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Will my German Shepherd be cooler in the summer if we shave his coat?
Posted under canine coolerI have never shaved my German Shepherd/Husky mix dog and would never consider it for any reason but medical. He is 10 years old with bad joints and really having a hard time with the heat. It gets to be 90-100 degrees in the summer and lasts for a good couple of months. I would only consider shaving him if he would be more comfortable. I've read the other questions/answers on this forum regarding shaving German Shepherds and some people say that their coat keeps them cool in the summer. I have a hard time believing that but then again I am not an expert on the anatomy of canines. I would greatly appreciate any additional information on the subject. Thanks in advance.
No, it would not keep him cooler to shave him. Their coats do act as insulation against both cold and heat. Is he kept inside where there is air conditioning during the heat of the summer? That would be the best way to make him comfortable.
Here are some references:
http://www.petlvr.com/blog/2006/05/my-dog-is-too-hot-lets-shave-him/
http://www.epinions.com/pets-review-612F-3D22E415-3A22C1AD-prod6
http://www.dogchannel.com/dog-information/dog-groomer-salzberg/dog-shaving-debate.aspx?cm_sp=InternalClicks-_-RelatedArticles-_-dog-information/dog-groomer-salzberg/dog-shaving-debate
it would be cooler for him but dont let him lay on cement or something thats hotter because it could burn his skin
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I would not shave your dog. If he spends time out side he will expossed to sun light thus sunburn.
$.02
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No. Shaving is the worst thing you can do. The guard hairs provide protection from the elements and keep the body cooler. What you can do is get a deshedding blade and run it through him everyday outside to get rid of all the dead undercoat. You will be shocked at how much hair comes out, and it will be a lot less vacuuming in the house too
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Get him a kiddie pool I got 2 German Shepard's and a lab and they love it also wet a shaded area for him to be cool and wet him down with a hose..Get a grooming tool called a rake and get the under coat brushed out.
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Do not shave your dog. They are not as hot as you think they are and the fur actually protects the skin from the sun. How about just spraying him off with the hose. My dog loves that.
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Don't shave him down to the skin. Trim his hair with a 1/4 inch guard on the clippers and you won't have to worry about sun burn or bug bites as he will have a little protection. Tons of hair does NOT help keep an animal cool in the heat. How silly is that? You know how sweaty and gross your head and neck feel if you wear long hair down in hot sticky weather? You get the concept….
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Don't shave him! Keep him inside where it's cool or out in the shade….kiddie pools work well and are very inexpensive, just keep it filled with clean water! kjl
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Don't shave his coat. get him a cooler pad:
http://www.furrypetsupply.com
Yeah, shaving really is the worst thing to do to him. As stated, if he spends to much time out in the sun he can get burned. Their coats really are meant to keep them cool just as much as keep them warm. The reason he is having such a hard time is that he needs to be brushed every other day with a grooming rake. That should make him so much more comfortable. I know I have a Collie mix with one hell of a coat and live in the desert where just an hour ago it was 110 degrees and it's going to get worse, and I brush him often and he does fine.
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No, it wouldn't be cooler. First of all, if you shave him he will probably get sunburned.Second, dogs only have sweat glands in their paws.that means that his skin will be baking and he will not be able to cool down by sweating. Third, The space between the hairs in a dogs coat (called loft) helps keep them cool.
If you really want to keep him cool, you could fill up a baby pool (you know those big plastic pools) with cold water and let him lie in that
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No, it would not keep him cooler to shave him. Their coats do act as insulation against both cold and heat. Is he kept inside where there is air conditioning during the heat of the summer? That would be the best way to make him comfortable.
Here are some references:
http://www.petlvr.com/blog/2006/05/my-dog-is-too-hot-lets-shave-him/
http://www.dogchannel.com/dog-information/dog-groomer-salzberg/dog-shaving-debate.aspx?cm_sp=InternalClicks-_-RelatedArticles-_-dog-information/dog-groomer-salzberg/dog-shaving-debate
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I got my collie shepherd mix a chillo to use for the summer – didn't shave her. It kept her cool all summer – and I also put it in front of a fan.
She loved it!
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I also have a German Shepherd and have wondered the same thing. I have taken him to several groomers for this reason and all of them refused to shave him. They give him a good under coat brush and shampoo and that is it. I've been told that part of their natural cooling system involves their coat.
I know it sure is hard watching him in the heat. He likes to dig a hole in the back yard and stay there. He prefers this to coming inside our air conditioned house. He also likes to be blown off with the air compresser. It is funny to watch, but he just loves it!
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Don't shave him. Dogs don't sweat so you are effectively taking away his 'sunscreen' without doing him any good. Their hair acts like an insulator and holds body-temperature air. If you are worried about him not doing good with heat get him a cooling pad or vest and make sure he's got water to drink/lay in. You can get Mist spraying attachments for the hose which will help for outside. When he's inside fill a bowl with ice-cubes for him to play with. He's going to do alright IF you keep his activity level down and his access to shade, water and moving air up.
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