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Why you should NOT shave your Dog for Summer
To shave or not to shave, that is the question. The mercury is steadily raising each day and I have seen more and more Facebook statuses gracing my wall about dog shaving. As a native of Arizona, I have alot of friends who still live there and of course have dogs. I have fielded questions, comments and tried to educate the masses on dog shaving. I must admit, this is a huge pet peeve of mine. For Pete’s sake… DONT SHAVE YOUR DOG!
So many people fall for the “They must clearly be cooler in the summer months with freshly shaven skin” logic. NO NO NO!
A dog’s coat works like a thermostat. It helps regulate their body temperature in both hot and cold weather, similarly to duck’s feathers and down. The undercoat and outer coat form an insulated barrier that keeps the temperature regulated. It becomes increasingly difficult for a dog to keep itself warm or cool with no fur. Dogs do not sweat like people do to cool themselves. The mechanism of cooling by sweating is through evaporation. Since dogs only sweat in the pads of their paws this is not an effect method of cooling. A dog cools itself by panting. Their coat does not effect their ability to pant.
Not only does the dogs coat act as the thermostat, it also is an efficient barrier to the sun and protects from harmful UV rays. Dogs have almost no pigment in their skin to ward off these harmful UV rays and are very prone to sunburn and skin cancer. Would you hide your body all winter then head to the beach in an itty bitty bikini with out sunscreen? In essence this is whats happening to your dog when you shave it and send it outside even for a few minutes to do its business. Rule of thumb, if its too hot out for you, its too hot for your dog. Make sure your dog has access to plenty of cool water and shade at all times.
Other myths regarding shaving dogs: to prevent it from shedding and to help with allergen control. Allergies to dogs are one of two types, dander or saliva, not the hair. If a dog has skin, it has dander so this is not preventable. There are some commercial solutions you can wipe on a dog to help with dander control but nothing prevents it. A dog sheds, end of story. Regardless of whether the hairs are 1/2 inch or 12 inches it falls out when it dies, and is replaced with new ones just like human hair. The fur is not falling out because its hot. It is a natural cycle that all dogs and cats go through a few times of year and there is no preventing it.
Dogs should only be shaved if it is medically necessary (surgery, hot spot treatment) or due to coat matting that is beyond hope (this is completely preventable).
This may be controversial, but I believe the opposite is true.
I have a designer dog, which is a poodle cross, and as their fur does not stop growing you have to shave it. We could shave it thick, but in summer we shave it thin. The reason is that while a dog does not sweat, it does lose heat through its skin. Do you wear a jumper in summer? Seriously, do you?
There is no reason I would not shave a dog in summer, unless you are going for many walks with your dog in the hot sun and the fur is so thin that they will get sun burn. When we have delayed shaving our dog down because of issues like not being able to get into a groomer etc, they really suffer from the extra insulation that they do not need.
Anyway, just my opinion. I hope it doesnt get erased …
We had a really soft coated Golden Retriever that had the smoothest light coat (he was 1/2 European and 1/2 American Golden. He was born in Missouri and had a lot of snow during his first year, but then he moved to Houston, with his adoptive owners and they felt sorry for him, thus shaved him. After that his coat came out darker and not as smooth.. Does that usually happen or is it just different with each dog or breed?
Shaving?!? I would never let the humans near me with a razor – my shiny, glossy mountain dog coat may be somewhat warm in summer but it protects me and its also part of my image
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We sometimes have to shave down Samick because he gets really bad hot spots in the summer and it is easier to catch them when they first start and get them treated.
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[...] Why You Should NOT Shave Your Dog for the Summer. Finally! Some intelligent input on this widespread practice. I met an Aussie in the park the other day who was very unfortunate-looking: her owners had shaved her for the summer. I didn’t have the heart to tell them that they hadn’t helped their dog and they’d ruined her coat. (It’s the Dogs’ Life) [...]
Good info! Thanks for sharing!
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I like this post it is well written an I have to agree.
Dogs are not to be shaven, because we believe it will be too hot dogs. That is the way the dog is made and should be left that way.
