Bethers wrote:I probably just pissed off a new employee. All about dogs lol. I just can't keep my mouth shut. She asked why I don't shave Ty after she discovered he sheds. Shaving most dogs is a no-no. Not all, I agree, but if you don't know which is ok with, you don't do it. And if you don't know why it's bad, don't do it. And then don't tell me you do it for YOU.. Not for the dog because you don't want to deal with shedding. If you don't know, some breeds fur may or may not grow back and for most dogs, shaving them will make them hotter and even sunburn. Today most groomers don't even know what's right or wrong, or don't care, or haven't been trained properly. Sad.
Beth. . . I guess I'm a bit flummoxed on this one. Er. . . don't most all dogs shed? (well, no - poodles and their like don't shed, of course).
My Joe is what is called a "smooth coated" breed. Which basically means his coat is very short. How short? Oh, I dunno. . . hairs about 1/4 inch long or so? (Joe doesn't have "fur" in the traditional sense, nor does he have an undercoat - just individual hairs, some longer than others). LOL. Does Joe shed? Well,
yeah! All. The. Time. - particularly in the spring (sheds "winter" coat) and the fall (sheds "summer" coat). You wouldn't think that he sheds at all by looking at him - but dryer lint tells the tale! More dog hair in dryer lint than regular lint!
(Someday I want to write a humorous memoir in the style of Erma Bombeck. I will title it "Dead Fleas In The Dryer Lint". Heh
)
I can't imagine shaving Joe because he sheds. If he was shaved, then he would be practically bald - and, for sure, he would sunburn. In fact, I mostly have to keep him indoors during the summer because he does sunburn on his more exposed areas even so.
I can't imagine shaving a terrier-type dog like Ty either. The thing about shaving - shaving really doesn't prevent shedding - the dog will continue to shed, but the shed hair will just be shorter.
People in general do very strange things to their dogs - ostensibly for the dogs "benefit". Things like shaving, ear cropping, tail cropping, etc.
LOL. Hopefully I haven't "stepped in it" here.
Anne