29 — Carole (Visitor)
SOOOO, this article didn't tell me much....what dogs should "NOT" be clipped and what dogs "SHOULD" be clipped????

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:40 — amazing (Visitor)
I watched a show on animal planet that explained what types of dogs had what types of fur. I cannot remember the details since I learned my dog has a double layer that.shouldn't be shaved. You should be able to do a search to find a site that will explain how to tell what type of hair your dog has and if you have a mutt like me it will tell you how to tell. I don't want to say it in case I may be wrong since I.was only.focusing on my dog so I would hate to provide something wrong. Dogs with hair that keeps growing obviously can be trimmed.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:34 — Carol (Visitor)
No! Go to the groomers and have their hair cut, if you will. Think of it this way, you have your hair cut and shave your head. See? There is a big difference. Our old cocker goes to the dog barber more often in the summer and has his hair clipped closer and the longer hair on the bottom trimmed way back. I would never shave him, and as for my GSD, do way. We use what I think of as a dethatcher for her, although she LOVES her pool - odd for a GSD but true. Please, please keep in mind the difference between (hair) cut and (head) shaved.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:36 — Cindy (Visitor)
It is not a good idea to clip any breed that has a double coat,such as a Collie, or Samoyed. When you clip this type of coat down you leave a fuzzy undercoat at the surface and have removed the shiny top coat. In the case of the Samoyed, they will often look pink, as the skin might even show through. If you shave this type of coat, it should ONLY be due to such severe neglect that there is no way to comb the pet out, which does sadly happen sometimes. THAT SAID, there is nothing wrong with giving a poodle a shorter summer cut, or even lhasas or shih-tzu. Many owners find that their pets are more comfortable that way. If you do clip your pet short. Generally, regardless of coat length, if the coat is well brushed and combed the air will get to the skin and the pet will be fine. It is when owners allow matts to form and undercoats to become solid pelts that pets suffer.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:55 — amazing (Visitor)
I am glad to see someone explained the differences in the furs that can be cut and those that can't even though people are going to argue to the death because they don't want to admit to putting their dog in danger. Obviosuly, some dogs HAVE to be cut every 6-8 weeks but its harder to decipher the rest of the sogs & people want to trim double coated dogs eveb more because they assume that inner fluff is thick & awful. Heck, it's hot out for all of us & we don't stay outside so a dog shouldn't either. Let them cool off like we do & don't expose them to unneccessary heat. Besides protection from the sun it keeps the skin moisturized from the natural oils that stay on the fur. Someone is going to get wrong info on here & shave their dog then leave it outside because it's suddenly cooler and it's going to die and they're going to sue ASPCA.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:38 — sandra (Visitor)
I disagree with the article. I see our local coyotes who shed most of their winter coats each summer. I think dogs like Chows have unnaturally heavy coats and really suffer in the summer heat. Just leave enough fur for sun protection.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:39 — Holli griggs (Visitor)
My coated German Shepherd is 100% happier w more energy and less panting when I shave her down in the summer months ...when not shaved she is miserable so I do not agree w this info ...

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:40 — Sharon (Visitor)
remember sidewalks and streets are very hot. Pads can burn and cause alot of pain. When in doubt check it out with your own pads you'll be surprised how hot it really is, your pup will thank you

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:40 — Sharon (Visitor)
remember sidewalks and streets are very hot. Pads can burn and cause alot of pain. When in doubt check it out with your own pads you'll be surprised how hot it really is, your pup will thank you