As is posted in the blog make sure your dog has a cool spot and lots of fresh clean water at all times.
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Very interesting article! You make a lot of sense. We used to shave one of our dogs because he shed so much. It actually did make the shedding seem less of a problem. A few years later, however, our dog developed Cushing’s Disease and his hair only partly grew back. He has been treated for the Cushing’s Disease and is responding very well clinically, but his hair has yet to grow back properly.
On a happy note he is a very happy and healthy dog now! 
Oh dear! I just got both my chihuahua and pomeranian groomed and got their fur cut really short for the summer! It’s not shaved but it’s pretty short (puppy cut). I hope I didn’t just destroy their natural UV protection. I wish I found this earlier!!
so many people are shaving their corgis too, and that is just so wrong for the dog, I wish more people would educate themselves on this issue
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We have a Havanese and live in Canada. We shave her down in the summer and have never really considered this. With the harsh winter we have, we dont do that in the winter. Have never considered the risks that could result from shaving. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for this post. I was kinda debating this about one of my 2 lab mixes that always seems hot. Now I definitely won’t shave him!
I agree, I always see people shaving breeds that are naturally designed to cope with heat, they don’t need to understand the fur acts as shade!
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Nice blogs. For that matter,it helps shaving dogs when do outdoor activities.But its naturally cut in order for them to adopt where they are. Its nice seeing puppies, their new haircut, makes problem disappear.
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[...] its not that great to shave a dogs hair, their hair works to regulate their body temperature. Why you should NOT shave your Dog for Summer | It’s the Dogs Life Reply With Quote + [...]
If someone has a dog with a coat that needs that type of grooming (shaving), perhaps it would be best to trim the coat back starting in spring, before the sun gets too hot and giving your dog a chance to have a nice short coat going into the summer. We have a Shih-Tzu/Jack Russell with the craziest hair ever – kind of like always having a bad hair day. He gets a trip to the groomer in early spring for a good short cut (not complete shave) and when summer rolls around, he’s got a coat to protect his skin but he’s not weighed down with crazy hair.
I never ever thought about shaving my dog. I never thought that some people shave their dogs either. I do notice my dog’s hair shave a lot, but I rather clean after that seeing my buddy look so naked.
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Our organization is based in Arizona, the temp today is 115 and at night is stays above 90. We are active in the local dog rescues groups, the various approaches to keeping dogs cool in these temperatures often includes shaving the dogs. Additionally shaving assist in cleaning up ticks and hot spots. The VitaHound staff attempts to moderate the haircuts based on the concerns sighted in this article, and it’s encouraging to read the correct advice being presented to dog lovers. A dog’s weight can greatly affect their tolerance for heat, dog’s living in hot climates should be kept lean, heavy long hair breeds have no business living in the desert.
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wow, thanks a lot, I had know idea, I have lived here in arizona about 8 years. That is good to know, I ve had friends that attempted to shave their dogs several times during the summer months in arizona. I am glad they never followed through, now I can give them a call and give them this valuable information. Thanks mark
I found that shaving my dog makes him happy, but it is because his kind likes it. I never fully shave him anyway, just trim his hair very short. It really depends on the race. The first time I trimmed him he looked so naked to me, I needed to glam him up, so I used a few pieces of pearl jewelry I ordered for myself and made him a nice, fashionable collar that really popped on his dark fur. And since I had matching jewelry, we were “the talk of the park” when we went for a walk
I agree that shaving dogs unless medically necessary is wrong for all the right reasons. Unfortunetly, one of the contributors to the problem are trained dog groomers who do know better. I was bathing my dog in a groomers and witnessed a beautiful golden lose all his coat down to an inch. When I inquired about it the groomer said that they were aware of how unhealthy it was for the dog but they do it because the owner wants it. Education and denial of services would go along way here.
