German Shepherd Haircut
german shepherd haircut
Should I give my German Shepherd a hair cut?
I have a 3 year old German Shepherd. She is almost completely black and it is like 100 degrees here. Should I take her to get a haircut?
No. German shepherds and other double-coated breeds have an insulating undercoat. This undercoat obviously keeps them warmer in the winter, but it also helps to insulate them against the heat as well. If you shave her, she will loose this protection and most likely feel even hotter. A black coat is going to absorb heat from the sunlight regardless of whether it is short or long. Aside from removing the insulating layer of her coat, shaving her may cause her coat to grow back in poorly (too rough, too thin, or even too short). It may or may not happen with the first cut, but repeated shaving will eventually ruin her coat. Also, if it is cut too short, cutting her short could expose her skin to sun and cause her to burn (just imagine how uncomfortable that must be, a sunburn on top of having prickly short fur!) Plus she will continue to shed the shorter hair…which will mean tiny prickly uncomfortable hair all over your house or your body (when you pet her).
Your best bet is to leave her fur alone and keep her cool. Bring her inside and don’t ask her to do a lot of exercise during the hottest part of the day. Make sure she has plenty of water available. You can hose her down or provide her with a kiddie wading pool full of water to help keep her cool when she is outside. Try to avoid spending a lot of time in the sunlight, especially when it is strongest during the middle of the day (from about 9am to 6pm in my area, yours may differ depending on latitude).
Dog of Chow and German Shepherd background, med-long fur, top and under coat. Haircut or not?
I live in New Mexico and during the summer months it gets quite hot. My dog is a mix of Chow and German Shepherd with med-long fur and has both a top and under coat. Should I use the clippers to trim down her fur in the summer months or not. Some people say yes, to keep her cool. Others say no, the undercoat keeps her from getting too hot. Another thing is that during the summer with her thick fur, it’s very hard to be sure she is tick free. Even with a regular bath, flea/tick collar and other methods it’s possible to miss some. So basically… To cut or not to cut? That’s my question.
Don’t cut. Like someone said in your details, the thick coat actually keep them cool. Also if you do cut it it will just grow back thicker. Brush her/him regulary too keep from mats, be easier to locate ticks. Don’t buy tick/flea collars they’re horrible things, its more expensive but it works, try buying some frontline, or advantage flea and tick.
Good luck with your dog!
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