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 14:09 — Donna M (Visitor)
Thank you for some eye-opening and important information!! I didn't know this and last summer and this summer I just had my cockapoo and pom shaved. I"ve only had both dogs for the past two years,,,I won't be doing this shaving again though since the ASPCA and many vets DO know what they're talking about. Keep bringing us important news like I this, I really appreciate it greatly.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 14:13 — Patricia Zimmer (Visitor)
Bad advice to say that no dogs should be shaved, my sister had an American Eskimo for 15 yrs. and it seemed Tundra panted from puppyhood until he passed away; summer, winter, and every day inbetween. I would not like to sweat every day, even when doing nothing for my entire life. I have a Keeshond mix who is now 10 yrs. old and he sports a gorgeous coat in the fall and winter but he is absolutely miserable when it gets hot here in NJ. Even with airconditioning he pants and pants; I shave his coat off every summer and he is a different boy, so happy, makes all kinds of funny noises; runs around; jumps up on the sofa and rolls on his back making such gleeful happy sounds and the look in his eyes is not a stressful one anymore once that heavy coat comes off; are you cooler in a heavy coat in the summer? My poor sister's dog was miserable every summer and he did not do happy dog things! American Eskimos and Keeshonds are not dogs that are happy with heavy coats on in 100 degree temps and they are definitely not cooler.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 14:23 — margo alexander (Visitor)
Animals are not human. Don't shave them. That's more for your benefit than theirs. Leave the animals alone.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 14:25 — Charlene (Visitor)
I too believed you should never shave (or clip closely) any dog. That was until I rescued an Afghan Hound. Florida in the summer is not the place for an Afghan (or at least the one I had). I had to clip her down because of mats and the difference in her was unbelievable, she was so happy and active instead of just laying there panting and not eating. She was an indoor dog most of the time but loved cold weather when she was in her element.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 14:42 — lincre (Visitor)
Have both labador and alaskan husky. Labador lays on the cement in 90 degree weather and Husky sits in front of fan when hot. Neither dog seems to want to come in during the heat but very anxious to come in when a storm comes in. Also, have a kiddie pool that neither seems to wants to go in, but they do like that ice water.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 14:43 — Sierra (Visitor)
I have a senior citizen long haired Chihuahua/Papillion and he is honestly happier when we shave him. His fur is so long and thick he gets overheated easily, pants excessively and tries to cool down on the tile floor. When he is shaved during the summer months he is able to sit closer to us without overheating, spends more time outdoors and seriously has more energy. When we shave him it's like we have a puppy and not an older guy.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 14:56 — Patricia Zimmer (Visitor)
Dear Margo thank you for letting us know that dogs are not human. I will continue to shave my Keeshond mix in the summer as he is sooo miserable with the top coat and the thick undercoat that he sometimes does not even want to eat, and when I shave that coat off of him in the summer the fur is actually HOT underneath and my dog immediately transitions from a miserable, uncomfortable being to a happy, bouncy, wanting to play, eat and every other good thing dog. When a dog is doing nothing but panting (sweating) and you can do something about his/her comfort then use your head and stop believing old wives tales; the proof is in the pudding!!!!!! My dog is now a happy camper with his fur off in the summer and it back on in the winter. I know when my dog is happy and when he is miserable!

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 14:56 — Beverly Doty (Visitor)
My daughter always wants to shave down my dogs or her own. She did have a St. Bernard (now deceased). I had a Springer and now have my mother's dog Cock-a-poo. I don't like the close shave but she doesn't listen to me at 50 years old. As for the poor SPELLING of words, if you are going to print something publicly, CHECK YOUR SPELLING!! I am a retired secretary and proof-reading is an occupational hazard of mine. It really is annoying to try to read something with many spelling and/or GRAMMAR errors. Get your acts together and either buy a paper dictionary or use spell-check! Thank you very much.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 15:23 — Janie Webb (Visitor)
Remember--your dog can't sweat. Long hair coats ARE similar to us wearing our winter coat outdoors in the summer. Sorry, I can't agree with the "insulated from the heat" idea. I owned an Airedale for 15 years and she LOVED her hair cuts and her baths. Light/medium colored dogs DO need sunburn protection. Ticks work their way thru long hair--no protection there. If your dog is inside in the A/C most of the time, don't worry about a summer haircut. If you have a dog with a long, darker coat living most of his/her life outside, CUT THE HAIR. It will grow back out by the cooler fall weather. I have a degree in animal health and worked for a vet for several years. This was his advice to his clients.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 15:40 — Mich (Visitor)
I have been shaving my Pom Jack into a lion cut since he was one . He is now 8 ...healthy,happy and beautiful! He is adorable and is groomed every four weeks with zero issues .

