Do I HAVE to shave my Sheepie in the summer?
 ... well, I let Charlie's hair grow since 3!!! years and it grows very slowy! I DO want Charlie's hair to grow that it would look like a showdog from Crufts, I still want it longer. Some people already harrasing me that I've GOT to shave my dogs hair off because they sweat, even if they dont know what kind of breed is, but THEY know everything bout my dog!! mmhhh??? I'm not leaving the house with Charlie in the summer at lunchtime but DO i really GOT the shave her off? If so, I would NEVER ever have long hair again as in 5 month until winter it would be still short and I had more problems to groom her when they were shorter than now! ... and ofcourse the whole dog looks different, I just love the Old English with the normal long hair as the breed is. Sometimes I think it's an "IN" thing to shave your sheepie as I've never seen a shaved Bearded Collie, shaved Pyrenean Mountain Dog, shaved Newfoundland (and they def got more hair than a Sheepie!), shave poodles etc. etc. If the Sheepies cant stand the summer than every dog here, every kind of breed needs to be shaven off!! ?? I believe every dog is born like they are and shouldnt be changed. here are some pics of Charlie's coat: (I'm not sure how to cut the teddybear coat as nobody ever showed me and this would be my dream if it would be shorter, her bum stands out too much I think, from the side, and I dont know how to put it right. Also when I brush her, 10 min. later she looks like as she wasnt, why is that????)     I would love to have Charlie looking like that:  |
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| Well there are a LOT of show dogs in tx ...and it's brutal here in the summer, and many of them don't shave their coats. I don't shave mine either. |
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ~~~I would love Heart to look like that too!!!!!I am no expert. Just a person owned by my sheepies,  BUT I keep both Pearl and Heart mostly fullcoated all year 'round. I do have a great groomer to even them out in the spring and at the end of summer.This is her first evening out""""" BEFORE::::  AFTER::::::  IMO~~~~~This is YOUR dog and IF you want to keep her fullcoated, and she is not outside during the heat of the day, if she handles the heat well..... then DO IT!!!!! BTW...I just love her!! She is beautiful!!!!!  |
| I live in Florida which is the tropics and I keep Violet in full coat. My Aussies also have thick coats and I would never think of shaving them. All three will go outside on the hottest days and lay out in the sun. They will come in with their coats too hot to touch. They have a doggy door so they come and go as they please, so they are'nt being left outside by design. One of my Aussies,Asia, has a black coat as well. The only thing I used to do with Violet when she was a pup is I would shave her belly, that was so I didn't have to deal with the matting there. Good luck. |
| If you keep her mat free a long coat shouldn't bother her in the summer. The air filters thru the coat that way. But if she is matted it will hold the heat. Just use commom sense. If it's hot & especially humid, let her stay inside with A/C or fans & plenty of fresh drinking water. My dogs are pretty sensible. There are times they prefer to stay in the kennel area because it is the lower level of the house & cooler, tile floors etc. Exercise is important but if it's too hot, missing exercise won't kill them for a day or 2. Right now I have 1 shaved down (he's 12 years old) & 2 in full coat (10 year old & a 5 year old). As for trimming......you need to experiment. Even up the wispies & her coat will look fuller. As for the rear, look at pictures & trim accordingingly. Remember, even if you make a mistake (which we ALL do) it will grow back! |
Hi Monika  the answer is NO! You do not HAVE to cut the hair in the summer. I get annoyed with people's comments too... but it's only hot here for a few weeks of the year. I don't take Ru out when it's hot (only in the mornings & evenings when it has cooled down) and I keep fans on in the same room as him so he can sit in front of it if he likes. I'm looking into getting an air con unit for the room I keep him in (well, one I can move from room to room) as well. Keep Charlie tangle free and she should be fine. I know people on here from REALLY hot places say it's fine, but remember they also have aircon in their houses which is unusual over here. As long as she has air circulation, plenty of water and shade she should be fine. Make sure you always have lots of water with you when you take her out  |
| It really should depend on the dog. Even with airconditioning Morgan would expire in the summer without short hair - he HATES the heat. Marley doesn't seem to care. |
