Cutting hair for the hot weather?

[casablanca1]

My dog hates the heat, actually seems debilitated by it. She's in a/c most of the time, has plenty of water, and exercises in the evenings by running around under the hose, but I always wonder if I should clip her fur. She's a collie mix, and has a pretty thick coat (not long but pretty shaggy). I've always heard that the fur insulates them, and they actually suffer more if you cut it. True, or should I give her a trim?

[Barb04]

I have also heard that the hair does shield their skin from the sun.

[nedim]

I'm taking Peanut to petco tomorrow for a trim. I think a little less hair will make her happier.

[CreatureTeacher]

I've used a little test with my dogs. When the shaggy ones were in the sun, I would bury my fingers in their fur. For most dogs, the fur closest to their skin was actually reasonably cool. After some time, the whole coat would heat up so I wouldn't let them lie in the sun for too long. But I did know a poodle mix with a long coat that would get hot all the way through almost immediately. I recommended her owners clip her down to about 1.5", and I think it helped. Just my experience.

[bubbatd]

I don't clip Chip, nor have I any of my Goldens..if the undercoat is raked out, I feel he's comfortable. My vet told me , many years ago , to watch the hours from air conditioning to outside.

[Brattina88]

This is a good question that the answers never seems to make me decide either way. :(
My parents have a shetland sheepdog; She is old and is not in the best of health this year. The vet said she may not make it through the summer due to her arthritis & wieght. She also has bad feet. She has had a hard time breathing in the heat for the past two years. This year has been the worse. The hotter it gets the more work it is for her to take in air it seems. They do not have air conditioning and she will not get up from the wood floor (its the coolest spot in the floor) Would clipping her help??

On a different note, I know lots of people who shave their Cockers in the summer and then let their skirts grow out in the cooler months. Should I do this with Maddie?

Its so hot. I wish I could shave my head, lol, I hate hair on the back of my neck. :o

[casablanca1]

My parents have a shetland sheepdog; She is old and is not in the best of health this year. The vet said she may not make it through the summer due to her arthritis & wieght. She also has bad feet. She has had a hard time breathing in the heat for the past two years. This year has been the worse. The hotter it gets the more work it is for her to take in air it seems. They do not have air conditioning and she will not get up from the wood floor (its the coolest spot in the floor) Would clipping her help??

The poor sheltie, the heat is hell on the sick and elderly.

[Athe]

What I usually do for my Newf's is to get all the undercoat out...completely out. The outer guard hairs actually keep them cool, the undercoat is what makes it hot. I also shave my Newf's belly to keep them cool, this has worked well for me.

[gaddylovesdogs]

My dogs have never been clipped...and I cannot imagine seeing any of my dogs shaved. :eek: They'd look weird.

[Denaluvscorgis]

I've often wondered the same thing. My Corgi, Chloe gets so hot. She pants almost all of the time. I keep her brushed really well all of the time. I thought about having her trimmed down for the summer, but had heard the same thing about their fur insulating them and keeping them cooler.

[Athe]

It is hard to get all the undercoat out without the proper equipment. I like using a high velocity dryer for my Newf's to blow all the coat out. This is some thing I do every other day during shedding season. I have only shaved one Newf completely off and that was one of my old girls who hated being groomed, she was 13 and uncomfortable in the summer, and yes it did make her much more comfortable being shaved off. She just couldn't stand long enough or tolerate me brushing and blowing for hours on end. Poor doll
Of course if she had been younger I would not have shaved her. What happens is the undercoat grows out quicker than the outcoat giving a shaggy appearance, I have seen some dogs grow the outer guard hairs at a quicker rate but not often. The coat seems to get thicker and more downy after you have shaved them down (this applies to double coated breeds).
With a Collie mix it is really easy to get all the undercoat out of the dogs coat. I actually have a sick weirdness of enjoying blowing out the coat of Shelties and Collies, the coat just flies! :D

[Martine]

We have Misha trimmed right down and she seems much happier. With her 'big' coat she looked like she was going to pass out in the heat. I do avoid taking out for anything more than a quick pop round the corner in the heat of the day though!

[gaddylovesdogs]

Slicker brushes! I absolutely love them, they work great at getting all the loose fur, and my dogs love the feeling of being brushed.