I DID It! Bitsy's Summer Haircut

I know everyone says not shave a sheltie, but my first girl had really, really thick fur.

Like Layla, she was miserable in the summer, so we started shaving her and she was instantly a different dog. She had much more energy in the summer. Although, she did look ridiculous shaved...
 
I had my Beau cut like that(actually a little shorter) last summer, He didn't seem to mind, but when I first saw him I wasn't prepared,"Beau what did your momma do to you," Everyone said that when his hair was that short he looked like a mini Rhodesian ridge back.
 
Gosh, that is a lot of hair! Poor thing, that must have been so much. Here in Ireland, we have roughly one week of summer :rolleyes2: so its just not worth it. Though none of ours have that much coat in comparison. Ours just get sent indoors to cool down if they are in the sun too much.
 
Oh my! This is one bushy girl, for sure! And I can see why you would be tempted to clip her so close! But I'll be honest here, this would not have been my first choice.

In my experience, though, (and I'm only saying for my boys), when their guard hair is clipped back like that, it's taking months and months for it to grow back. In Bacca's case, his last bad haircut was over a year ago, and I'm still waiting for his guard hairs to grow back to cover his fuzzy butt. Maybe it's different for Bitsy and she'll just sprout a new coat tomororrw. But I would be hesitant to recommend this kind of grooming to your average sheltie. Just saying.

Indy has a super fuzzy undercoat, and I find the only thing to deal with it for him is watering him down and regular use of a rake. That seems to keep it under control (apart from finer grooming with slickers and pn brushes, etc.)
 
BarbV said:
Oh my! This is one bushy girl, for sure! And I can see why you would be tempted to clip her so close! But I'll be honest here, this would not have been my first choice.

In my experience, though, (and I'm only saying for my boys), when their guard hair is clipped back like that, it's taking months and months for it to grow back. In Bacca's case, his last bad haircut was over a year ago, and I'm still waiting for his guard hairs to grow back to cover his fuzzy butt. Maybe it's different for Bitsy and she'll just sprout a new coat tomororrw. But I would be hesitant to recommend this kind of grooming to your average sheltie. Just saying.

Indy has a super fuzzy undercoat, and I find the only thing to deal with it for him is watering him down and regular use of a rake. That seems to keep it under control (apart from finer grooming with slickers and pn brushes, etc.)
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You know, I used to think the same...than I was schooled by several long time breeder/judges who shave their crew down in the spring..I said doesnt it take ages for them to grow back?!?! They said they can shave in april and by oct they are back in the ring being shown...They told me they use a #3 blade on them and it leaves the coat long enough..they do everything including the ruff...Ive seen pics of their dogs and yup grows right back in easy peasy..and the dogs who carry a heavy coat get some relief in the heat and their coat is still long enough to protect them from the sun.

I think someone like Chris who knows what shes doing and not shaving her down with a #10 blade like some uneducated owner...
 
I've never held a razor, so I can't comment on the size that might have been used. I only know that my own dogs were razored beyond necessary and I'm still waiting for the guard hair to go back.

I don't question that Chris knows what she's doing.

But I just want to make sure that folk who don't know, go out there have their dogs shaved for summer as a result of this thread. For must dogs, its unnecessary. The Sheltie fur guards them against the elements - sun and rain. Regular grooming is all that should be required. And if the weather is really hot and your pups are outside, a little hose down from time to time.
 
She looks very proud of her new hair cut. Glad it seems to be making her more comfortable, her coat does look very thick.

I'll definitely remember to look back to this thread should I ever consider shaving one of my pack. Good to know shaving can be done without completely destroying the coat. :smile2:
 
i use a #4 on Sugar. her hair grows back fast.
i do trim Tessa's tummy fur, as it drags on the ground, and she loves to play in mud and roll down hills in the rain.........:gaah
 
Lightplum said:
You know, I used to think the same...than I was schooled by several long time breeder/judges who shave their crew down in the spring..I said doesnt it take ages for them to grow back?!?! They said they can shave in april and by oct they are back in the ring being shown...They told me they use a #3 blade on them and it leaves the coat long enough..they do everything including the ruff...Ive seen pics of their dogs and yup grows right back in easy peasy..and the dogs who carry a heavy coat get some relief in the heat and their coat is still long enough to protect them from the sun.

I think someone like Chris who knows what shes doing and not shaving her down with a #10 blade like some uneducated owner...
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Can you send some of that hair gene here? Still waiting for DIva to resprout hair.:lol:

Though now that I have Birch, who is my first full conformation line sheltie in my house, I can tell you at almost 8 months his fur is the thickest of all my dogs just not the longest yet. Jamie's coat is ridiculously heavy and he is not yet 2yrs(soon). I can imagine how heavy there adult coats are going to be.
 
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