Which Dog Breeds Require a Summer Cut
Whether a dog should have a summer cut or not depends on its breed. If your pet has a trim it doesn’t need, you may end up disrupting its natural cooling system.
5-Minute Crafts would like to tell you about which breeds require a summer cut, and which do not.
Coat
The dog’s coat performs a few important functions. For example, it protects the animal’s skin. And it can only grow up to a certain length.
However, it’s not that simple. The dog’s coat consists of 2 types of hair: outer hair and an undercoat.
The outer hair is of an undetermined length and will grow until it’s cut. It is easy to see: it is a longer outer layer of fur which gives color to the entire coat.
The undercoat has a predetermined length, that is, it will grow to a certain length and stop. It consists of shorter and woolly hairs, it’s located under the long outer layer of fur, and it creates a pocket of air that helps maintain a comfortable body temperature for the dog.
There are approximately 9 general categories of dog coats:
- Smooth hair, like that of a Boxer
- Long hair, like that of a Shih Tzu
- Flat hair, like that of a Golden Retriever
- Curly hair, like that of a Poodle
- Hard hair, like the one of a Scottish terrier
- Corded hair, like that of a Puli or the Komondor
- Combination hair, like that of a Goldendoodle or other doodle dogs
- Hairless skin, like that of a Chinese crested
- A double coat, like that of a Labrador Retriever, German Shepherd, Siberian Husky, Samoyed, or Collie
Why a dog may need a trim
Fur protects a dog from different weather conditions, from cold to heat. And it also serves as a barrier to UV rays, protecting the pet’s skin. Therefore, you should never shave your 4-legged friend. Thermoregulation in dogs occurs with the help of the tongue, paw pads, and breathing, and the skin doesn’t participate in this process. Therefore, a shaved dog won’t feel cooler, but, on the contrary, the likelihood of overheating and other unpleasant consequences will increase.
To help your pet with a thick or double coat to endure the heat more easily, it’s better to give it a haircut that doesn’t affect the undercoat. But be sure to contact a professional groomer. This is important because cutting short any double-coated pet (and this is 80% of dogs) can cause irreversible damage to their coat.
You should also remember that short-haired dogs don’t require trimming.
As for dogs with long hair, experts recommend grooming them regularly, as the coat can become very matted. For example, in winter, due to wet rain and snow, mats can form, which no dog will enjoy.
Breeds that require a cut
Breeds that don’t require a cut