I don’t know about it before. I ever shave my dog last year,hehe. But, after reading your article, I wont shave my dog again. It’s so logical that dog’s coat can help to protecting himself from harmful UV rays. I don’t want my lovely dog get sunburn or skin cancer. Thanks for this info
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My dog has been infested with fleas because he can’t leave the hedgehogs alone. I’ve tried flea shampoo, flea collars, flea tablets and flea spray but nothing would stop the little bastards from living on him. So as a last ditch attempt we have just shaved him completely and he feels great and hasn’t died yet although obviously its early days.
OMG I honestly didn’t realize I might be doing my best friend harm by shaving the little fella, I thought I was actually helping him out especially when we lived is Spain were it gets really hot in the summer.
It’s something I won’t be doing in future, Thankyou for the education.
Regards
Dave
Thank you for your sharing, I have not known about this before. Often, I shave my little dog in summer just for making him feel cool and comfortable. I really do not know shaving do a harm to him
. I am so sorry for that.
If you begin questioning yourself about the health and happiness of your pooch, it might help to try to think of what nature calls for. Our dogs are domesticated but if they were in the wild, they’re fur wouldn’t be shaved during the summer. It probably wouldn’t be good to use this thinking as your decision-maker in every situation, but it really does help.
Some dogs will seem a bit too relaxed or floppy the first time you put on the coat, if this happens remove the coat and reapply it a little more loosely.
This is true for most breeds but not all. A good rule of thumb is to think of where your specific dog breed originated. For labs they can handle heat pretty well, and the coat is needed for temperature control. However, for dogs like a Husky or Kuvas, they’re meant to live in cooler climates, so the coat does not serve the same purpose in hot climates. For your dogs sake dont not shave them b/c this article told you all dogs need their coat in the summer, just consider the type of dog you have.
With All due respect to the initial post, I suspect that they live in a temperate zone and are unaware of the heat of the sub tropics and tropics. Would the same poster suggest that some thinly coated breeds be walked outside in the middle of winter in Minneapolis with out protection? My New Orleans’ mutt pants and overheats written walked and climbs the walls if she is not walked in the summer months (all six of them). Shaved she is much cooler. I think this initial post does not address the extreme conditions that are common in this country.
Hi, I work for a well known grooming salon in a petshop. And we often say not to shave dogs. This article is mainly meant for owners with large breed dogs that think shaving it will cool it down. Poodles and “designer breeds” DO need to be shaved, but not that short. You can keep a Poodle in a nice puppy clip or lamb cut for the summer and it’ll be fine. To the lady with the Flat Coated Retriever who’s coat got darker and coarser after the shaving, this is quite common. This is another reason why it’s recommended not to shave most large breed dogs. Poodles, Maltese, Bichons, Shi Tzus and Lahso Apsos DO need to be shaved. Labs, Retrievers, Shepherds, Skiperkees, and even Yorkies don’t need to be shaved. Just brush your dog regularly and keep it trimmed. Groomers can usually do a trim for pretty cheap.
I have a short haired corgie and she sheds all over the house so I thought about shaving her is it good to shave it short as possible for she is a inside dog. and loves to sneak on the couch at nite and leaves all kinds of hair.
I totally agree with this post. I have a Newf, a Pyr and a Spanish Mastiff, all who have the double coat. Long hairs on top and lamby wool type under coat. Shaving them all in the summer would be so detrimental to them, they would be sunburned and potentially suffer heat stroke or exhaustion. THere are other ways of keeping your dog cool besides taking away their protective coats. I, for example, have a kiddie pool outside for them to sit or stand or lay in. I also provide lots of water, shade and little exercize during the day. We go out in the evening or in the morning. I think if your dog has this double coat, it is even more important to leave it. There is the potential for it to not grow back in properly, thus leaving your dog without its natural protection in the future.
