Is it really that horrible to shave a lab?

[Luci]

Otter was so miserable and has a really heavy coat for a lab. So, two weeks ago I shaved him. He is 100% cooler and happier with his new do. I used a #10 blade and went with the direction of his coat.

Everyone on my lab forum thinks it's just a horrible thing to do and although they have no direct evidence, say a dog is cooler with his full coat, not just labs. A groomer also said that labs never get a good coat again.

Well . . Otter's coat grew in just fine when I did this two years ago as an experiment after shaving the springer.

Am I that weird? I really don't see the big deal. Otter can relax now without constantly panting. His hair is just about as short as my brother's lab's coat normally is.

What say the exracers? Do any of you shave your dogs for summer?

[tash]

I don't think it's a problem at all.. Loads of people shave their dogs here because of the weather. I clip my Pommeranian and shave my maltese/shitzhu. I've seen every type of dog from Alsatians to huskys shaved.

I don't think it's a big deal at all. And if you don't show your lab then his coat is a purely aesthetic thing anyway

Link me to the Lab forum.. i wanna see the fuss everyone is making

[relativecolor]

Couldn't tell ya. I used to shave my bunny but they can't sweat so it was necessary.

[Goalie]

I've heard both pros and cons for shaving, and I think it is up to the owner and each individual dog. We use to just shave the goldens on their belly, and it did seem to help some but when we experimented and shaved one all over, boy was she the happiest dog around. I guess there is a bigger chance of sunburn, but not sure.

[Luci]

Hehe, Goalie I dare you to mention that on a Golden site ;D

I shaved him once before two summers ago and it all grew back in nicely. I just don't see how a big heavy coat can keep a dog cooler, but maybe someone can explain. The first thing I do when it's hot is put my hair up in a pony.

If you want to see the discussion this is it. It's a pretty nice group of people. I just had to throw a cog in the wheel and mention that I shaved my lab. There's no flaming, but I'm the only one who seems to think it's not a deal so I thought I'd see what my "home team" thought.

www.chocolatelabs.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=7972&forum=11&PHPSESSID=a3b45e5297e7635bce606ddaa93d8832

This is how short his coat is shaved:


This is how thick it was before getting shaved.

[CatB]

I wouldn't think so. When you think about it, what's the difference between shaving a schnauzer, sheepdog, poodle, or etc., and a lab? Although, our yorkie is partially shaved for the summer, I'm going to completely shave him - he won't stay out of the burrs and yips like a weinie when I try to brush them out!

[Luci]

The difference between Labs and other breeds is labs have undercoats like a duck that helps them shed water so they look pretty funky when you first shave them. I think the issue of the undercoat is partly what every one is upset about.

How do you partially shave your yorkie? I bet he looks cute, like a lion?

[lvwre]

We gave our old, crotchety Maine Coon cat a shave this summer, and she was a much happier cat. We went the "lion cut" approach, leaving her head and feet long, but short everywhere else.

When we weren't trying to tease out the horrible mats that she had, she was stretching out and all but purring.

[lovmytbconsent]

I shaved my dog for the first time this year. He's a chow, with a very thick undercoat. People say if you shave chows it messes up their mind, and it's mind will snap. Well, I've had Sammy since he came out of his mommy's tummy, and he's got a great personality, and still does. He looks a whole lot better, seems cooler, and has completely stopped having hot spots.

That being said, I'd never ever shave a dog if I didnt have a good reason to. Sammy's father isn't shaved, and I dont ever plan on it, and I've never shaved a dog before Sammy.

I think you made a very wise choice for your dog, and were only thinking of what's best for him. Good for you! Dont worry about anyone else.

[juliab]

He still looks as though he has a coat - just a nice, cool, neat looking coat. My two retrievers jump in the swimming pool every chance they get to cool down. I wish I could do something for my GSD though because he always seems to be shedding, despite regular brushing with one of those special shedding brushes. He doesn't like to swim much but even he has been going in for a quick dip to cool down lately.

[CatB]

I've owned labs, too, and while I'm not a groomer, nor do I play one on tv, I do think there are an awful lot of old wives tales out there about dogs and their coats. My mom has a collie with the thickest coat I've ever seen, yet she refuses to shave him because she was told collies "get sick and die" without their hair. My girlfriend clips her collie every summer and the dog is 8 years old.

On the other hand, a neighbor had to put their sheltie to sleep because somehow it got a wound on its hindquarters, maggots got in it, and according to them, by the time they discovered it "there was nothing they could do".

I suppose the best thing to do is discuss it with your vet.

Oh, and to answer your question, Luci, about my yorkie looking like a lion. Well, not exactly... :hahahay:

[seanskate]

We shaved our black lab retriever every year. She would be unbearably hot and loved to have short hair - not to mention it cut down on ticks too. The only problem was that for the first few days after a shave she was too embarrassed to come out from under the dining room table because we couldn't resist telling her how adorable she looked in loud squeaky, silly, mummy loves you voices. Poor dog. I think you did the right thing.

[brian]

This time of year in Paso it's runs about 100 -110^o for a month or two. We used to shave our Springer every year. Fried a couple pairs of clippers doing it. Our goats are all bred for the Swiss Alps - so they get a shave every summer.

I knew some people in Fresno that had an Old English Sheepdog - they shaved him.

Californians are not the shapest knives in the proverbial drawer. Guys who live in Death Valley will get huskys.

[DE1997]

I think people don't like it because unusual. But, the reason it's unusual is exactly what you said about the undercoat Luci. Theoretically, the undercoat, both in winter and summer, provide what can be described as a fluffy trapping of air very close to the dog's body. In the winter, the effect is obvious - it traps warm air from the dog's body heat in the undercoat, providing a fluffy barrier of warm air between the dog and its outercoat. In the summer, (theoretically) it is supposed to have a similar effect in trapping cooler, "shaded" air (air that is not in the hot sun, and is not humid like the rest of the air) next to the dog's body. What I never got about this is - isn't the air still hot since it's the bodyheat air of the dog?

If you're lab is happy, who cares? You don't show him anyway, so what if his coat ends up coming in a little scruffy? I would worry a bit about exposing him too much to the sun (sunburn).

[jenarby]

I shave my golden mix every summer. She is mierable if I don't. We have the air on in the house and she still keeps me up at night panting. She also has that very heavy undercoat. I have been taking her to the groomer's the last two years because the only clippers that will cut through her coat are our big horse body clippers. Not the easiests to shave a dog with!

This is what Jazz looks like with her full coat.


This is from the very first time I shaved her. I don't go quite as short now though because her skin will sunburn. I know she looks pretty dumb, but she's so happy. And in about two weeks she looks much better! This year they did her head and legs as well. Much better not having to pull burrs and ticks off of her!



Found a pic from lasr year....legs are done in this one....