| Monika, There is no absolute requirement to shave your Bobtail for summer weather. Each dog has his/her own heat tolerance level and you need to manage their heat exposure so as not to exceed what they can comfortably withstand. None of our Bobtails have been clipped because of summer heat and our summers are just as hot as yours as well as frequently being very humid. When temperatures exceed 25 degrees C I am very careful to ensure our dogs heat exposure is closely regulated. Main walks are in the early morning before it gets hot or late in the evening when it cools down. Our current house has central air conditioning, and our last one had 3 window air conditioners so everyone could be comfortable. Martin was the most sensitive to heat and would park himself either under an air conditoner in the old house or often went down to the cool basement in the current one for most of the day. He would "come out" when he felt the temperature had dropped and he was comfortable to do so. Virgil and Dawn both have a much higher temperature tolerance but even so I am very careful when they go out and how long they stay out during the heat of the day. While I don't leave water down all the time, I do make sure they have pelnty of chances for a drink and I frequently check them for comfort and responsiveness. As already mentioned the quality of grooming also plays a role in the dog's summer comfort. Well brushed coats free of mats enable the flow of air through them helping with convective cooling. If you don't show Charlie you can also strip the undercoat which will have a big affect on how hot he gets, albeit with an attendant loss of "body". Your call about how you want him to look and the measures you take to regulate his heat exposure. Finally, ignore those who "tell" you what to do with your dog. The fact that they are telling you he "sweats" categorically demonstrates that they are babbling on without any knowledge. (All dog breed's' primary cooling mechanism is panting and to my knowledge only Chinese Cresteds sweat as an additional cooling mechanism.) Charlie is YOUR child and short of preventing abuse how you raise and care for him is your business just as how you raise your two footed children is your business. Just pay attention to Charlie, he will let you know when he is too hot and when he needs time in a cool place. Ensure he has adequate exercise during the cooler times of the day and provide him with water and access to a cool refuge as and when he needs it. Good luck, Thanks and Cheers Carl |
I agree with everyone else, that you certainly don't "have" to shave your dog. I do have one different thing to point out though, and that is that if you did shave your dog, you would just get a different set of busybodies criticizing you.  I get it all the time, with my shaved down or puppy-cut sheepies. People come up to me and say that I'm cruel for "humiliating" my dogs, for "blinding" them with the sun, causing sunburn (I use sunscreen on Abby's nose...the only area that has ever burned), etc, etc. The reasons I shave ours have more to do with lifestyle than heat. Our summers are largely spent traveling and outdoors and its easier to layer on sweaters if it gets cold, than to try and rig up fans if it gets hot while camping out People will be be jerks no matter what...so do what works best for you and your dog! |
| Laurel made a good point. I've been told I should shave Tiggy or she'll be too hot. I've also been told I shouldnt put a top knot in her hair as its humiliating for her  they look shocked when I tell them she cant see without it, also I shouldnt put her hair up or she'll go blind Just the other day someone told me that and insisted it was true because when they were a kid their friends sheepdog did. I told them about progressive retinal atrophy but I dont think they believed me. I've also been told off about not putting sunscreen on her nose, we are NEVER out in the middle of the day in summer so she's NEVER been sunburnt. Tiggy doesnt like the heat so she stays inside with the air con on days that are 30 to 40 degrees celsius. Then its never hotter in the house than 25 degrees and we only walk early in the mornings on hot days. If Charlie is ok with the heat then you dont have to shave her. |
| I mostly get people (ok, my parents ) who make comments saying I shouldn't shave the dogs.... sigh... you can't win em all. Just do what you want, if your dog's coat is mat free and isn't out all day in the heat then don't worry about what anyone says. Chances are they don't have a clue anyway.... |