If you shaved your dog because he has fleas you are missing the point of the problem. Shaving a dog is bad. Period. If you’re dog has fleas then they are missing something dietary. Normal healthy dogs’ bodies will make a flea’s life miserable. If you are feeding a cheap Pedigree or Purina (or worse) diet it is going to negatively effect your dogs’ immune system making them a great food source for parasites of all kinds. Improving the diet and adding some kind of natural anti-parasitic to their day, like garlic or garlic powder, will make a huge difference. The more you bath away a dogs natural oils, the easier it is for parasites to feed. Build health from the inside out but please don’t shave your friends. Mosquito Barrier (www.mosquitobarrier.com) is a great way to clear your yard of external parasites without harming bees or butterflies or your fur and feather babies.
As far as poster 29 and 30 your line of thinking is incorrect. If you groom away the undercoat of a double coated breed they will be cooler with a top coat for protection. Never, ever shave a Husky! It changes their coat and may never return to normal. Look at the crazy hot countries wear they wear long clothes to cover their necks and arms and feet. There is a reason for it it\’s not cultural it\’s self preservation. This is just me speaking as a 12 year dog trainer, 6 year dog nutrionalist and owner of 3 Labs and 3 Huskies in the South for military reasons. Would they prefer the cold? Yes, just like they prefer the air vents and tile floors. Furminated seasonally they enjoy their walks. If necessary wet your dog before your walk for the cooling evaporation and clip the fur from the bottoms of their feet. Their feet are another source of cooling. Short coated dogs in the north are usually fine on walks because the activity warms them. Doing nothing outside for them is uncomfortable. Those with very naked feet can be taught to wear booties to prevent heat loss.
To Bruce Walker,
This was written and aimed towards owners of dogs that typically do not need regular haircuts. Labradors, Goldens, Shepherds, Aussies, the list goes on and on and on and on……
It should be obvious and go without saying that if a dog requires regular haircuts to keep it’s coat properly maintained, then you should continue on with caring for your dog appropriately.
The one piece of advice for owners of canines requiring regular grooming is to not shave the fur so short that the sun can penetrate down to the skin. I’ve heard spray-on sunscreen for infants works as added protection if doggie sunscreen cannot be found, but I cannot vouch for it.
Thank you for giving the world this artcle! I noticed someone mentioned that they were going to shave their poodle mix. OF COURSE you shave a poodle, their hair does not stop growing and needs regular shaving for maintenance. This article is for those that shave their goldens, chows, and other dogs that do not need to be shaved because their hair sheds regularly (summer and winter coats). thanks again!
I disagree. I’ve been to school for this and I have to say, the misunderstanding is drastic.
My dog has horrible allergies that make him itch. It is worse in the summer. He is an inside dog and only goes out to use the bathroom. I has been recommended to me to shave him to alleviate his discomfort. Any thoughts?
Thanks for the great advice, but I am still unsure what to do for my dog. He is a small/medium mutt. We are pretty sure he is something from the Bichon family and some sort of terrier, but he was a rescue, so we will never be sure. He has long hair, that requires daily brushing because of matting. We are pretty sure he has hair, not fur, but I am not completely sure on this. We are 99.9% sure he does not have an undercoat, as all of his hair is the same length and there is no fuzz or anything close to his skin. We live in MD, which gets VERY hot and humid in the summer. We wouldn’t be getting him shaved, but are considering a puppy cut for him. We certainly don’t want him to get a sunburn, but we also don’t want him to overheat. What do you do for these types of dogs? Please help. I don’t want to hurt him either way! THANKS!
actually, some of the hair *is* falling out because of hot weather, but that is natural, too. it’s called ‘shedding’ and it’s like layering our clothes and taking off the winter sweater in the spring.
I have long opposed the practice of shaving, except for medical reasons, and so many of my friends and clients don’t seem to understand the rationale. The best argument against this was demonstarted by a client through a picture posted on Facebook. It showed her black chow with 2 ice cubes on it’s back and a thermometer reading 97 degrees. The ice was not melting and remained that way for qite some time. Pretty obvious I’d say!!
Thanks for the post. the more we talk about it, the more people will be faced wth the truth.
