Fasb's Owner
Forums Enthusiast
.. in general, I mean. I expect all dogs are a bit different.
I want to get my sheltie trimmed up for the summer. His coat's a bit heavy and he hasn't had a grooming for a while (he does get regular baths and brushings). I was planning to wait about three weeks, until mid-July, but I'm wondering if I should just call the groomer now and try to get in in a couple of days. I typically wait until mid-July and get the dogs trimmed up for July and August, but we're in the middle of a heat wave right now, so.... We seem to get hot weather a little earlier in my region these days.
A few particulars about the dog. I live in the mid-Atlantic. We usually only get really hot weather and humidity in July and August. June this year was quite comfortable. Fasb is a 10 year old male, about 29 pounds. He's mostly an indoor dog these days. We let him out in the morning before, say, 10 AM, and feed and exercise him around dusk or later. He spent more time outside when he was younger, but seemed to want to stay in more as he got older. My wife and I prefer that due to a few issues, and he seems fine.
He doesn't seem to be having problems with the heat, but I don't want to wait until he does. We do have A/C, but it still gets stuffy in parts of the house. The AC keeps the basement and lower levels very cool, but the top floor (bedrooms) and attic get stuffy and hot by late day. Wife doesn't mind heat and humidity, so we usually run the AC somewhat sparingly - from late morning to dark or so. House stats around 74 degrees.
Never really noticed Fasb dragging, panting excessively, tongue hanging out, etc. Only concession to temperature so far is he has been sleeping downstairs at night. He usually sleeps in our bedroom either by the window or in a chair at the foot of the bed. When it's warm, he sleeps downstairs on the tile, then comes up during the early AM hours when it cools off a bit.
A couple questions. I'm a little new to this.
1) If I have Fasb's groomed/trimmed now, how fast will it grow out. Mid-July through August tend to be hot and humid moreso than early July. I'd debating if it would be better to wait. We do get warm weather throughout September, thought it tends to be cooler overnight and such.
2) Besides panting, discoloration of tongue, dragging, etc., what are some of the other signs to watch for for heat. Want to make sure I don't miss anything.
3) Is it true shelties (dogs in general) don't shed in the summer until the get too warm. Fasb sheds very little in spring and early summer. Almost not at all. He used to shed in mid-July. Lately, it seems more like August.
Thanks. I've only had Fasb about a year, but we've been around him all my life. Previous owner was my sister-in-law.
I want to get my sheltie trimmed up for the summer. His coat's a bit heavy and he hasn't had a grooming for a while (he does get regular baths and brushings). I was planning to wait about three weeks, until mid-July, but I'm wondering if I should just call the groomer now and try to get in in a couple of days. I typically wait until mid-July and get the dogs trimmed up for July and August, but we're in the middle of a heat wave right now, so.... We seem to get hot weather a little earlier in my region these days.
A few particulars about the dog. I live in the mid-Atlantic. We usually only get really hot weather and humidity in July and August. June this year was quite comfortable. Fasb is a 10 year old male, about 29 pounds. He's mostly an indoor dog these days. We let him out in the morning before, say, 10 AM, and feed and exercise him around dusk or later. He spent more time outside when he was younger, but seemed to want to stay in more as he got older. My wife and I prefer that due to a few issues, and he seems fine.
He doesn't seem to be having problems with the heat, but I don't want to wait until he does. We do have A/C, but it still gets stuffy in parts of the house. The AC keeps the basement and lower levels very cool, but the top floor (bedrooms) and attic get stuffy and hot by late day. Wife doesn't mind heat and humidity, so we usually run the AC somewhat sparingly - from late morning to dark or so. House stats around 74 degrees.
Never really noticed Fasb dragging, panting excessively, tongue hanging out, etc. Only concession to temperature so far is he has been sleeping downstairs at night. He usually sleeps in our bedroom either by the window or in a chair at the foot of the bed. When it's warm, he sleeps downstairs on the tile, then comes up during the early AM hours when it cools off a bit.
A couple questions. I'm a little new to this.
1) If I have Fasb's groomed/trimmed now, how fast will it grow out. Mid-July through August tend to be hot and humid moreso than early July. I'd debating if it would be better to wait. We do get warm weather throughout September, thought it tends to be cooler overnight and such.
2) Besides panting, discoloration of tongue, dragging, etc., what are some of the other signs to watch for for heat. Want to make sure I don't miss anything.
3) Is it true shelties (dogs in general) don't shed in the summer until the get too warm. Fasb sheds very little in spring and early summer. Almost not at all. He used to shed in mid-July. Lately, it seems more like August.
Thanks. I've only had Fasb about a year, but we've been around him all my life. Previous owner was my sister-in-law.
