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Short Hair or Long Hair

silki

Member
All over the net I keep seeing different videos of Cavs and some look short haired others look long, is this a breeding thing or is it just the fact that they have been "trimmed" ??
 
Just like people some cavalier are hairier than others. Show cavalier's are never cut (at least that's what they say) most people who have non show cavaliers usually do so sort of cutting if they choose. All cavaliers have long hair, grooming is a big part of owning one. Fletcher is just a puppy so his has not grown in all the way yet, however because he will allows need to be groomed I brush him everyday. Personally, I am hoping to let his hair be longer...but I know I will trim his slippers (hair on his feet) and potty area. But we'll just see how it goes....if it gets to the point I can't manage it I will seek the advice of a professional groomer.

Melissa
 
Like MomObvious said, they come with different coats. But a great many people trim their pets. I used to trim mine in the spring when she started blowing her coat. This year I didn't because I was having fun with grooming her. There are certain places where Cavs get matted easily--behind the ears for example--and those places are nice to keep trimmed. But it's really the owner's choice.
 
Hi

Your choice but I prefer my girls to look like Cavaliers but then again in our summer it is not as hot and humid as midwest US ,they
do go to the groomers once every 8-10 weeks but only for a tidy up .

This is Xmas 2011 left to right Poppy ,Rosie ,Daisy and Lily


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I've noticed just lately that our Wrigley's hair is getting thicker & longer the older he is getting.
( He just turned 8 mo'.s)
Like everyone else has said..think it just varies w/ the dog like it does us humans. Some are hairy-r than others.
I just keep him brushed ...which he doesn't seem to mind.
 
Your choice but I prefer my girls to look like Cavaliers...

I know nobody means it this way, but I find this line of thinking very hurtful. It can feel (at least to me) that you're implying trimmed/shaved Cavaliers do not look like Cavs, are less Cav somehow. I have almost always left Misha's fur long (except shaving his back in summer's heat), but last year trimmed his ears and feathers so he wouldn't step on them and hurt himself due to worsening arthritis. I assure you, he still looks plenty Cavalier :)
 
we used to keep olivers hair medium length..then one day..mom got a phone call from the groomer...she was really up set.
"i accidently shaved him..im so sorry....he looks like a potatoe" ahahha im still laughign over it.
personally i didnt like this look on him..my mom however found him absolutly adorable.
oliver was clearly embarrased and upset..but then he got used to it..my mom usually kept it short after that..once in a while let it grow out..then shave it again
 
It really depends on what you like and what your dog is like!
My current cavalier, Kokoda has very short hair. He is 16 Months old and his hair is rather thin and therefore appears shorter than it is.
He looks like he has been trimmed because his hair lies flat along his body, and isn't fluffy. It is more smooth and sleek and doesn't shed!









I did trim his ears a while ago as in the summer he was swimming almost every day in the creek and i was worried about ear infections, so i trimmed his ears so they were lighter ans had more air flow. And an added bonus that It also kept them out of dirt and food!

I am a groomer so i did it myself, but i did trim my previous cav. He had very thick fluffy hair and being tricolour he got very hot in the summers.
He also got rashes on his belly if he got too hot and that was very uncomfortable for him.
So each summer i would shave him rather short but i left his ears tails and the feathers on his legs. Another added bonus is that he shedded slightly less and the hairs he did shed were shorter!






To those who say that it changes their coat if you shave them, it never changed his in 7 years of doing it.
each winter he would grow back to being fluffy :)



 
I have two cavaliers and their coats are completely different naturally in texture and length, my 12 years old has a much shorter coat and has never been trimmed and the texture is not quite so soft, whereas my 2 years old has a full blown coat, which I have had to get slightly trimmed in his private area around the rear, his feet and bib and along his sides as it is so long, he is shorter in the legs than my older dog so he gets really dirty. I love his coat but it`s hard work to keep nice, I don`t want him shaved up, but for certain reasons and it made his life more comfortable I know I would have to, my Groomer told me if he was shaved his coat would change in texture.
 
I trim Howard's ears, feet and feathers and he's every inch a Cavalier. I prefer him to look more "spaniel" than "toy". (Just my preference.) Most of the Cav's I've seen around aren't little fluffballs with ears dragging on the ground, so I can only assume they're trimmed slightly. I've never touched Howard's body fur, but it's quite sleek to the body so I have no reason to.

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The dogs well-being and happiness comes first.
It is my opinion that with older dogs in the summer they really do appreciate a short cut, my Ben who has the most beautiful coat was short cut last July for the first time and the difference in his activity and mood was very noticeable. He will be getting the same in a few weeks time.
I do not believe that long hair protects from heat as others sometimes say.
 
We trim slippers, potty area, and a bit off the feathers. He's very low to the ground and with the morning dew he's soaked through by his first potty. I haven't touched his ears, but I'm sure we will keep a puppy cut going.
 
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