To clip or not to clip?

Greg · 07-26-2011, 10:13 PM

Been in the mid 90's here in Virginia for awhile now. Was thinking about trimming my 9 yr. old female down to about an inch overall of hair. She spends the hot part of the day in the a/c but clearly get's warm when we are out walking always late in the day. Any thoughts?

ChancetheGSD · 07-26-2011, 10:50 PM

Not to clip!! A double coated dog (such as the GSD) should NEVER be shaved or trimmed down! If you shave her down you'll actually make her MORE hot because you're taking away her outer coat which protects her from the heat beating down on her as bad.

selzer · 07-26-2011, 10:51 PM

The GSD coat is there to protect from sun as well as cold. Generally no clipping should be done. They can get every skin problem under the sun without their coat. And, being nine, it may never grow back properly.

Instead brush her daily, give her plenty of water. Keep the coat clean, and brushed. Keep her in the house in the AC.

shilohsmom · 07-27-2011, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg

Been in the mid 90's here in Virginia for awhile now. Was thinking about trimming my 9 yr. old female down to about an inch overall of hair. She spends the hot part of the day in the a/c but clearly get's warm when we are out walking always late in the day. Any thoughts?

NO, do not cut the hair at all.

Stosh · 07-27-2011, 04:01 PM

Definitely NO! Stosh is long coated and people have asked why I don't clip him but selzer and the others are right!

Uniballer · 07-27-2011, 05:02 PM

I agree about not clipping. You may want to change your routine when it is too hot for your dog to go for your normal walk. I currently have a 13 yo GSD who looks and probably feels terrible when it gets hot. I feed him ice cubes to lower his body core temperature and he is very happy with that. My young dog likes eating them too, but it is not so important for his health.

Freestep · 07-27-2011, 05:08 PM

Is she a longhair or a shorthair?

I have clipped longhair GSDs before, upon owner request. But I don't particularly like doing it. I wouldn't want to clip a regular stock coat GSD, there's really no point in it.

There's an age-old argument against shaving double-coated dogs, but having been a groomer for about 20 years, I can honestly say that of the thousands of times I've clipped down double coats (Aussies, Border Collies, Goldens, coated mixed breeds, etc etc etc) none have suffered the ill effects people talk about (heat exhaustion, sunburn, hair not growing back, etc.). In fact, their owners report that the dogs seem cooler, happier, more energy, and generally feels better. Of course, I don't just scalp the dogs; I leave them with an appropriate amount of hair to protect them from sunburn, etc.

But it only makes a difference if there is a lot of long, thick hair to begin with. If the dog already has short hair, there's no need to clip. If someone asked me to clip a short stock coat GSD, I don't know if I would have the heart to do it unless it was something the vet recommended for a skin condition. I did that for a Lab once. Shaving a Lab--can you imagine? He had a skin condition and the vet had recommended it, but I didn't like doing it. It was one of the hardest shavedowns I have ever done.

Long story short (so to speak), a shorthaired dog does NOT need to be clipped. Just removing the undercoat with brushing/furminating will be sufficient to keep excess hair off so that the dog can cool down.

Greg · 07-27-2011, 06:42 PM

Thanks, she is not long hair. She gets very hot on walks and just wanted to cool her down a bit. Seems it is very much what not to do. Thanks again.

Greg · 07-27-2011, 06:44 PM

Thanks! Will not clip, shorten the walks and keep her in

Greg · 07-27-2011, 06:47 PM

Thanks all, will not clip. Was just a thought but not a good one at that.

07-26-2011, 10:13 PM	#1 (permalink)
Greg Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 25	To clip or not to clip? Been in the mid 90's here in Virginia for awhile now. Was thinking about trimming my 9 yr. old female down to about an inch overall of hair. She spends the hot part of the day in the a/c but clearly get's warm when we are out walking always late in the day. Any thoughts?