| We live in a hot climate in summer exceeding 40C's at times, never clipped off mine and also people forget too, the coat acts like insulation, think of sheep in a paddock, there fleeces insulates them in All weather. You dont see farmers going around saying Ooooh weather is stifling today lets shear the sheep. So tell the people Charlie is part sheep LOL. It's just common sense with any dog in hot weather wether with long coats or short coats, even a clipped off sheepie you would not leave them out in the heat of the day or walk them at that time. Mine are walked or play in the cooler parts of the morning or later when the sun and heat is not so strong and hot. Ignorant people annoy the hell out of me with comments they make especially when you do with charlie put a lot of work into keeping your sheepie in coat and you start getting comments like that in warmer weather. As Carl said just make sure she is well groomed through in the hotter months and the air will flow through the coat and keep her in under a fan if you dont have Aircon for the hottest part of the day. Preferrably on tiles or lino I use to do that before air con and if it was exceedingly hot I use to damp a towel the dog would lay on that on a tiled floor with a fan on and that worked well too, to keep them compfy prior to air con days. |
| Thanx all for your great comments and thoughts!!! Glad your thinking like me as I dont want to clip Charlie off, I will keep her hair long and now I've got some more ideas what to say if somebody talks to me again! .... like the coat acts like an insulation, the wind will blow through her hair and keeps her cool etc. etc. I also believe she would be sunburned if I cut her hair short! ... and oh yeah... Charlie is part of a sheep!!! lol  Yesterday I've found a lady on Facebook who shows Old English and also breeds them in Austria. She invited me and Charlie to come to Austria. (4hrs by car!) So I can have a look on how she grooms her Sheepies and she will also show me how to groom Charlie looking like a show dog! I might be on the right track now!  |
| Monika - I love your trip to Austria idea. It will give you lots of help for grooming and trimming Charlie. Plus, it will be a beautiful drive and trip down there. I know I learn different things from different people in regard to trimming, brushing and grooming in general. There certainly is no limit to the ways the hair can be worked with |
| Monika... When the family and I get to Germany we will have to make plans to meet!! I would love for Baloo and Lily to meet Charlie! We keep Baloo and Lily in a shorter cut because I find it a lot easier to keep them clean and matt free since we spend soo much time outdoors in the warmer months - hiking, walking trails, camping etc. and shorter helps me look for things like ticks etc from being out on trails. [I do keep it longer in the winter months, but I wouldn't ever say they've been in full coat] Baloo is not one to like heat at all. I don't think he's got as much tolerance as some other sheepies. We keep a fan pointed towards the floor all the time in the warm weather and he will sit with it blowing on him all day long (even in the AC). He enjoys the fan blowing. I sometimes think they adapt to what they are used to.... Baloo is used to being shorter haired and sitting in the fan.. so as his hair gets longer he feels hotter & pants more. If he'd never had a cut I wonder if he'd be just as used to that as well?? We also keep a plastic kiddie pool in the yard so he can step in and cool off if he wants. He has this thing about getting his feet wet~ He LOVES IT. If he could stand in a puddle everyday I honestly think he would!! They get lots of water to drink, we don't go walking in the hottest part of the day, when we do trails they are usually cooler because of all the shade from the trees. Sometimes when we come off a trail to the car we are surprised how much warmer it feels than on the trail. I don't think you need to listen to others on shaving. It's up to you. You know your dog best and as long as Charlie's not over heating and has lots of water and maybe a fan on the hottest days-- I'm sure things will be fine. (Can't wait to get to Germany!) |
| Careful with the speed limits in Austria I am quite surprised you say people there hate dogs? When I was in Ramsau last year quite a lot of people seemed to have dogs and no one appeared dog intolerant, is this a City Vs Countryside type issue, with people living in appartments etc? My friends in Hannover certainly aren't allowed dogs or cats in their appartment. More to do with practicalities rater than hate though I thought. |
Archies Slave wrote: Careful with the speed limits in Austria I am quite surprised you say people there hate dogs? When I was in Ramsau last year quite a lot of people seemed to have dogs and no one appeared dog intolerant, is this a City Vs Countryside type issue, with people living in appartments etc? My friends in Hannover certainly aren't allowed dogs or cats in their appartment. More to do with practicalities rater than hate though I thought. It's not about practicalities here I think, it's more the reason that many people here seem not to like dogs anyway and are also afraid of them particular when they are "big" as Charlie and also here in Munich not many pick up their dog poo and just leave it really everywhere so people getting more "annoyed" and also hate dogs because nobody picks up their business. I was told from the beginning when we arrived here that I should watch Charlie because people put poison out in parks to kill dogs (you must hate dogs when you are soo cruel!). They lay out sausages picked with nails or other food filled with poison. Just weeks ago a dog got killed again by poison, so it is something I should watch out! I do suppose that people are friendlier towards dogs in the countryside cause when they leave their dog poo there, nobodys bothered cause its in the woods, fields etc. Last week a guy around 80/90 years old said to me while I was passing by with Charlie: "I hate dogs", then he said "Can I poison your dog?" ... I was quite shocked that somebody would say this to me and also someone at his age ...!!! |
