If you own a long-haired dog or cat, you may have faced the summer haircut question before. To shave, or not to shave? Some veterinarians and groomers think a summer shave is a great idea; others think it isn’t so hot. (Pardon the pun!)
Why shave your dog or cat for the summer?
- Your pets will feel better without all that hair on hot summer days.
- Your pets may be less likely to have skin disease.
- The heat and humidity can cause long hair to tangle more frequently than dry, cooler weather.
- Long, thick coats pick up more dirt and debris.
- Long, thick coats provide more places for fleas and ticks to hide.
- Short coats require less grooming.
- Less fur on the pets usually means less fur on the furniture.
Why not shave your dog or cat for the summer?
- The undercoat acts as an insulator against hot and cold weather.
- The undercoat usually grows back faster than the outer coat, giving the fur a new (and not always desirable) texture.
- The coat may grow back very slowly.
- Your shaved pet is at risk for sunburn if hair is shaved very close to the skin.
- A shaved pet looks nothing like the animal you know and love.
Don’t laugh too hard at that last one… The very first summer my parents had their Chow-Chow mix, Becca, they had her shaved. My father hated how she looked so much that she has never been back to a groomer. She did look like a totally different animal — she went from puffy fuzzball to a short buzz with a strange, triangular shape to her head. It didn’t make her any less lovable… though I’m not sure it made her any less hot, either.