# Shaving fur off



## BELLA (Nov 13, 2006)

It has been really really hot here and Bella is miserable. I have considered having her shaved. Has anyone here done that?


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

You have been a member since '06 and haven't read the many posts about shaving? I don't mean that if a off putting way, just really surprised you would ask is all.

Shaving means down to the skin so a big no. Puppy or summer cut, sure. Just make darn sure the groomer knows without any doubt whatsoever exactly what you expect.

To answer your question, no I have not.


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## BELLA (Nov 13, 2006)

Nope I have never read any about shaving as I never thought about doing it before now. She has thicker fur and is older now so that's why Im asking.


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

:no: :no: :no:

No shaving, the coat helps insulate them from the heat as well as protecting them from sunburn. Dogs don't sweat through their skin like we do, so shaving the coat wouldn't help as much as we human think it would.

Someone posted a visual not too long ago on how the coat reflects the heat vs it being absorbed by the skin. If anyone kept it and could link it to this thread, it might explain it better.


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## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

Shaving no, a little shorter cut, I don't see anything wrong with that, I saw 2 goldens that have been shaved, not a pretty look.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Definitely brush out the dead undercoat regularly with a nice rake with long tines, but no need to actually shave.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I live on the NC Coast-it's very hot and humid here during the summer months, triple digit temps. . My girl has a very thick heavy coat, my boy doesn't. 

I trim her up during the summer, one of the main reasons I do is because I live a block off the Inter Coastal Waterway where I take them swimming a lot during the summer. She rolls in the sand almost as much as she is in the water. 

I trim her feathers, tail, stomach area, and around her neck. I use a rake on her at least twice a week. I also have thinning shears and have thinned out the really thick sections of her fur. 

It is *not recommended* you shave a Golden or any other long haired breed. Their fur actually keeps them cooler and protects them from the sun. 

Here is an article from Golden Retriever Rescue of Mid Florida-

Link to article:
Golden Retriever Rescue of Mid-Florida - Grooming Your Golden






> Some people mistakenly believe that shaving or severely clipping their golden is a wonderful way to keep the dog cool and comfortable in warm weather. What they don't realize is that they're actually putting the dog at greater risk of health problems like skin cancer. Here's why:
> A golden is a double-coat breed. Its coat is made up of two parts – the long and smooth outer coat, and the soft and fuzzy undercoat. These two layers work together to protect the skin from sun, heat, cold and moisture. The fur acts as an insulator against ALL weather conditions. Double coated breeds were meant to work outside in all kinds of weather, and removing that coat does not make them cooler, but compromises their body’s protection.
> Dogs do not release heat through their skin. They "sweat" through the pads and feet, and release heat via panting. Removing their coat does not make them cooler, but rather exposes more of the skin’s surface area to the sun and heat, making it more difficult to cool down. Furthermore, goldens were bred to retrieve water fowl, the golden's coat also acts as a water repellant and is designed so that dirt and debris is kept from the skin and brushes off easily.
> Some people think shaving their golden protect it against fleas and ticks, reduces shedding, and eliminate hot spots. Not true! The golden will still shed, fleas and ticks are better controlled with a spot-on preventive, and hot spots can be controlled with a premium diet and supplements.
> Simply put, there really isn’t a good reason to shave your golden. Instead of shaving away your golden’s natural protection, vigilantly guard your golden’s activity in the hot summer and follow the basic grooming steps below.


If you do a Search here on the forum about shaving a Golden, a list of threads will come up also.


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## Jessie'sGirl (Aug 30, 2010)

Jess recently met up with a porcupine. His long ruff protected his chest from a lot of quills that would have stuck into a shorter haired breed. 
As for sun, agree with others, their coat is a protection.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

I agree with 99% of that quoted section of Carolina Mom's post, but I'm not sure that "hot spots can be controlled with a premium diet and supplements." I don't think diet is the cause of most hot spots. Higher fat diets seem to help _some_ dogs with skin problems, but I don't think anybody whose dog has a hot spot should be concerned that their dog food isn't "premium."

I think it makes more sense to treat hot spots more as an issue of skin dampness and/or irritation rather than searching for dietary causes or solutions, at least as a first-line solution.

Carolina Mom - I know you weren't necessarily endorsing every idea in the quote, but I figured it could be helpful to provide a counterpoint to the dietary part of it.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I'm good with that Tippy, it's an important point that needs to be addressed. 

Thank you!


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## Goldengal9 (Apr 18, 2012)

I've never shaved any of our goldens over the years but could someone explain exactly what a puppy cut is?


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