Newbie Corgi Owner

We just got our first pembroke corgi last wednesday, 7-13. I've heard a lot of talk about whether to shave or not to shave.. that is the question I guess... What would be the reasons NOT shave a corgi??? Does their hair get course? I know the obvious reasons for shaving them, keeping them cool and shedding...

I've noticed Boo Boo parks his cute little fanny right in front of the major AC vent and sleeps there most of the day. We haven't kept him out long, maybe 5/10 minutes to go the bathroom because we've had heat index's into the 120's the past weekend. We did make a "Pool" for him, but he's very unsure of that as of yet; even when we put him in the water he's looking for ways to get out! I guess that will come with time.

I'm looking forward to many years with Boo Boo and many adventures...

Thanks for the input, Stephanie

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Comment by Jane on July 19, 2011 at 9:22am: Don't shave him. Their coat helps regulate their temperature as well as protecting them from sunburn and things like bug bites.

Comment by Stephanie Lonning on July 18, 2011 at 3:54pm: Thanks for all the good advice; there was no way I was going to shave the puppy though; that would have been cruel; besides i love his fluff regardless of the shedding.

I have moved from a light weight water bowl, to a heavy more dense ceramic bowl that Boo Boo can't seem to pick up in his mouth spilling the water all over the floor; cute as it was, cleaning up the water wasn't.. LOL

Comment by Yuki & Ellie on July 18, 2011 at 3:31pm: You might want to read this post in the FAQ. It's a good source of info on this matter. Having said that, here are my two cents. :)

It is not a good idea to shave down a puppy. A dog's coat is there to insulate against the heat. Since they do not sweat, there will be no cooling effect from evaporation as there is with humans. It will only allow the heat to reach their skin more easily. Also, a puppy's coat isn't thick enough to be clipped down unless he's an extra fluffy Fluff.

As far as the coat is concerned, I'm fairly certain that the likelihood of it growing back wrong is much much higher with a puppy than with an adult. It will also do nothing to help with shedding. Corgis have a dense, fluffy undercoat and a coarser, protective top coat. When a corgi sheds, it's the under coat that is shedding away and very little of the top coat is lost. If you shave him, then you're just buzzing off his protective top coat. You can't shave off the undercoat without running the risk of him being sunburned out in the sun.

My recommendation would be to let him bask in the cool air of the AC, keep him well hydrated, and try to encourage him to play in the water when you can. Mine wanted nothing to do with water until she had been here for 1 full week. Now I can't keep her out of the water bowl! ;)

Comment by Kathryn Harbour on July 18, 2011 at 2:52pm: There seems to be different points of view on shaving. Some do trim them down a bit to help with the heat, but others advise against it because their coat is supposed to insulate both heat and cold. If you do shave Boo Boo, don't cut it too short because then he could be subject to sunburn.