Does a dog's coat protect them from extreme heat & cold?

Question

In other words- could shaving a dog's coat in the summer cause it
to be hotter than leaving the coat in place?

Answer 1

No matter what the temperature or weather conditions, dogs need adequate shelter and/or shade and lots of water. Most dog breeds do benefit from being shaved in the summer. I'm a dog groomer and have felt a dogs skin right after the hair has been shaved off and the skin was very hot. After a while the skin cools down and the dog's panting slows down. That tells me that they are cooling down. Double coated dogs should not be shaved because the hair acts as a heater in the winter but also as a coolant in the summer. One thing to be careful of if having a dog shaved is to not shave the hair too short. That could expose the skin and the dog could get sunburned.

Answer 2

Don't shave the dog's coat too short, because the natural coat protects the skin from sunburns. Dogs can only perspire by panting. I leave the air conditioning on 75 degrees F for my Yorkie when I go to work.

Answer 3

Unlike people, dogs cannot sweat out of any pores but their noses and their pads(paws), so the heat is not good for them. They fare better in the winter with their coats, but that doesn't mean they can survive outside without freezing solid.
Be kind and keep your pet indoors during periods of extreme heat and cold. This will add years to your dog's life.

Answer 4

if your dog is outside alot in the winter dont shave his coat in late summer because it will need it for heat but if summer the dog is too hot and you have a good deal of time before winter shave the dogs coat so it will be cooler.

Answer 5

Look at the area from which your dog comes. What is that breed's natural environment? Which country does it originally come from? We can see that huskies come from Antarctica, so they have immense coats and should only be kept in very cold countries. Find out what climate your dog is suited to and don't mess around with it by shaving it. Unless you have a husky in Arizona, that's a pretty stupid thing to do.

Answer 6

That is true for dogs that have a "double coat" - like a golden retriever or a chow.

However, I have a chow mix that has a very thick "double coat" and I cut his fur way back. It certainly improves his energy level during the summer.

Answer 7

you will notice that as the summer gets hotter the dog will shed more. this is its natural defence against heat exaustion. they also cant sweat too. so keeping the skin cool is important. yes you can shave the dog.

Answer 8

IT'S A DOG! How do you think dogs survive in the wild? Think about that before you ask.

Answer 9

depends on if your dog's coat is out to h-e-r-e---.

Ask your vet in the morn.