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 15:58 — Luann Chandler (Visitor)
This article is a bunch of baloney! Of course animals who live in the wild should keep whatever coat they have, but animals who live in our AC'd homes, need to be clipped to be comfortable and to be able for their owners to see and tend to tick or mosquito bites. Baloney! for sure.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 16:06 — KP (Visitor)
I see a lot of argument on grooming dogs, not so much on cats. I hate to say it but some animals just need to be shaved down (and to be specific I'm talking about a 10# length, which is very short but not a surgical 40# clip). I have one cat out of four that has a very thick coat for a shorthair, and in spite of baths and brushing and his own grooming which he falls terribly short on, he's always a filthy mess and EVERYONE is much happier with him shaved down twice or thrice a year. His risk of sunburn is low to nonexistent indoors, he never goes outside, and the temperature indoors is kept regulated, so why not make everyone mre cofortable and just remove that hair? It always grows back the same so that's not even a concern of mine at this time - and even if it weren't going to grow back the same, it doesnt matter because he's kept short year-round anyway. I think everyone who's freaking out about grooming policies needs to calm down and take everytyhing on a case-by-case basis.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 16:08 — fuckyouall (Visitor)
I buzz off all the hair I can on all 5 dogs from wolf too chow and they are soo much happier and cooler!!! No place for ticks and fleas too hide!!! Just dont let em get sunburned!!! Even my cats love too clean up for summer!!!! Dont trust what these jerks say... try it yourself!!! No more piles of hair all over the house!!!! Try wearing insulation too cool yourself!!!!

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 16:20 — monique (Visitor)
The breeder that gave me my dog a poodle told me that because my dog's hair is black its hotter for her so what I do I always try to keep it trimmed and clean!!!

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 16:23 — Kate C (Visitor)
I am not a groomer, but a dog trainer, so I work with a LOT of dogs. I have met people whose Huskies have gotten heat stroke after their vet shaved them down without the owner's permission. Personally my dogs don't warrant shaving, but I do brush them a lot more in the summer to get rid of any extra hair. Of all the Huskies I meet in sunny Southern California, I have found that most are just fine so long as you brush them daily and use the Furminator or similar deshedder every 4 weeks. You just have to get rid of the undercoat. However, in ANY breed, those that don't get brushed enough or are OVERWEIGHT (or have other health problems) cannot regulate their internal temperature and therefore they do need to be clipped, but left with as much hair as possible. As for sunblock, GNC sells a pet-specific natural sunblock at PetSmart. Idk about any other pet sunblocks.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 16:23 — Susan (Visitor)
I rescued a Greyhoud 6 yrs. ago. She's now 8. Her coat, what there is of it, is strawberry blond. Being that Greys have little hair and some places are bald, I apply Sunscreen EVERY time we go outside.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 16:26 — Samantha (Visitor)
as a dog groomer, I have had this conversation with pet parents many times. For the most part, I agree with the ASPCA and never ever recommend shaving thick double coated dogs such as huskys, chows, or shepards. In many cases the hair does not grow back normally and it does remove their cooling insulation. I do however strongly recommend regular brushing especially for situations where the dog is blowing coat. That being said, for long haired dogs I do recommend shaving into a pet cut for maintenance reasons. If pet parents are not doing daily brushing for their long-haired friend, the increase in summer activities makes matting a genuine concern. However, if you do decide to shave your pet, sunscreen is a MUST when they are outdoors. You wouldn't let your child play outside without sunscreen, it is no different for your pet. And as an aside to the pet parents that notice a happier change in behavior after a shave- this could be for a multitude of reasons not attributed to heat levels. The grooming process is a pampering one and it is our job, no matter what the cut, to make your pet feel more comfortable after their spa day is done. Think of how great you feel after a manicure and blow out. Not to mention the fact that long or thick coated dogs may be masking a skin irritation due to dirt and grime in their coats. They are thoroughly scrubbed, brushed, manicured and loved at the salon. Wouldn't that put a little pep in your step too :)