his_armywife wrote: Monika... When the family and I get to Germany we will have to make plans to meet!! I would love for Baloo and Lily to meet Charlie! We keep Baloo and Lily in a shorter cut because I find it a lot easier to keep them clean and matt free since we spend soo much time outdoors in the warmer months - hiking, walking trails, camping etc. and shorter helps me look for things like ticks etc from being out on trails. [I do keep it longer in the winter months, but I wouldn't ever say they've been in full coat] Baloo is not one to like heat at all. I don't think he's got as much tolerance as some other sheepies. We keep a fan pointed towards the floor all the time in the warm weather and he will sit with it blowing on him all day long (even in the AC). He enjoys the fan blowing. I sometimes think they adapt to what they are used to.... Baloo is used to being shorter haired and sitting in the fan.. so as his hair gets longer he feels hotter & pants more. If he'd never had a cut I wonder if he'd be just as used to that as well?? We also keep a plastic kiddie pool in the yard so he can step in and cool off if he wants. He has this thing about getting his feet wet~ He LOVES IT. If he could stand in a puddle everyday I honestly think he would!! They get lots of water to drink, we don't go walking in the hottest part of the day, when we do trails they are usually cooler because of all the shade from the trees. Sometimes when we come off a trail to the car we are surprised how much warmer it feels than on the trail. I don't think you need to listen to others on shaving. It's up to you. You know your dog best and as long as Charlie's not over heating and has lots of water and maybe a fan on the hottest days-- I'm sure things will be fine. (Can't wait to get to Germany!) .... oh yeah defenitly we HAVE to meet up! what a great idea when you come over to Germany!! Any plans already where and when you are going? Do you fly with Baloo and Lily, are they both ok in the plane???I do think I will get a fan for the summer just in case it would be too hot inside. We luckily got a cold floor in the kitchen where she can lay down and also in "her" room!! I also found on friday an Old English Sheepdog Family here in Munich who breeds them and shows them at Crufts. I will meet up with them to get some grooming advice and for some walks too! They told me they used to have sunday walks with all the Sheepies in Munich but now there are not many Sheepies in Munich left, probably only 3!!! as people tend to have dogs who are "in" and Sheepies are not "in" ....   (the little dogs are "in", the ones with no coat to groom and the ones who need no walk and you can just put in your handbag! Silly !!!!) |
| hi steve here.. lizzie is just about 12 we live in va beach va .my wife is very smart and says to cut her fur. i know she is right, how far in the face...thanks...... itiswhatitissjb@aol.com |
| I hope you'll think about reporting people making such comments to the Police! That is pretty terrible |
Suggested reply for the next person who says something like that Monika: "Can I poison your dog?"..."Sure! Here, Ill let him bite you, I'm sure that will make him sick!"  Seriously...no matter how old somebody was, I think would have smacked him for a comment like that!  |
| I shave my dogs around late February. Wendel has no tolerance for heat. In fact, when his first owner had him, there was a scare that he came close to heat stroke from playing with the other dogs in the backyard. We have a lot of rain and mud from March through the flooding season in July. It's just more practical for my dogs and our lifestyle. Come winter, they have a nice coat growing out and will be fully coated by December. They are already on 1 1/2 inches of growth. |
Archies Slave wrote: I hope you'll think about reporting people making such comments to the Police! That is pretty terrible Yes I was thinking that if I would meet him again i will report him to police. It just didnt came to me straight away at that moment when he said this, I was soo shocked as you can imagine! |
