Three Reasons You Shouldn’t Shave Your Pet

Thursday, July 11, 2013 - 12:00pm
Golden retriever wearing red collar











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Did you try taking her to an animal hospital or rescue shelter that offers vet services for rescue animals. It does not sound like using scissors or doing this om your own is a good idea. I would spend some money and take her to a hospital. There are some vets here maybe they can tell you better than I can, this is just a suggestion.


I have a Goldie and for the first four years of her life summer would see her lazy and no energy and not wanting to go to obedience training, nothing like her Lab sister. After speaking to our vet I decided to get her shaved and she is now a different dog when summer comes around. Best thing I ever did for her. She is so much happier.


I never shaved my long haired cat until he began matting his fur (by teasing it with his mouth- Yes really) each summer. He seemed misearable so I thought I'd try shaving him. He's an indoor only cat so I did not have to worry about prolonged sun exposure. He wasn't crazt about the shaving part at first, but I noticed an immediate change in his personality after. He seemed more relaxed, less stressed and seemed to love how easy it was to groom himself. Now when I shave him he lays like a baby and I believe he knows the end result and is happy about it. I can't say enough about how he's become a happier cat when shaved. In the fall I let the fur grow back and don't shave him again until the end of May.


It's not a black and white thing. Some breeds actually do very well with a close trim (TRIM, not bald shave). Who shaves their pet bald anyway? Most groomers won't even do that. Some people on here seem to enjoy being rigid and deliberately obtuse in their responses to those who are a bit more considerate and open minded about the topic. There's no template for every problem. Animals are evolved (and bred) for their natural climate region. Some seem to forget that we humans have a habit of taking things out of their natural environments and messing with the natural order of things. If you're raising Malamutes in Arizona, then it is your responsibility to do what is necessary to make sure the dog is healthy and happy living in a climate it was not meant for. Weather that means trimming, or just making sure you have the correct amenities. Be sensible.


I wouldn't shave my golden, but when we went to FL and Carly went with us, I did have the groomer trim her. She took off just enough extra fur and Carly loved it. She did the "pants" and her "feathers" and thinned out her fur. Carly loved it!


We shave our border collie/golden retriever mix three times each summer. She is clearly happier as a result of the shave. She is 12 years old- but acts like a puppy every time she has a shave. I can understand the concern for sunburn, so you'll have to weigh whether this is right for your pet based on exposure to the sun. However, from our experience (which is for a dog who is either indoors or in the shade) shaving has made our dog much more comfortable and I highly recommend it.


The difference is in the breed of dog. Poodles do best when regularly groomed. They have hair like people, it does not stop growing. I think this article is mostly referring to breeds such as retrievers and shepards, and such. These types of dogs have fur, which will stop growing at a certain length. This is for the reasons stated. (cooling, heating). Yes, having them "tidied up" is ok, not just for looks, but it helps to keep them healthy as well, but to have these types of dogs shaved, is a big no no. Also, because for breeds such as golden retrievers, sometimes, their hair doesnt grow back the same, or at all. So be careful not to lump all dogs into the same category when referring to hair and fur types.

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