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by vonissk on 01 July 2012 - 05:07
As a retired pro groomer for over 25 years I say ABSOLUTELY NOT to clipping them down. I agree with Summertime that there is a reason for their coat being like it is and their undercoat helps regulate the temperature whether the weather is hot or cold. Doesn't matter whether it will grow back screwed up or not, it just shouldn't be done. I do think clipping the belly with a#10 can be helpful. A lot of times I would do that in the summer to different breeds. Some people have the idea that it will stop the shedding. IMO the main way to help with the shedding is to keep your dog brushed out. If you keep up with it it only takes a few minutes at a time plus it is a great way to spend "personal" time with your dog.
by Konotashi on 01 July 2012 - 06:07
Don't shave them down or cut their hair. Not only does fur work as a heating system, but it also helps keep them cool. When I get home I will post pictures of shaved German shepherds I saw at the dog park once. They looked absolutely pitiful.
by SummertimeGSD on 01 July 2012 - 14:07
When I went to grooming school they stressed that we should do our best to educate the clients to not have us shave their double coated dog down. Of course people want what they want so I have shaved plenty of Shepherds and Goldens and Boder Collies, even Labs and Springers. My parents wanted the Border Collie mix shaved, I refused to shave him down short, but after a through grooming I did take a longer blade comb and gave him a trim which looked nice, got rid of some of the hair, and kept him cooler without messing with his undercoat which helps keep the dog cool and protects from the sun.
by Jenni78 on 01 July 2012 - 14:07
Double coats are designed for a reason. They act as insulation- from heat, from cold, from water, etc. Shaving a GSD is borderline cruel, imho. Their bodies cannot cool properly if you do that. HUMANS think it cools them off, but humans sweat, not pant, so what do they know about how a dog stays cool? ;-) As a groomer, if asked (and I'm not a groomer) I would flat out refuse.
by 3Shep2 on 01 July 2012 - 14:07
I have cut the coat on my longhairs-I didn't have an issue with the regrowth-the younger has been clipped twice and the elder just once but believe me in made a great difference in the elder's comfort level and all my dogs reside inside-inside temps rarely exceed 70* naturally, but if the the air conditioning is off, the humidity can be horrible if it is humid outside, they are also under a ceiling fan over a cool concrete floor. It's a personal choice.
by macrowe1 on 01 July 2012 - 17:07
Thanks for all the advice guys! I've had to clip a couple small spots on my 20 month old before, and I was terrified that it would grow back funny, because her coat is so beautiful, but it came back great. Of course, they were small, maybe 3 inch by 3 inch patches for some hotspots she gets before she goes into heat. I've always debated cutting down the coat in the summer though, because it's miserable in Alabama. Thank goodness they're inside and not out, it's been in the 100s, and so humid and miserable outside. Hard to breathe as humans, let alone in a thick coat. Once our air started not cooling the house, I really felt bad for them being inside, too. But we put in a window unit (going total redneck style) in the bedroom and the living room to cool the house down, so it's a nice comfortable temperature in the bedroom where the dogs are now. I've seen a couple shaved down GSDs, and they do look pitiful. I was just wondering if it would make them any more comfortable, but I wasn't thinking about the double coat helping maintain the temperature cooling of the dog. They've both been panting so bad before the window unit was in, that's why I was so concerned. Plus, the pup is a plush coat, which I'm sure adds to the misery in 100 degree weather.
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