# Whiskers or No Whiskers?



## Tagrenine (Aug 20, 2019)

our standard says that whiskers are preferred (AKC), but the dog has a cleaner head with them removed. I’m a novice so take my opinion with a grain of salt, but whiskers won’t be the reason a judge picks one dog over the other


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## ArkansasGold (Dec 7, 2017)

I take them off, but keep in mind that once you start taking them off, you pretty much always have to. They take forever to grow all the way back.


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## DevWind (Nov 7, 2016)

I took my dogs off for their CCAs. They have whiskers now for a couple of reasons. 

1. I’ve been super duper busy and whiskers aren’t high on my list of priorities.
2. I don’t mind them. 

I don’t feel like they detract from their looks at all. I’m not a weekly bather/groomer.


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## Aeacus (Sep 1, 2021)

Our pup also has whiskers, and long ones, both on his nose and at eyebrows. I've thought about cutting those since the ones at eyebrows are in different length but so far, haven't cut them. Also, whiskers are practical for dogs and cats, since with those, they can tell in the dark, if they are about to hit something. Cut whiskers off and it's more likely that dog is going to hit themselves.


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## ArkansasGold (Dec 7, 2017)

@Aeacus the OP was asking about show dogs specifically. That bit about the dark doesn’t actually matter for a house dog. They can see better than we can at night.

@Abeille I don’t take Rocket’s whiskers off, just Eevee’s. I took Rocket’s off once and my husband didn’t like it. Lol

To the OP, I said above that you pretty much always have to take them off once you start assuming the interval between shows is shorter than the time it takes for them to grow all the way back. Half-grown whiskers are not a good look in the show ring. 😆

The rule of thumb I was told by a very knowledgeable breeder is that you should definitely take them off a snipey muzzle because they draw attention to it. I would hazard a guess that 90%+ of show dogs have them taken off. It’s just kinda how it’s done for some reason.


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## goldielynn (Sep 5, 2020)

In BPUP, we left his whiskers on -- no high stakes in the game anyway, and he did very well in 4-6 months. When he graduated to 9-12 months, his handler took scissors to his whiskers and has since. I gotta say with his whiskers cut and his ears trimmed down, he looks like a way different dog. Good, but different... it's surprising how the littlest things completely change a dog's face.

I'm sure when we picked him up the first time, he was screaming: "momma, the lady took my whiskers!!"


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## DevWind (Nov 7, 2016)

ArkansasGold said:


> @Abeille I don’t take Rocket’s whiskers off, just Eevee’s. I took Rocket’s off once and my husband didn’t like it. Lol


I hated how they felt as they grew back. They both got a CCA and that was the end of it. Doesn't really matter for performance dogs anyway.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I think you can guess my answer from my “not just a dog” thread.

Takes 2 or 3 days to grow back.


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

I love the look of no whiskers for the show ring. For my dogs, they grow back quickly, and it’s routine for shows.


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## diane0905 (Aug 20, 2010)

Megora said:


> I think you can guess my answer from my “not just a dog” thread.
> 
> Takes 2 or 3 days to grow back.


Do they grow back the same as before?


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

diane0905 said:


> Do they grow back the same as before?


Long and poky? Yep.

*** This picture shows Jovi's whiskers which desperately need a trimming. Keep in mind whiskers typically "disappear" unless the lighting is just right. He's got crazy long ones over his eyebrows and under his chin. >.< Considering he likes snuggling his face against mine and my mom's - am looking forward to snipping those back. I use shears to trim them and he likes moving his head right when I go to snip (risking a bald spot on his face!), so it's not my favorite thing to do, otherwise, I'm sure I'd trim every week when he gets his baths....

And yes - I know it's quicker to use clippers with a guard on them so they just take off the whiskers and leave the hair alone no matter how the dog fidgets, but supposedly shaving their faces can make them go gray faster. Not sure I believe that, but have seen Irish setters that look like they are wearing a veil from having their heads clipped.... 