07-26-2011, 10:50 PM	#2 (permalink)
ChancetheGSD Elite Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,907	Not to clip!! A double coated dog (such as the GSD) should NEVER be shaved or trimmed down! If you shave her down you'll actually make her MORE hot because you're taking away her outer coat which protects her from the heat beating down on her as bad. __________________ Gretchen -7.5 week old GSD Zoey -14 year old Pekapom Chance -(GSD/Kelpie) 6/2007-6/23/2011

07-26-2011, 10:51 PM	#3 (permalink)
selzer Crowned Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Denmark, Ohio Posts: 17,498	The GSD coat is there to protect from sun as well as cold. Generally no clipping should be done. They can get every skin problem under the sun without their coat. And, being nine, it may never grow back properly. Instead brush her daily, give her plenty of water. Keep the coat clean, and brushed. Keep her in the house in the AC. __________________ RIP Arwen, CD RN CGC RIP Whitney, RN CGC Jenna, RN CGC Babs, CD RA CGC Herding Instinct Certificate Heidi, RA CGC Tori, RN CGC SG3 Odessa, SchH1, Kkl1, AD Ninja, RN CGC Milla, RN CGC Joy, Star Puppy, RN CGC Dolly & Bear

07-27-2011, 05:08 PM	#7 (permalink)
Freestep Knighted Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Northern California Posts: 3,087	Is she a longhair or a shorthair? I have clipped longhair GSDs before, upon owner request. But I don't particularly like doing it. I wouldn't want to clip a regular stock coat GSD, there's really no point in it. There's an age-old argument against shaving double-coated dogs, but having been a groomer for about 20 years, I can honestly say that of the thousands of times I've clipped down double coats (Aussies, Border Collies, Goldens, coated mixed breeds, etc etc etc) none have suffered the ill effects people talk about (heat exhaustion, sunburn, hair not growing back, etc.). In fact, their owners report that the dogs seem cooler, happier, more energy, and generally feels better. Of course, I don't just scalp the dogs; I leave them with an appropriate amount of hair to protect them from sunburn, etc. But it only makes a difference if there is a lot of long, thick hair to begin with. If the dog already has short hair, there's no need to clip. If someone asked me to clip a short stock coat GSD, I don't know if I would have the heart to do it unless it was something the vet recommended for a skin condition. I did that for a Lab once. Shaving a Lab--can you imagine? He had a skin condition and the vet had recommended it, but I didn't like doing it. It was one of the hardest shavedowns I have ever done. Long story short (so to speak), a shorthaired dog does NOT need to be clipped. Just removing the undercoat with brushing/furminating will be sufficient to keep excess hair off so that the dog can cool down. __________________ Luka von Sontausen, CD Vinca von Sontausen, CGC Freestep's Beluga Whale, BWD

07-27-2011, 04:01 PM	#5 (permalink)
Stosh Crowned Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: tyler texas Posts: 8,434	Definitely NO! Stosh is long coated and people have asked why I don't clip him but selzer and the others are right!

07-27-2011, 05:02 PM	#6 (permalink)
Uniballer Master Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Western New York Posts: 666	I agree about not clipping. You may want to change your routine when it is too hot for your dog to go for your normal walk. I currently have a 13 yo GSD who looks and probably feels terrible when it gets hot. I feed him ice cubes to lower his body core temperature and he is very happy with that. My young dog likes eating them too, but it is not so important for his health.

07-27-2011, 06:42 PM	#8 (permalink)
Greg Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 25	Thanks, she is not long hair. She gets very hot on walks and just wanted to cool her down a bit. Seems it is very much what not to do. Thanks again.

07-27-2011, 06:44 PM	#9 (permalink)
Greg Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 25	Thanks! Will not clip, shorten the walks and keep her in

07-27-2011, 06:47 PM	#10 (permalink)
Greg Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 25	Thanks all, will not clip. Was just a thought but not a good one at that.

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