Shave Cav's Fur?

As you may have heard, I will be going to Texas for the whole summer and was wondering if it would be a good idea to bring my Cavalier? I think I should shave his fur, or he may get too exhausted of the heat. Do you have photos of your cav after a shave, so I can see if it turns out good? :snap: Many people say shaving will ruin the fur, so I would love you advice and suggestions! If shaving will be a problem, I can always grab a sitter or ask my mother to sit! Thanks!



- ClevelandCavs

I never have - and we lived in Spain for almost 2 years, but this year we discovered she has SM and really progressed this year. She also is on a great deal of meds for it and has gained a weight as a result if the cortisone she seems especially uncomfortable in even moderate heat. I have been thinking of cutting her short myself as it is not even June and she is groomed every 3 - 4 weeks with a full epilation. I hate to even think of it but she does seem so uncomfortable lately.

Jen and Ilsa

Personally I hate the look but some can feel it works best for them. Generally breeders say it does ruin the coat -- contributes to it going permanently cottony and curly. Whether this is the case or not I don't know but this is a strong general opinion from just about everyone who shows it seems.

Why would you need to shave a dog though, just to go to Texas? Lots of show breeders and pet owners of cavaliers live there and have full-coated dogs. Given that this is an indoor breed and wouldn;t be left outside in the heat -- and that careful dog ownership would mean not overexercising any animal on a hot day, and providing adequate water in hot weather -- coat length should make no difference.

When I was young we had a Great Pyrenees in California's central valley with summers routinely in the 80s-100s and never would have considered shaving her. She was perfectly happy with shade, water, and a retreat into the house. Just normal good dog care in hot weather.

Thankyou Karlin for the info.... I guess that will be my excuse for staying inside!

I have read on veterinarian websites that a dog's coat actually helps cool the dog. Usually they advise against shaving.

My tri color and black & tan cavaliers can't stay in the sun for very long due to their dark coats absorbing the heat. They prefer air conditioning when it's hot outside.

Hi, we live in Dallas, TX and I never shave Dixie. She has a full, long coat. She would be hot, IF she stayed outside, but she never stays outside longer than a quick potty in the heat of the summer. She is usually on the coach pillows snoozing away in the air conditioning .

Cathy Moon said:

I have read on veterinarian websites that a dog's coat actually helps cool the dog. Usually they advise against shaving.

My tri color and black & tan cavaliers can't stay in the sun for very long due to their dark coats absorbing the heat. They prefer air conditioning when it's hot outside.

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Yes, this is what I have always learned. I heard it compared to the burnoose that bedouins wear in desert climates. You'd think that running around in a thong would be the way to go in that climate, but the truth is, the garments keep them cooler. I found where the science behind this was actually investigated. Bedouin robes are commonly black. That doesn't seem to make sense. A black robe feels warmer to the touch than a white robe does. Scientists were curious about bedouins wearing black robes since black cloth feels hotter when out in the sun, so they did an experiment. They had a man stand in the hot desert sun wearing a long, black Bedouin robe. Then he tried a long white one. The scientists made measurements.

The black robe absorbed 2-1/2 times more solar radiation than the white robe did. The surface of the black robe was up to 6 degrees C (11 degrees F.) hotter than the surface of the white robe but the temperature of the man's skin was the same whether he wore the black or the white burnoose. The man claimed he felt cooler in the black. The warm air trapped beneath the black robe rises faster than the air beneath the white robe. The movement of the warm air draws cooler air up from the bottom of the robe and pushes it out the top. It turns out that the loose-fitting burnoose is like wearing a mini-air-conditioning system.

Our rough coat collie, Lad keeps his full coat all year round (he does shed his undercoat) and does fine. We live in Georgia where we routinely have days at or over 100 degrees in the summer, too. He actually enjoys being outside.

I've lived in Texas, and just moved back recently. Unless he needs to have his coat trimmed for medical reasons I see no need to do it. I would recommend however freezing 2 Ltr. bottles (coke, DP, Sprite) with water so that on really hot days when the house can't seem to cool down s/he can lay down next to the cooling sensation of the cold bottle.

I shave my one of my Cavs coats in the Summer (I'm in Ireland - we are famous for our sweltering heat! icon_whistling ) because I find she is much more active and happier when we do. She's a tri, with quite a lot of black, and we had an incident of her collapsing while on a long walk on a hot day during the Summer a while back so now we shave her. Her coat texture has remained the same (she has always had a very dense, fluffy coat) when it grows bck in for the winter. Whe she is first done it does look a bit extreme but after a few weeks it looks fine.

Mine is a tri and prefers to be shaved in the summer, but I'm definitely an outdoor person and we spend many a day out and about.



The only uploaded pic I could currently find, sorry. I do him myself, so I always leave his feathers, tail and ears long. He's much more comfortable. Although I'm not a breeder, I don't think his coat changed because of it.

We shave our guy

Hi -

We have a tri and he gets shaved every summer. He prefers it that way and so do we. We live in Virginia and find him to be much happier when he is shaved! I had no idea that it was so taboo.

MishathePooh said:

Mine is a tri and prefers to be shaved in the summer, but I'm definitely an outdoor person and we spend many a day out and about.

The only uploaded pic I could currently find, sorry. I do him myself, so I always leave his feathers, tail and ears long. He's much more comfortable. Although I'm not a breeder, I don't think his coat changed because of it.

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I must say I love his house. Do you use it indoors? It looks perfect for outside in summer. And he has beautiful long ears.