Oh - Glee's were trimmed a couple days ago and they are already popping out and growing as fast as they can.... >.< This is why people leave whiskers for the day before a show.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

ArkansasGold said:


> The rule of thumb I was told by a very knowledgeable breeder is that you should definitely take them off a snipey muzzle because they draw attention to it. I would hazard a guess that 90%+ of show dogs have them taken off. It’s just kinda how it’s done for some reason.


Goofy thing I heard from somebody years ago - she told me that whiskers can make a muzzle or head look broader, so she leaves them on. 

I just like how clean their heads look without the whiskers - have said before, but I come from horse shows and we would NEVER show a horse without taking the whiskers off - especially winter shows.


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## diane0905 (Aug 20, 2010)

Thanks. I love their long and poky whiskers 😅 -- and yes they look astray. I'd remove them if suggested for conformation, but I'd miss them until I got used to the look.


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## Jessjack (Aug 11, 2019)

Tagrenine said:


> our standard says that whiskers are preferred (AKC), but the dog has a cleaner head with them removed. I’m a novice so take my opinion with a grain of salt, but whiskers won’t be the reason a judge picks one dog over the other


I Think it is not necessary to trim whiskers to win. In fact, I think it is a terrible thing to do. Judges know the standard and should not penalize a dog with them.


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## ArkansasGold (Dec 7, 2017)

Jessjack said:


> I Think it is not necessary to trim whiskers to win. In fact, I think it is a terrible thing to do. Judges know the standard and should not penalize a dog with them.


What makes it terrible? It’s not like we pluck them. They are just trimmed down to be even with their fur.


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## DanaRuns (Sep 29, 2012)

This is something I've gone back and forth on for years. I believe in showing Goldens in their natural state ("hard working condition") and that includes whiskers. I like dogs who look like rugged sporting dogs, not foo-foo poodley fancy pampered poofs with monogrammed silk pillows who walk on rose petals.

But our handlers have always advocated for removing whiskers. And it does give a cleaner look. So I allow them to remove whiskers when our dogs are being shown, and then in periods when they are home I let them grow back. But my druthers would to be leave them on. It actually bothers me to remove them. So I try not to think about it. Thanks a lot for this thread.


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## Rion05 (Jan 4, 2016)

I have allowed them to be removed for showing, as I was told that this was needed to be taken seriously. Still, I am currently teaching and working on scent articles daily and I would think that whiskers are part of the whole sensory system (no, I am not suggesting they cannot smell without them, but I do think they have a sensory purpose) - so we only remove them if we have an AKC conformation show scheduled. I prefer them on and they DO take forever to grow back in. I really wish it didn't matter, but many handlers still believe that it does and will recommend removing them.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

I've done both. I think if I were showing every weekend I would probably trim them, it does look better. I don't show every weekend though, and would rather just leave them. My two dogs now (eight & five years old) have never had them trimmed. They are both owner-handled, Best in Specialty winning Grand Champions. It doesn't make a hill of beans worth of difference to ANY JUDGE. They won't notice one way or another, trust me, much less prefer or penalize a dog for it.
A lot of people think I am a flag-waving proponent of leaving whiskers, but honestly I Don't Care. It makes no difference to me at all. I don't think it affects the dog OR judging one way or the other.


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## ArkansasGold (Dec 7, 2017)

K9-Design said:


> flag-waving proponent of leaving whiskers


😂😂😂 This really made me laugh out loud. 

Whiskers are always the last thing on my list of things to groom. About half the time I'm just about to let her down of the table and only then remember to take them off.


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## ChrisFromOC (Sep 19, 2018)

My response is pretty much the same as Dana’s. In fact when we are not showing but Ziggy gets groomed I always go out of my way to remind them to keep his whiskers, as I really like them.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

With and Without....  

Little man can give me all face snuggles he wants, no scratchy whiskers.


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