Summer Haircut?

[goldendawg]

A friend of my wife's was telling her about getting a summer haircut for their GR and how it cuts down on the hair problem around the house. It never occurred to me to have his hair cut, but I thought I'd poll the forum for opinions. Personally, I think he would look funny - BUT would he be happier and cooler without the extra hair? We live in Northern Alabama.

[timberwolfe13ca]

Personally I would never do it. And from what I've heard, it doesn't make them any cooler or comfortable. In fact it may do the opposite.

[KatieScarlettsMom]

Do you mean shaving your dog? Or is there some sort of cut that would thin the coat, rather than remove it entirely.

As far as shaving, I believe that it does not benefit the dog, and could potentially harm him/her, as far as increased sun & environmental exposure.

[goldendawg]

The girls were talking about cutting the hair down to about an inch starting around the neck and tapering down. She also mentioned the wings and areas with the longest hair (I hope they didn't include the tail!). We are NOT sold on the concept and are simply fishing for experience others may have had with this practice. I think that dogs were created with the ability to keep warm or cool off naturally.

[makena1]

Murphy got a trim last summer on his feathers. It was mostly to help with grooming and bathing because he is down at the beach more in the summer. He also gets brushed at least weekly to keep the hair under control.

This year, I think I am going to buy Hannah and him a kiddy pool to play in, and I figure that will be a fun way for them to feel cooler. I know it certainly works for me--- water, not the kiddy pool:rollin

Makena

[honeyhunter]

I do not shave my Golden but I do trim her up. Just to get rid of the wispies and bulk to make her look neater. Bathe her first and make sure she is combed out thoroughly. I use a #30 blade with a 1" comb attached and go over her from the top of her shoulders all the way along her back. Take the clippers at an angle towards her skirt but be careful not to cut into the skirt itself. Kinda scoop your wrist. Thin out the ear area and trim the hair on the paws even with the pad. Take scissors and hold them straight up and down and lay against her neck and trim downwards to neaten up her neck. DO NOT cut INTO the hair lay the scissors against it. You can control the length you leave the hair better this way. Repeat this at the backend. Hold the tail out and cut at an angle leaving it longer as you cut towards the backend. Make sure you hold the tail by the tip not by the end of the hair. I trim her like this 2 times a year. I shave her stomache in the summer from the bellybutton down. It just keeps her a little neater in the summertime because she swims so much in our disgusting horse pond!!! If you use a rake and remove the undercoat she will stay cool enough and still have her protection from the sun, wind etc. I'm not sure you really wanted a play by play but that's just how I groom her. I learned it from a groomer friend of mine!

[Harshy]

I saw a golden shaved like that last summer. She was pretty funny looking in my opinion. They are such beautiful dogs I really can't ever see doing something like that to Harley's coat. It even bothered me when they had to shave her belly for a spay. That was 5 months ago and that area of fur still has not caught up with the rest.

[SweetDaisyDew]

I so know what you mean, Harshy. When Daisy got her hot spot last summer, I was using home treatments and they weren't working. Someone told me I needed to shave the area (it was her neck and up the side of her face -- large area!), and I just didn't want to have to do that !! I tried Gold Bond Medicated Powder and the entire area cleared up, enough within 24 hours that I knew I wasn't going to have to shave her. I was so relieved.

I remember too when she was spayed, it took a long time for the hair on her belly to grow back.

I love my Daisy's coat and everything I've read says that the golden's coat, as thick as it is, helps them stay cool in the summer just as it helps them stay warm in the winter.

[honeyhunter]

goldendawg~ The trim I give Honey only takes off about 1/4-1/2" off the length. It is not a shave or shear down. It just neatens her up a bit. :032

[WyattSydneys Mom]

Shave my Golden? NEVER!!!!:032

[German Shep]

We shaved ours for the 2nd year. We have always had complements on how he looks and we have seen a few others around. He seems to like it very much, but then how would anyone really know? We also live in the south (Atlanta). We have seen no adverse effects from this, some worry a lot about this. Our dog has always hated the heat, before and after shaving. So we try to let him swim a lot to get his exercise. With the short hair he is easy to clean up after and it grew out fine for the winter. As far as clean up, it is better, but they will still shed, just short hairs. Also it is really neat to see all his muscles flex when he is chewing on something!

[SweetDaisyDew]

You're a brave soul, German Shep :003

[cleanupyourdogpoop]

I just trimmed my golden's fur to keep her cool. She still has fur, I think she feels much better than with the long coat. There is no way that I will spend $60-$75 to take her to the groomer.