[Shadow's mum]

I had to go to the supermarket yesterday, I'm heading towards the doors and I notice some people out the front drumming up donations for something, then I notice they have a funny looking dog with them. I don't stop, I go in do what I have to do and leave.
On the way out I can see threw the big glass doors this dog that I'd half noticed on the way in. As I get closer to the doors, I start to question what breed it is. It has this huge head, kinda fluffy, german shepherd looking. Then I notice the rest of him, perhaps I'm wrong because this dog has a coat as short as a labs. I think this is why his head looks so big (like one of those bobbly things you see on a car dash board).
I can't help myself now, I have to get closer. I get outside and ask the people out there if I can pet their dog, turns out he isn't theirs but they say he's friendly, they'd been petting him too.
Well over I go, not sure what breed this strange looking dog is. Oh my yes he is very friendly and he is a german shepherd. DON"T EVER SHAVE OR CROP YOUR DOGS he looked ridiculous, the poor boy. He seamed to know it to. He would have been beautiful, it was like he had been stripped of his majesticness (not sure that's a word). I was cross with his owners on his behalf, part of me wanted to hang around and ask them why they'd done this to him. Then I started thinking, it's none of my business and it could have been done for medical reasons.
I petted him a few more times, lied to him and told him he was still handsome and then reassured him his hair would grow back.
P.S wish I had my phone with me so I could take a pic.

 

[DCluver33]

Aren't you not supposed to shave GSD's? My grandparents shaved my BC/Aussie mix and it ruined her pretty coat that she had it's looking a little better since we're growing it out, but I can't believe they shaved her.

 

[SchDDR]

It's my understanding that you take a serious risk when you shave a coated dog, that the coat might not ever grow back correctly. I've heard both potential outcomes.

 

[DCluver33]

It's my understanding that you take a serious risk when you shave a coated dog, that the coat might not ever grow back correctly. I've heard both potential outcomes.

my ex's mom shaved his Husky (not knowing your not supposed to shave Huskies) she had a beautiful coat, it grew back but now it has lines in it where she shaved her but other than that it grew back fine.

 

[Jax08]

I've heard that about the coat too but Mom shaves her himalayan cats in teh summer and their coats grow back fine. The follicles aren't harmed so I don't see why the coat wouldn't grow back.

What bothers me is the coat is used to insulate against the cold and the heat so they are harming him that way.

 

[Shadow's mum]

There are only 3 reasons I can think of for why they shaved him.
1. maybe a medical issue?
2. It's summer here perhaps they thought they were doing him a favor. (mind you it's not been very hot)
3. He may have been matted, in which case they should be looking after him better.

When Shadow has been shaved for ops on her tummy, her fur did grow back but it's never looked as nice and now feels kind of courser. I've also heard that their coats help keep them both cool for summer and warm for winter.

 

[Good_Karma]

My GSD mix had a hip shaved for surgery. It took about ten months to totally grow back in, but the fur is the same, you can't tell anymore which side was shaved. I wonder if anyone who has a full GSD with similar shaving for surgery could chime in to say how the coat grew back? Now I'm curious...

 

[Rerun]

I've heard on here quite a bit that dogs with shaved fur don't grow their hair back properly. I've seen quite a few shaved dogs and their hair grew back perfectly normal. Kodi had his entire hip, leg, and backside shaved for his hip replacement and his hair grew back beautifully.

Unless the dog is shaved bald, a summer "puppy clip" (short but not shaved) isn't going to cause them any harm. They'll still have protection from the summer sun.

 

[Good_Karma]

Thank you Rerun!

 

[Zan]

Our GSD was shaved on her back (shoulder to shoulder) for radiation therapy. Sadly the therapy did not work for her cancer, but the fur grew back just fine. One of my friends used to have her long-coat shepherd clipped, but not shaved down to skin in summer time. He looked funny but it always grew back by winter.