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 16:57 — Tanya (Visitor)
My Pekingese cries whenever I leave her at the groomers and beleive me they do pamper her but she only gets truely excited when she gets a short puppy cut she races around and plays for weeks. If its only grooming she can't wait to get home and sleep.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 16:52 — Tanya (Visitor)
I have a Pekingese and if I let her hair grow especially in hot weather she mopes around and won't do anything. Once she is shaved she is like a brand new dog racing around and very active. Also when I let her hair grow she gets fleas really bad where if she is shaved there are none. Everytime I took her to be groomed she had to have flea baths and now she is free of fleas. No more skin conditions. Alot of dogs are taken out of their natural habitat where weather conditions are different than what they were bred for so I don't agree with not shaving some breeds.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 16:53 — Kate (Visitor)
We shave our long haired miniature dachshund every summer, not only because we wanted to help keep her cool but because in our area tick are terrible and when her hair is shorter it is much easier to check her for them.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 17:23 — Jean Miley (Visitor)
I have a shish-tzu and a toy poodle i get them groomed very short for the summer. They seem to have alot more energy and happy. They go for a morning walk daily and go to the yard many times a day. I've never had any problems. I don't shave them i just get them cut very short and they are very happy

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 18:27 — Gayla Yates-Gordon (Visitor)
I had a wolf-malamute for 16 years. She loved being shaved (2x) in the summer. She became listless in the heat, until after the 1st shave. Her winter coat always came back, beautifully. Now I have two Pomeranians and I wouldn't dream of taking off their coat, because I know too many Poms that have ugly fur after their shave grew in. However, I do shave their belly and feet. This seems to make them more comfortable and they seem to enjoy stretching out, belly down, on the tile floor, for extra coolness.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 18:36 — Gayla Yates-Gordon (Visitor)
I should have said, I got my wolf-malamute "clipped", not "shaved". It was called a "Puppy Cut". So, the sunburning thing wasn't such an issue.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 18:28 — kim (Visitor)
So many of you boast the breed of your dog. Where'd you get them? I hope from a breeder or people you know. If you are receiving these ASPCA emails, you must know by now that most pet stores get their dogs from puppy mills. Next time, I hope you'll consider a shelter mutt.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 20:03 — Tanya (Visitor)
Excuse me I wasn't boasting I'm naming the breed to say what kind of fur they have. I have 5 dogs and 4 of them were rescue dogs. I'm sure thats what the others were doing too. The pekingese was in a little cage for 5 yrs. for breeding. She didn't even know what grass was. You need to chill out.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 23:15 — Lyn (Visitor)
Many of our purebreds came from shelters and rescues. Have you seen the statistics about how many purebreds are dumped and available for adoption? Check them out. I bet that none of us have any prejudices about mixed breeds, or "mutts". We're listing breeds simply so that everyone knows what kind of coat we're referring to. Two of my own three are shelter pets.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 19:08 — jb (Visitor)
No, No, No! Brushing & using a furminator type comb. It pulls out the naturally shedding hair.

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 19:19 — norman west (Visitor)
the hair may never grow back and if it does, it will not be soft,,,,also shaving removes the pee string on male poms and that NEVER grows back....had my dogs first groom about 5 yrs ago from a professional moron groomer who cut off his pee string when the jerk asked me if I wanted his private area cleaned up....it was my first dog and did not understand what that would entail and she never offered...she should have cleaned her pvt area instead...he was shaved between his legs down to his pink flesh and was in agony from it and cried and scratched for 6 months.... now years later I use a mobile groomer which is a pleasure to have and he uses a shedding tool and a nice bath....I have a fenced yard so when we go out, I keep an eye on him and we go in as soon as he stands at the front door and he has a cool drink... if you are outside, keep dogs in shade with cold water with ice added or stay inside......

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 21:08 — margarita (Visitor)
My name is Margarita Colon. I am 28 years old with muscular dystropy. I am on a ventilator and I use a specialized wheelchair. I am seeking assistance in finding a college or an institute for persons with physical disabilities. I currently have 24 hour nursing services. I greatly appreciate your time and consideration in this matter I love dog and cat

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