To anyone who thinks that a thick coat on a dog actually keeps them warmer, try putting on a down coat when it’s 100 degrees out. The article fails the logic test on various levels. The fact that a dog only sweats through its paws and cools itself by panting, in no way speaks against the propriety of cutting the hair short when it’s hot outside. A dog will have a great deal less excess heat to get rid of if there is less fur holding heat in. And though evaporation is not at play (due to the lack of sweat glands), radiation is, so long as the fur is short enough to allow some air movement.
Many breeds have unnaturally thick coats because they have been bred to live in near arctic climates. It could take a species hundreds or thousands of years to evolve adaptations to a sudden shift to a warmer climate. That is one reason why historically so many species have become extinct when faced with rapid climate change. So if your thick coated dog fails to shed sufficiently when the weather warms up, do it a favor and give it a nice short haircut.
Comparing a human’s store bought coat to a dogs natural fur is apples and oranges, I think you have lost the logic on that one. Humans werent born with coats on, it doesnt work the same way. Its the same principle as a ducks feathers.
You should consider looking at his diet. Sounds as though he has food allergies if he is itching or possibly something environmental. Shaving him isnt going to fix either of them. Contact your vet about dietary changes. OTC Benedryl helps for itching, your vet can help you with dosing.
Of course you disagree, its your livelihood. I dont think they teach grooming at vet school.
If you don’t shave your dog, he’s going to be hot. The stuff about insulation is not correct. Please tell me how thick and long your goose down coat is, please and how often you wear it when it is over 80 degrees.
I was a groomer for 20 years. Until you have shaved a samoyed, pulled off that hair and felt how incredibly hot the skin is, then gone to do the other side (same) and then felt the skin/fur on the first side, you have no idea how taking this off will cool them down.
I hear the argument every year from someone. It’s just wrong. The longer coated dogs really can suffer in the heat, the black ones doubly so. You go sit in the shade in a 100 + degree day in a black wool coat. Then come back and tell me how cool you are.
Only an idiot groomer would take them so short that there is no sun protection although if the fur is badly matted, sometimes you have no choice. If the hair doesn’t grow back right then there is an underlying problem, a lot of times it is low thyroid, and needs to be checked out.
I’m sorry to have to disagree with so much of your posting, I know you meant well by it. But it’s incorrect.
So cutting a shih tzu’s hair back to the length of a min pin, beagle, bulldog, etc is bad for them? Should we put fur coats on min pins and beagles during the summer to make them healthier?
@Great Pyr. Actually your logic is flawed. A human body is cooled externally through sweating. Any extra coverings prevent this mechanism so a down coat will indeed make us hotter because we rely on air circulation to help cool us and a winter coat is deisgned to minimize this. A dog cools itself internally through panting. This means the fur serves to keep the hot air and sun out in the summer.
Think of a house, Does closing the shades make your house hotter in the summer? No it keeps the house cooler because it blocks the sunlight, just as a dog’s fur does.
As someone else mentioned, in the desert you often see people wearing clothing made of loose cloth covering their whole body. By your coat argument, you would assume it would make them hotter, but it’s actually protection from the sun and keeps them much cooler. This is what fur does for dogs. It may seem counterintuitive, but it is true.
it makes complete sense, people should research or ask their vet before doing something like this to their pets. Even animals can get skin cancer, they need protection too just like us!! Thanks for keeping us informed!
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I adopted a golden retriever/collie mix from the shelter last week and it appears she had been shaven for the summer by her previous owners. Is her coat ruined or will it grow back out and with some help be beautiful again?
shave your dogs
I took my maltipoo pup to the groomer yesterday, we asked for a cut, we came to pick her up and she was completely shaved! I almost cried. That groomer is a idiot and we’re never taking her there again. She has never been the same after that shave. Now she bites me all the time, runs away when i try to pick her up, and rips up my clothes. What have they done to my poor baby! I never feel like petting her again. I throw up looking at her. She used to be the cutest thing in the world. Now she’s freezing! I totally agree. I cried for days! Will her fur grow back? Please reply! They just shaved her for no reason, her fur was perfectly fine, no matts or anything! I feel like they did it on purpose. This dog is worth 1000 dollars. I am going to throw eggs at their store next halloween.
