2007-11-15 13:33:58 · 11 answers · asked by roxie 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Yes, but don't cut them off again (trimming is OK).. dogs need them!
ADD: Dogs need their whiskers to tell how close they are to something. Whiskers are an important hunting and orientation tool for dogs (dogs are highly sensitive to air currents and vibrations). Also, whiskers are also equated with our eyelashes where they send a message to the brain and we automatically close our eyes when something gets near our eyes. So, yes... dogs DO need their whiskers! Careful with your answers people!
2007-11-15 13:36:22 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 13⤊ 7⤋
Dog whiskers grow back, but dogs DO need them to feel their way around places. If you don't believe me, look at a visually-impaired dog who has had his whiskers cut off. He will be crashing into things and running into every other wall. Or, look at how a dog with whiskers and a dog without whiskers behave in the dark. The dog with cut whiskers will not be crashing into things all the time, but he will be acting more unsure than the dog with whiskers intact. They aren't just long hairs - touch the end of your dog's whiskers and he will turn his head in the other direction. This shows that there are touch receptor cells at the root of the whiskers that are much more sensitive than the touch receptor cells on the rest of his body.
These whiskers are called vibrissae and it has been scientifically proven that each individual vibrissa to a specific location in the dog's brain. Why on earth would they be there if they didn't serve a useful function?
2007-11-15 14:11:46 · answer #2 · answered by ninjaaa! 5 · 3⤊ 5⤋
Arial is right.
Shih-Tzu dogs get their whiskers cut all the time. They grow back faster than the hair does. Professional groomers know it is fine to cut whiskers on dogs.
It is cats' that you can't cut off, they will not be able to walk properly without them.
Dogs breeds that don't need a trim around the face should be left to keep their whiskers.
2007-11-15 13:55:53 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 7⤋
Yep...takes about 2 months...they grow slowly :)
2016-05-23 08:33:10 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yep, sure do.
and dont worry about cutting them. cats are different. if you notice on a cat, the whiskers are usually much longer than the hair around it. But with dogs, especially the furry ones, the whiskers are about the same length.
2007-11-15 13:43:35 · answer #5 · answered by ♥willow♥ 7 · 3⤊ 6⤋
Hmm.. not sure. You've been assigned the task of finding out for the rest of us. This is for science, man, so be diligent.
2007-11-15 13:37:11 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
yes
2007-11-15 14:05:15 · answer #7 · answered by Kit_kat 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
they sure do. my groomer always cuts my shih tzus whiskers when she trims her face and sure enough they are right back the next time she has to do it :)
dont listen to the ones who will tell you its cruel to cut them or it hurts or they use them for balance or feel. they are wrong, cats use their whiskers to know if they are trying to go in too narrow a place but dogs dont use theirs in that manner, it wont hurt them at all to cut them.
2007-11-15 13:37:51 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 7⤋
yes they do . it will take a while for them to grow back thoe
2007-11-15 13:37:45 · answer #9 · answered by Chelsie W 1 · 4⤊ 2⤋
Yes, i think it does...
2007-11-15 18:32:01 · answer #10 · answered by XZAN 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