ravenmoonart wrote: Suggested reply for the next person who says something like that Monika: "Can I poison your dog?"..."Sure! Here, Ill let him bite you, I'm sure that will make him sick!" Seriously...no matter how old somebody was, I think would have smacked him for a comment like that! Good idea!! If we should ever meet him again I will tell Charlie to bite him! I will remember his words for the next time! Maybe I should say "Can I poison you instead??" |
| I think to shave or not to shave depends on the dog. We grew up with three full coated OES in New Jersey; which a short, hot summer and a longer cold winter. I was determined to also have a full coated OES in Atlanta, Georgia. It doesn't get hotter here than New Jersey, it just stays hotter, longer. Even the humidity is about the same. Our first summer with the girls in full coat, Tonks passed out from heat exhaustion at the dog park. I was so terrified. I rushed her to the vet, determined that not permanent damage was done, then took her to the groomer for her shave. I now shave them at the first sign of heat, but only because they showed me, without questions, that they cannot handle the heat plus the coats. |
| I think you should do what you feel like. The only thing I was told by my breeder was that if I were to shave my OES I would have to keep shaving her. It has been hot in Kenora lately 25 the other day and I thought that she was not walking late at night because it was too hot but it turns out that she just likes her bedtime because we went today at lunch and it was just as hot and she wanted to run. Daina |
Dana wrote: I think you should do what you feel like. The only thing I was told by my breeder was that if I were to shave my OES I would have to keep shaving her. It has been hot in Kenora lately 25 the other day and I thought that she was not walking late at night because it was too hot but it turns out that she just likes her bedtime because we went today at lunch and it was just as hot and she wanted to run. Daina Why did your breeder say that, I wonder? The hair just grows back. It doesn't change or do anything weird. |
ButtersStotch wrote: Dana wrote: I think you should do what you feel like. The only thing I was told by my breeder was that if I were to shave my OES I would have to keep shaving her. It has been hot in Kenora lately 25 the other day and I thought that she was not walking late at night because it was too hot but it turns out that she just likes her bedtime because we went today at lunch and it was just as hot and she wanted to run. Daina Why did your breeder say that, I wonder? The hair just grows back. It doesn't change or do anything weird. It's true, the hair does grow incredibly fast. I shaved Asterisk and Wendel in late February and just measured their coat yesterday; we're already at 2 inches! |
| I wonder, what would be vet's opinion on the subject. My husband nags me that I should trim the dogs because they suffer in the hot weather and could finish with the heart attack. My neighbour's dog died one very hot summer day being inside, though I suspect they didn't give her enough water. At the same time, nobody trims South Russian Ovcharkas which is a breed from hot area. It is believed that the coat works like an insulatin for cold and heat. I guess dog's as well as we do get accostomed to the areas they live in. |
| Some dogs coats insulate against both warm and cold weather. But I believe those are dogs with fur and not hair, like sheepdogs have. I'd be inclined to treat each breed separately, and then within the breed, each dog as an individual. |
| I agree 100%. My old girl liked it cool, but now she tends to sleep on my bed and uses her mattress which was completely ignored before. Two of my dogs, though being mother and son, have very different coat type and it shows when it is too hot or too cold. |
| Instead of shaving them all the way down you might want to try thinning their hair. In Ca it gets pretty hot, so I bought a pair of thinning shears (the kind with teeth) from the beauty supply and trimmed Maxine all over. I took a ton of hair off her body but kept the length. The thinning shears are very forgiving too which is even better. I'm hoping it keeps her a little cooler for the summer. |
I have two sheepies and we live in AZ and my two cents is yes if it is something your ok with:) We are nearing 110 degrees here and it is extremely hot!!! My boys were last shaved (#10 blades) in February and their coat grew about 2-3 inches maybe 4 and my boys Charley and Koda could not take it...they are both inside dogs and even just staying inside they are panting. At night it was even worse all I can hear is two dogs "heee....heee.....heee" all night! Needless to say, they would find their way to the bathroom tiled floor with water. I shaved them down myself and they look and feel soooooooooooooooo much comfortable! We have a very long summer so I always shave them down as short as I can - it would be your preference I know some owners don't prefer to have them shaved that short  |
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