How sheltie fur grows

[Gina]

Direction of cutting doesn't make a difference. Condition of the undercoat and length of the cut does.

With that being said, I have never seen a dog have baldness or short patches when being shaved with the grain of the coat. I have only seen this when dogs are shaved in reverse. So how does the direction of cutting not play any role in it?


And on the subject of terriers, I was referring to the terriers owned by pet owners, as most of them have never had their dog's stripped before and won't ever. Therefore they will always be soft and lighter colored. I don't know many terrier people who shave their dogs down to be stripped when it grows back. Depending on the dog, that could take a lot of work.

 

[k9kreationz]

Thanks for the hair lesson Dr. Shelli. It made a lot of sense and explains so much about how the fur grows back. Or at least it did to me.

 

[Lysette85]

Thanks Dr Shelli - that is really interesting, there is definately a noticeable difference between the areas that have undercoat and those that don't. Might have to invest in a short-hair brush so the undercoat doesn't take over the guard hairs.

Deska's still on rest for another 2 weeks. He's been better since i've cut back his activity again, he's not waking up in the morning and howling but he seems to have plateaued on his overall movement. He currently has a lovely collection of children's cardigans to wear (couldn't find any dog cuts with legs to cover his shaved ones) as he really feels the cold now. But I do look a bit like a crazy lady pushing a dog dressed in kids clothes around in a stroller!

Why did he have to be shaved? Surgery?

 

[Justicemom]

With that being said, I have never seen a dog have baldness or short patches when being shaved with the grain of the coat. I have only seen this when dogs are shaved in reverse. So how does the direction of cutting not play any role in it?
.

Because when you go with the grain you are not cut the hair as short. When you go against the grain the hair stands up and there is tension on the hair so the hair is cut shorter. A longer blade should prevent that.

 

[PamG]

Really interesting explanation. Thank you Dr. Shelli!

Pam and Sunny and Snow

 

[Gina]

Because when you go with the grain you are not cut the hair as short. When you go against the grain the hair stands up and there is tension on the hair so the hair is cut shorter. A longer blade should prevent that.

Right, whatever blade you use in reverse is two blades shorter than what you are using. But I'm saying equal length of hair were cut. For example, a #7F was used with the grain, and a #4F was used against the grain. Or a #10 was used with the grain, and a #7F was used against the grain. It was always the dog who was shaved in reverse that the patches/balding occurred. I don't typically shave dogs down, but I have before when I worked at certain shops. And in my experiences, the dogs who were shaved with the grain never had balding or patches, just the ones who were in reverse. Even with the same length of hair being cut.

 

[Caro]

Why did he have to be shaved? Surgery?

He had surgery on both elbows. The vet nurse who shaved him is a sheltie owner so she did at least try to minimise the cut, hate to see what he would have looked like otherwise!

 

[BarbV]

Thanks, Dr. Shelli

I probably made Bacca's butt worse but neglecting it - on purpose.

Because he had been so badly shaven, I let everything grow back including the butt hair....but that's the only thing that really grew back. The guard hair is taking its time.

If I read your thread correctly, I should have stayed on top of the undercoat and that would have helped the guard hair grow? yes???

How can I correct it now?

 

[Caro]

So here's the four month update from the shave.

We have reached the half way point. His shaved fur is between 5-6cm long - about 2.5"-3". The non-shaved part is about 10-12cm long, altho I did cut it back a bit so it didn't stand out as much. Another 4 months and he should look his normal sexy self. Can't wait to get that gorgeous full mane back.

He hasn't grown much undercoat in the fur growing back. For the first time Tully is actually shedding more than Deska this spring. But I wonder with the extra effort it takes to grow the fur his body is focusing on growing the essentials first.

 

[BarbV]

My groomer call this condition "fur funk".

It does beg the question....if I was have Bacca's butt reshaved and went on regime of daily grooming, would his guard hair finally grow back?