I am crying right now. Btw, i am 14 years old. The groomer was called Mutt cutz or something in perth, australia.
Dont worry, it may take a little while but the fur will grow back. In the meantime, since its summer in Australia, make sure you keep a little tshirt on your pup to protect her delicate skin from the sun. Sounds like she is probably uncomfortable and confused about her new look. Next time you take the dog to a groomer tell them what sort of cut you want if you are going to have it cut. Some dog breeds need to have their coats trimmed, stripped, clipped or cut but the vast majority do not. As a child, I had a shitzu and we kept her coat with a 2 inch “teddy bear cut”. The internet has alot of resources for cuts, choose what you like and give the groomer SPECIFIC instructions as to what you want so there is no confusion when you pick you beloved pup up. Remember a dog does not cool itself like we do (sweating and evaporation), it cools itself by panting.
I have a Flat Coated Retriever.
I think its absurd to say don’t have long haired dogs in hot climates. We live in New Mexico and with proper treatment, care and shelter there is no reason long haired dogs cannot thrive in hot climates
I’m going to shave my big 100 pound dog that sheds like a mofo. He stays inside and is fat and lazy. He is going to change colors because I saw that under the long black hair there is white hair, and under the black hair on his face is brown hair. This is weird, can anyone tell me why that is
The people responding to this make my brain boil. Shaving a dog doesn’t make them any less or more hot, Dogs have been around for years before people started shaving them. They have a coat they shed during the season and a coat to grow during the winter. We’re the one’s who started making all these breeds and we’re the ones who started shaving them and clipping them for no reason. Hey you never see the wolves at the zoo outside shaved do you?
Jesse Dog, excuse my bluntness, but you really should have been more specific with the groomer. He or she is not at fault. It is a very common practice to completely shave Poodles and those mixed with them. I also seriously doubt the haircut is the cause of her acting up. You say you “throw up looking at her” and “she used to be so cute”. Now you “never feel like petting her again”. Is it your dog’s fault? Why punish her for the groomer’s and your faults? Maybe you should change your attitude towards her. Dogs tend to have an intuitive sense of what their owner is feeling. If you’re not looking at your dog with love, why should she to you? Also, a dog’s value is not ranked by money. The dog should still be worth a million to you. She’s a mutt anyhow. (Not a derogatory term, I mean she is not pure-bred. Maltese and a Poodle) Therefore, you should not have paid $1000 for her in the first place-they ripped you off. Why did you take her for a hair cut if her fur was fine? Sounds like she’s a new puppy and you really need to learn how to treat a pet.
As to the article, I disagree to a degree. My own opinion I suppose. Firstly, I feel like the groomer shouldn’t be dumb enough to leave the skin completely exposed. My Border Collie was shaved because of a nasty tick issue, as we live in the country near a huge forest. She enjoys going on walks through the forest trails and romping down the acreage of our land with a few trees. We tried multiple brands of tick and flea protection and none worked. Finally, many local vets just advised us to shave her so that it would be easier to spot the ticks and the symptoms of Lyme Disease. It gets very hot her in the summer and we have very mild winters. She was always hot with her coat and immediately got exhausted when playing outside during the warmer seasons. Now after having been shaved, she’s more energetic and willing to go outside. She’s still supplied with plenty of shade and water, but overall she seems much more lively than ever before. She has been perfectly healthy. She always greets the groomer with a wagging tail and it continues wagging through the haircut.
I quite enjoy seeing her so happy, and while I will agree that most dogs should not be shaved, I do not believe it applies to all.
/to the 14 year old who cried about their dog being shaved….get some help with your dog…you said you are not feeling like petting your dog since they are now traumatized by the shaving. Get some behavioral help with your dog right away….if you quit showing affection to your dog you will create another problem for it…your dog is traumatized by the shaving….don’t abandon your dog…get help to understand how to respond and help heal your dog’s trauma….don’t run away from your pup or think that you should retaliate against the groomer…your dog needs you now.
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