Recent Feedback
I have 2 dogs, one part-husky part border collie, the other part-husky, part german shepherd and they are 1 year old. With summer highs already in the 90s, my dogs are pretty miserable during the day. I've brushed them and removed much of their undercoat but their hair is still long. I've been told conflicting advice about trimming them. Some people say to trim their hair shorter and some that say don't trim their hair because it helps to insulate them against the heat.Should I trim their hair to make them more comfortable during the summer months as it is only going to get hotter?
Optional Information: Type of Animal: dog Pet's Gender: Female Pet's Age: 1 Name of Dog: Brownie & Pepper Already Tried: Brushed them. They weigh about 60 pounds.
Hello, actually what you have been told is correct. Their hair does protect them from the sun and the heat and I don't recommend trimming them.
Are they outdoors all the time?
If they are then be sure they have ample shade and plenty of fresh water. Try to keep them in a cooler environment during the hottest hours from 1pm-3pm if you can.
If they are indoors and only go outside for short periods of time then I wouldn't be too concerned about them getting overheated as long as they have the basics of shelter/shade and plenty of water.
On high heat index days it is always best to protect them from the elements altogether by keeping them indoors if at all possible.
Did I cover your question completely?
High heat index days are those days with very high humidity and extremely high heat like 90 or above. On those days it is even hard for us to keep cool with no hair at all. I know that they pant a lot the warmer the temperature is and this is their cooling mechanism as well as sweating from the paw pads. If they get too warm they will find a cooler shaded area to lay in. Water however is extremely important and since they are big dogs I would consider adding an extra bucket of water and refilling it a couple times throughout the day.
They are outdoors dogs. I do bring them in the house from noon to 4.
Excellent. Then they should do fine and I there really is no positive benefit to shaving them.
I didn't know if I could trim their hair to 1" or 2" or anything less.
Keeping their hair too short would leave them prone to the suns disadvantages like skin cancers as well.
It really wouldn't change things as much as you think. Can you shave them sure! But it won't necessarily keep them cooler if this is the only reason why you might be doing it.
Experience: 19+ years experience in small animal medicine
Hi,I'm just following up on our conversation about Brownie & Pepper. How is everything going?Theresa