Double Coated Dogs

We Do not clip double coated dogs.

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Le Shaggy Chic is taking a stand and will no longer provide any service that is not in a dog’s best interest.

For this reason, moving forward, we will ONLY agree to clip a double coated dogs if there is a valid medical reason.

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Why?

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Once the warm weather comes, we often get asked about shaving double coated dogs (like Golden Retrievers, Huskies, Collies, Shelties, Shepherds, Pomeranians, etc) thinking it will help keep them cool. This is NOT TRUE!

Double coated dogs have 2 types of fur – a soft undercoat, and tougher guard hairs.

The undercoat keeps the dog warm in winter and cool in summer. The undercoat actually acts as insulation against heat – think of it like the insulation in your house roof in the summertime! It keeps the cool air against the skin, and the hot hair away from the skin, and prevents overheating. This fur is what sheds and some owners find a nuisance, however, shaving the dog doesn’t stop the shedding – the dog will still shed, but the hairs still be shorter and more blunt, which can make them stick into your clothes and furniture more!

The guard hairs do not shed and protect the dog’s skin from harmful UV rays. A dog has only 6-10 layers of skin, whereas humans have 16-20, so dogs sunburn much more easily.

Double coated dogs need both layers of fur to keep them cool. Unlike humans, dogs do not sweat through their skin – they pant to keep themselves cool and need that fur to protect them.

● Shaving a double coated dog can permanently damage the fur (it will grow back too                 coarse  or too fluffy, thin and/or patchy and in some cases not grow back at all))

● Shaving a double coated dog increases the risk of overheating, sunburn, and skin cancer

● Shaving a double coated dog does not decrease shedding

● Shaving a double coated dog does not help with your allergies

● Shaving a double coated dog reduces protection against biting insects.

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The best thing to keep your double coated dog cool in the warm weather and is regular grooming to de-shed the undercoat so the fur can act as an insulator. Brushing alone does not get all the undercoat out. Bathing promotes shedding so it goes hand-in-hand with brushing

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