we're moving to hawaii soon and she sheds alot. i'm thinking that between the shedding and the heat/humidity in hawaii, maybe i should look into having her shaved? not completely, but just to think the hair out? any ideas or suggestions?
2007-07-10 06:08:33 · 9 answers · asked by samicrain 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
It's ok to shave her. The groomer will know how. You can shave anything with hair.
2007-07-10 06:13:53 · answer #1 · answered by mama woof 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋
A lot of people are under the misconception that shaving a dog down makes them cooler. Certain dogs: what they were bred to do: where they evolved from: Dogs pant to cool themselves and sweat thru their pads to cool themselves. When you take off all the hair you make them MORE vulnerable to the elements around them. For example..... If you shave down a Gr. Pyrenees, a white dog and leave (him,her) out in the sun with no shade , they will burn. I see a lot of pom's, and chows that get shaved down in the summer and they end up with very bad skin conditions. Labs DO shed alot, but they were bred as retrievers, to go in the water. I would teach the dog what she was bred for and if she wants to cool off in the water, Hawaii should be a great place. Make no misjudgment of what I say. A LOT of people shave down their labs, but I don't feel that it's for comfort of their dog, but for the shedding problems. In conclusion, u know your dog, and her activity level and what not. Just a suggestion. Hope I helped. Good luck and have a great time in Hawaii!! :)
2007-07-10 13:25:59 · answer #2 · answered by Lisa C 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No, instead she needs to be given a good grooming to thin the hair out and remove the old dead coat. If you shave her, she'll just shed shorter hairs.
A good groomer can do it, if they know their job you will see a big difference in the amount of shedding.
Otherwise you can try it yourself. First give her a nice, very warm bath. I use a Zoom Groom to scrub the dog and loosen the hair.
Then a thorough brushing. I use a variety of tools, which ones I use depend on the dog's coat. Since your dog is a mix I can't say exactly which ones I would use on her, but options include a slicker brush, medium toothed comb, fine toothed comb, Coat King, shedding blade, undercoat rake, Zoom Groom, rubber curry, Furminator and stripping knife.
2007-07-10 13:28:24 · answer #3 · answered by DaBasset - BYBs kill dogs 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I know several ppl here in South Texas (similar weather to Hawaii) that have their labs clipped/shaved and the dogs seem to love it. Not a close shave like a schnauzer, but taking the entire coat down to 1/2 an inch or so...makes the dogs look very sleek and I know they are cooler! One thing to think about...a friend of mine shaved his lab one especially hot summer in So. New Mexico...and her hair grew back curly!
As for the shedding, you might try a different (read "better") dog food if you aren't already using one. I also had a vet recommend a teaspoon of flax seed oil on my Rottweiler's food to control shedding.
The single best way to control shedding is with regular grooming...brushing your dog daily removes most of the loose hairs and contains them in the brush (or in the immediate area...I have to vacuum the spot too).
One tip for dealing with the heat and humidity in Hawaii...my dog LOVES wading in the fish pond...it cools him off and works like a mini air conditioner...he wets himself down and lies in the shade. If you don't have a fish pond, a plastic kiddie pool is also nice for your dog...I used to put a cup of ice cubes in my dogs pool every morning to keep the water cool for him! He loved it and had no problems with 110 degree weather in New Mexico.
...and BTW, I'm sure you've done this, but if you haven't, make sure you investigate all the requirements related to importing pets in to Hawaii. A 5-day quarantine is required, but if you don't follow all the rules, your dog could spend the first three months in quarantine (Hawaii has NO rabies so they are VERY careful about letting pets in). Check out http://www.hawaii.gov/hdoa/ai/aqs/aqs-checklist-5.pdf for the requirements for the shorter quarantine period. For example, your dog MUST be micro chipped!
2007-07-10 13:29:12 · answer #4 · answered by KAL 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think once you move to Hawaii, you should wait a few weeks and see how your lab mix copes with the heat. Then you should recall how he has been behaving and base your choice on that.
Good Luck!
2007-07-10 13:18:32 · answer #5 · answered by ♥Steph♥ 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
We always shaved our lab during the summer and he seemed to feel a lot more comfortable afterwards. I think it would be a good idea.
2007-07-10 13:11:45 · answer #6 · answered by blue_girl 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If he is long coated then sure, it is very common and will help him stay cool. If he is short coated then no there is no reason to do it and may be uncomfortable for the dog.
And like you said don't shave him bald, just a buzz. We have to do it to my neighbors Husky cause the idiot like to sunbathe.
2007-07-10 13:11:02 · answer #7 · answered by chickey_soup 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
It really doesn't matter. If he is thick coated it acts as insulation anyways, and can keep him cool in the summer and warm in the winter. But there is no harm in shaving him though.
2007-07-10 13:14:14 · answer #8 · answered by dasvormund1 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Depends, if she has long fur then sure, but if she looks mostly like a lab, i wouldn't do it.
2007-07-10 13:13:11 · answer #9 · answered by KW 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