About double-coated breeds and grooming
This came into my inbox today from the training center where Sidney takes Rally classes.
Even though Corgis are not specifically mentioned, we know they are included in that list!
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If you wish you could just shave all of that fur off your shedding dog to eliminate the problem, you are not alone. Many people feel exactly the same way. We had a lady come in a month ago and said "I turned on the A/C in my car for the first time this season and all of this fur started blowing out: can you help?" Well, first of all, we do not recommend shaving some breeds such as; Huskies, Labs, Collies, Shelties, Beagles, German Shepherds, Pekingese, and Pomeranians, to name a few because of their double or determined coat.
Determined coat length is one that will shed out when the coat reaches a certain length. This then makes way for the new coat to come in. This is a natural and necessary process. Shaving these breeds will affect this process and in time, can cause other health issues.
Here are some facts about shaving 'determined' coat lengths:
- Shaving these breeds will not stop shedding. It may seem that way because the hair they are shedding is shorter and might be less noticeable.
- Constant shaving of these breeds can ultimately affect their shedding ability, which will affect their natural heating and cooling capability. Shaving these breeds will not make them cooler in the summer months.
- Skin issues can develop. This could be issues like rashes or ingrown hairs.
- Their coats may become dull, brittle and very rough.
- Their natural color and shine may be lost.
- Bald spots may develop on the body.
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Anyway, I thought this was a nice summary of the shaving issue!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kaitlyn & Chase on
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My parents constantly try to get me to shave Chase and I refuse to do it because I have read that it will mess up their coat and potentially cause skin issues!
Chase's shedding doesn't bother me much because we keep things swept and vacuumed. It doesn't keep the hair off of my clothes though, they make sticky brushes for that.
Thanks for sharing!!
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Permalink Reply by Geri & Sidney on
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I wondered too...but I didn't write the article, I just copied it!
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Permalink Reply by Ludi on
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Yeah, I was about to say... I just came back from a long weekend at my bro-in-law's house, where there lives a Beagle. She is most definitely NOT the first thing that comes to mind when discussing thickly double-coated breeds.
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Permalink Reply by Laura Rochette on
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I have actually found myself defending my decision NOT to shave Lucy to other non-corgi dog owners who are incredulous that Lucy has to experience the summer heat with her fur. I kind of resent needing to defend a decision which is based on all the reading I've done here on this site and other places. Thanks for this extra "ammunition," though I feel I don't have to answer to others who know nothing about Corgis.
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Any time anyone says anything about Ace "suffering" in this heat (at the worst, he had to put up with 35C while at the seaside), I explain how the downy undercoat, when groomed properly, traps cool air to hold against the skin, while staving off the warmer air from his body. With enough water, shade and keeping his paw pads off nuclear-hot surfaces, Ace actually fares better than I do.
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Permalink Reply by Millie Williams on
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Most of this is true, however, I can tell you that shaving WILL keep them cooler. I am specifically thinking of a samoyed that I shaved a few years back. During the process, as I took the coat off quite short, I realized that she was very warm. I didn't think too much about it and just continued on. I went to her other side to begin there and again noted the warmness under all that hair. When I came back to the first side I'd done, she was cooled off! It was quite remarkable, the difference in the skin temperature. I was a groomer for 20 years. I had a corgi who had seasonal contact allergies to pollen. I shaved him every spring because if I didn't, he would chew and the saliva would not dry quickly like water does and soon he had hot spots. He looked awful and I had to shave those areas anyhow, so started to shave him down each May. End of problem. He looked "odd" for about a week but then you get used to it. He looked like a big puppy and the hair was always back in by September. Don't do this when your dog is shedding, it's too hard to get the clippers through. A 7F blad does a nice job, and 8 1/2 works better if they are starting to shed. I don't have anyone I shave currently except for the fluffy girl. I shaved my goldens 4 times a year, they looked darling and could play in the pool all summer and actually dry out. Dogs who are in the lake all the time are better off shaved. If you don't think so and go with the "protective coat" thing, fine, please accompany your golden retriever with your boots and your goosedown full length coat on. And don't take it off, see how long it takes to dry and how wonderful that feels. They smell after a couple of weeks of swimming because they never quite dry and are having mold develop in the scales of the fur. I wouldn't do a lab, labs don't have as thick of a coat as corgis do. The original goldens did not have much coat at all, that has been develped over the years. I hope this helps everyone, this is the voice of experience, been there, done that, you can disagree if you want to! But after 20 years, I think I really understand coat care and no, leaving the coat long does not keep them cool in any way shape or form. If the vet is telling you that, then vets also tell people hair growing out of the ears "protects" the ear canal, meanwhile the dog is being treated for ear infection after ear infection. And yes, I had a vet or two locally where I used to live who used to tell people exactly that kind of thing. :)
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