is it okay to shave a puppies whiskers?

Question

My friend has an 8 week old pit bull/hound puppie (half n half), he was wondering if it was okay to shave his whiskers? Will it detriment his health or well being in any way? What are the pros/cons? He is not and will not be a show dog, though he is ADORABLE and so well behaved, already. It's just an annoyance factor. The pup rubs against my friends face and his whiskers irritate it. Please advise. Facts preferred, not personal opinion. The dog is treated like a CHILD, I am all for animal rights, and I don't feel it to be a cruel act. Will this hurt the dog? Thanks.

wow, did i NOT ask for people to give me a hard time about this? Do you think I want myself or my friend to be cruel if i ASKED if it would hurt the dog. I asked as NOT to be cruel because i care about the well being of the animal and all animals, thank you very much. good lord, READ my words and remember im asking for advice, not your personal venting. Thanks to those who are not jumping down my throat. And for the record, we will not cut the whiskers. Pup is asleep, happily, on my lap. Thank you for enlightening us, as we DID NOT KNOW if it would or would not effect the dogs well being, and now we do, and obviously, will choose to keep them for it's well being.

Answer 1

Yes it will. A dog uses his whiskers for balance and sensory depth perception. He could end up knocking into things and feeling very disoriented and giddy without them. Not adviseable. Suggest using baby oil rubbed onto them to soften them instead !

Answer 2

Hi Emily, They have their whiskers for a reason. So why would anyone want to cut any animals whiskers off?? Besides that,they would look like something from the comic books without whiskers. Please leave your puppy alone,and STOP rubbing your face on the puppy. It's not the puppy fault,it's your fault. And No This Will Not Hurt The Puppy. A Friend.

Clowmy

Answer 3

The whiskers on dogs and cats are there for a purpose. This is the way the animals judge if a space is large enough for them to get through. If you shave off the whiskers the animal will have no spacial judgement. It is also not very pleasant for the animal as they start to grow in again. Leave well alone.

Answer 4

Whiskers alert a dog , when it's face get's close to something. Whiskers enable a dog to sense things around him/her, and assist the eyes and nose for detecting objects and smells. Cutting or shaving a dog's whiskers, can impair their ability to hunt and play. Dog's whiskers are attached, to nerve endings, like those of a cat. It's cruel and highly suggested that they are not messed with.

Answer 5

Got a Terrier, me too, I have Yorkies. A proliferation of body hair and the longer Whiskers, protect a Dog's eyes from branches or dirt when they are doing what Terriers were designed to do. Which is thrashing around in the bushes, chasing Squirrels, and generally being Terriers. I leave the Hair around my Yorkies eyes long, sorta look like Old English's do, and there's nothing wrong with it, they can see through it real good, so... If you've got a little Ruffian like mine are, leave it.

Answer 6

Don't shave off a dog's whiskers. Sure, the puppy might look cuter, but animals use their whiskers. Whiskers let animals know which way the wind is blowing, and they help them measure if they can fit into certain places.

Answer 7

Ohhh you don't feel that it to be a cruel act!? Well if the dog is treated like a child, would you pull a child's eyelashes out? Good Lord...

Your quote...'I am all for animal rights'...Mine from the ASPCA website...

We checked in with Dr. Lila Miller, the ASPCA’s Veterinary Advisor and Vice President, Veterinary Outreach, who gave her ruling on the matter. “A dog’s whiskers are sensory organs,” explains Dr. Miller. “They alert the dog to move his head away from an aversive stimulus, and operate as feelers to help the dog navigate in darkness.

Answer 8

I tweeze mine (dogs) once in a while, as I like the "natural look" like show dogs have. I tried shaving them off, and its hard not to shave some fur behind the hair, unless the hair is very long, and even then its still risky. Tweezing makes the hair stay gone longer, just like for humans. I just get the ones under their chin, and on the sides of their face. I leave the ones on and around the nose. My husband also gets a red rash type of skin irritation just as your friend does right after rubbing on my puppy. Dogs do use whiskers to help with their facial expressions, as they communicate with other dogs (like if the show their teeth, the whiskers move along with their lips curling) and other types of facial expressions. So thats why I leave the ones on the nose. And yes, it may hurt them... -plink- ow! (I can just feel it now as I'm typing) 2 Questions: Do you tweeze or shave? What was your first few times like? Answers: Same for dogs until they get use to it, and if you wish to continue to keep doing it. Its merely a choice, and if its going to enhance the quality time spent with your dog and make it less miserable for the both of you, then go for it.

Answer 9

don't shave the whiskers and what do you mean you are all for animal rights is a dogs life as valuable as a childs life.HELL NO! would you feed your child dog food off the floor.i love dogs as much as anyone should but they are not children.tell your friend to leave the dogs whiskers alone.

Answer 10

A dog's whiskers are sensative, a dog uses them to know where he can go through in close quarters. Leave the dog,s whiskers alone. DON'T BE CRUEL.