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Shave or not to Shave

Kimmisue

Kimmisue

Well-known member
I just Shaved my guys to help them with against the heat and they seem very comfortable ... but was almost assulted by a 4-H leader on how wrong I was to do it and the coat insulates the dogs against heat also.

What do you guys think? Honey hasn't panted since her hair cut and seems very happy.
 
I personally would not shave my dogs. However, if your dogs are more comfortable then shaving them is what works for you! ;)
 
I don't have Bailey shaved but I do have him cut in a long puppy cut. I have a wonderful groomer now who listens to what I say. I only have to do this once at the beginning of he hottest part of the year (they go in this Thursday) because as he is a blenheim he doesn't seem to get as hot as Max did (he was a tri with black being predominate). I had to have Max cut at east twice during the season. I remember my old groomer cut Max so short one time he looked like a shorn sheep. I almost had a heart attack :eek: and never took them back. I even have my golden, Mollie, trimmed up a little, mostly her tummy, feet and feathers.

I do this because we don't have air conditioning and it gets so hot and humid in our part of Ohio.

DeeDee
mom to Bailey and Mollie
 
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We shave ours during the hot months, I just did it this past week. I actually think they look cuter this way, more like puppies, and you can see the freckles on my tri now too. I trim up the ear length when I do it, but don't shave the ears or tail. I also noticed that after the last time we shaved Indy, her usually wiry hair grew in much softer than it had been previously. But I agree, they seem to get less hot and cool down faster after activity. :)

Here are shots of ours after their first time shaved. I did the tails that time, but it was so much work, not worth it, and no benefit to it really.
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I personally wound`nt shave my boy but I can understand why some people do after seeing how thick a coat some cavaliers have, my boy has a fairly short coat so it has`nt been necessary, I think you just have to do what you feel is right for your dog.
 
Gabby had her first grooming session a few weeks ago, her fur was so thick and pretty longish she looked like a bear, Jasper usually gets groomed twice a year he has had one already and due another soon. They get shaved, although their feathers and skirt only gets a trim, they get a good sanitary trim and I state only a little off the length of their ears. I do it mainly for the heat so they are more comfortable.
 
Only my personal opinion, but if the standard says don't trim, then why trim? a cavalier's personality is built up of all its attributes such as its hair - take that away and you take away thier personality?

of course if you are in a really hot country the it does make sense, otherwise why not buy a shorthaired breed? if you don't want the hassle......

My two have full coats, and just grooming them everyday/other day proves no issue that results in not even considering having to shave them....

Sorry, but I just think if you have to shave then you have the wrong breed to meet your lifestyle (unless you live in a hot country)
 
Thank you for all the advise... To the person who said I had the wrong breed .. I don't think so . The heat index today is supposed to be 100. My guys are groomed daily and go to the groomer monthly also the decision had nothing to do with that.

My guys are comfortable so I believe my decision was correct for them.


Thank you again
 
Kimmisue said:
To the person who said I had the wrong breed .. I don't think so .
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As per my post - its my personal opinion, and your original post was asking opinion

Kimmisue said:
My guys are comfortable so I believe my decision was correct for them.
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You are quite correct when you detail the heat you deal with - this was not detailed in your first post:-?

I'm sorry if I have offended you in anyway - but living in a country that doesn't get much in the way of sun you tend to think about them getting cold rather than too hot :p
 
merlinsmum said:
Only my personal opinion, but if the standard says don't trim, then why trim? a cavalier's personality is built up of all its attributes such as its hair - take that away and you take away thier personality?

of course if you are in a really hot country the it does make sense, otherwise why not buy a shorthaired breed? if you don't want the hassle......

My two have full coats, and just grooming them everyday/other day proves no issue that results in not even considering having to shave them....

Sorry, but I just think if you have to shave then you have the wrong breed to meet your lifestyle (unless you live in a hot country)
Click to expand...


I have to agree, I would never shave mine, but each to thier own.

I just trim paws and bottom area and groom everyday day. mine have never even had their coats cut.

I do live in a milder climate,but when it is very warm I keep them where it is coolest and out of the direct sun.

Maybe if I lived in a country where it is really hot I would be different..but I really don't like the look of a shaved cavalier as it doesn't even look like a cavalier. Just my opinion though:)
 
Heat index here was 110 :eek: yesterday. My cure for keeping the dogs cool when it's hot outside? Air conditioning! :rolleyes: Seriously, though, in this weather NO breed would be comfortable whether they have hair or not.
 
Okay, I may be trying to defend the indefensible but here goes :D
a pic of Jasper days after the event
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Pic of him a couple of weeks later
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This one of him is up to 6/7 weeks after his groom, taken on hols on end of May and obviously it as grown more.
3657234846_db2b19d734.jpg


Here's one of Gabby taken weeks before her groom
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Soz I haven't got a 'now' pic because the day she went to the groomers, Jasper was in the vets having xrays, his results were not good, and he's been poorly, so pics have taken a bit of a back seat since, but her ears are the same, she has her feathers and skirt and a full tail.
Just to say I follow the same grooming routine with them, brushing, rinsing Jaspers underneath daily :). I use K9 shampoo and Aussie leave in conditioner for their ears (occasionally). They always have their full coats for the colder months and through winter, always getting wet and mucky which they love, though not the baths and extra grooming (off me) afterwards :badgrin:.
 
sorry Archie is only being trimmed.I dont mind seeing cavs shaved,but after Alfs was done his coat never grew nicely again,it was like cotton wool,it was dreadful.
 
I don't think there's any right or wrong when it comes to how we "style" our cavaliers. Most of them are pets, not show dogs, so styling is a matter of personal preference!

Jasper and Gabby are precious! :lotsaluv::lotsaluv:
 
I'm in Ohio too with a tricolor and he is so much more comfortable being shaved in the summer months. I don't think it takes away from their personality or looks at all. As another poster said, they do tend to look more puppyish. I'd like to put a full fur coat on the 4H trainer in the summer and see how s/he feels.

It's just a hair cut, as long as your dog is a pet and not show dog, then whatever makes you both happy :)
 
I think Reggie looks just like he did as a puppy :)
Honey not so much ...


Thanks guys and all the photos are wonderful!!
 
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