How short ?

by Desiree
(Kilauea, HI USA)

We live in Hawaii where it's hot and has alot of tropical moisture. I would like to get her trimmed. Because of her double coat, how low can I trim her without hurting the coat? I was advised a #4 blade. Does that sound right?

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Aug 17, 2016
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starstarstarstarstar 		Coat
by: Donna

No. Never trim or shave your dog. She needs her coat to keep her cool in summer and warm in winter.

A master groomer would never shave a dog.

Simply keep her well-groomed so the air flows through her coat.

Here is an excerpt from Dogs Naturally magazine on how double coats work:

About Double Coats
Double-coated breeds have two layers to protect against arctic weather. The long guard hairs form the outer layer and protect against snow or ice and even shed water. The soft undercoat lies close to the skin and keeps your dog warm and dry. In winter this undercoat can be so thick you may have trouble finding your dog’s skin.

In summer, your dog should shed his soft undercoat, leaving just the guard hairs. The job of the guard hairs in warm weather is to protect your dog from sunburn and insulate him against the heat. Without the undercoat, air can circulate through the guard hairs, cooling the skin.

Unlike single coated breeds, who have hair that just keeps growing, double coats grow to a certain length and don’t get any longer. So you can shave a single-coated breed down and the coat will grow back again without really changing it. But that’s not true for double coats.

Shaving a double-coated breed can really ruin the coat.

Here is the link to the article:

http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/why-you-shouldnt-shave-your-dog-in-summer/
Aug 18, 2016
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starstarstarstarstar 		shaving dogs
by: Anonymous

My neighbour had a border collie. Double coat much like our Pyr. She was taken one summer to the groomer to be shaved as they could not be bothered with the brushing. That dog cried, crouched and became ill with a kidney infection from being forced to live naked.

I consider this abuse. Just my opinion. The dog grew some coat back but it was not the same quality as before the shaving. The next summer, her owners repeated the shave. The dog became hyper sensitive and fearful. The kidney infection became chronic. The dog died.

Please don't do this to your Pyr. One of the things you must accept with these wonderful dogs is the molt and the full vacuum. Small price to pay for the love and loyalty returned by a happy healthy dog. Buy a fan or give access to a cool place in the house during the hot months. But leave the dog's coat intact.
Aug 19, 2016
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starstarstarstarstar 		thank you
by: Anonymous

Thank you for the feed back. My groomer advised us not to shave but deshed instead.

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