summer buz cuts?

kendallj · 06-30-2007, 03:14 PM

I have a GSD/ Border collie mix who is mostly black and has already had one heat stroke episode. It's only the beginning of the summer and its gonna get hotter. Would giving her a buz (done professionally of course) be an okay thing? I'm not talking boxer short, just to remove some of the bulk to ease the heat a little? Is that a good idea or should I consider other options? she has a consitant water source (for some reason the contractors put a water spiget inside the garage so I got one of those licker attatchments for that.) she also has bowls in EVERY room( well great room and bedroom) that I change twice a day, but I think a good trim down would be good, should I have her buzzed down???

all4thedogs · 06-30-2007, 03:45 PM

Personally I would not shave her. Her coat actually insulates her from the heat. I would invest in a kiddie pool for her to cool off in (if she will, not all dogs like water). Or if your home, soak her legs with cool water several times a day (not her whole body as that can actually increase her temp (think sauna), but dogs have major arteries in their legs and getting them wet will help cool her.

They also make beds that can be filled with cold water.

Lots of time in the air conditioning. Especially in the heat of the day.

Save her walks for early in the AM or after dark.

Make doggy ice cream, this is a nice cool treat.

Good luck

GreyhoundGirl · 06-30-2007, 08:03 PM

Excellent suggestions!

I'd like to add that making low-sodium beef/chicken broth ice cubes are a great treat for those hot days. Those are the simplest recepies for "doggie ice cream' as was mentioned. You can also make ice cubes each with a piece of kibble in them, or a treat in them. This is a cool treat and also keeps them hydrated.

Other then that, follow all the advice from all4thedogs. Great advice!

merrow · 07-01-2007, 07:14 AM

lots of dogs like a kong filled with frozen yogaurt in the summer keeps them bizzy and cool

Lucky_13 · 07-04-2007, 11:10 AM

oh, that's a good idea. my dog already has a kong that he loves. i might try filling it with something.

bluesbarby · 07-23-2007, 04:42 PM

Actually, I've always buzz cut my dogs with heavy coats. Vet recommended. I have heard what love4dogs said but I've also heard the opposite. Who knows who is right. But I live in the South west and most heavy coated dogs were not bred for this kind of heat and Zoe was always much happier and I never had a problem with heat stroke.

skelaki · 07-23-2007, 05:15 PM

I thought we'd gotten past summer buzz cuts for dogs and learned their coat protects them from the heat as well as cold about 40 years ago. I guess everything keeps coming around even those that should be relegated to the trashbin of the past. LOL

Durbkat · 07-23-2007, 07:01 PM

Can you give a dog regular ice cream? Because I took snoopy to a ice creme shop and sat outside with a bowl of vanilla ice cream and I was letting snoopy lick the ice creme that was hanging over the bowl and then my mom said to stop him because it wasn't good for them, is that true?

skelaki · 07-23-2007, 07:58 PM

I wouldn't on a regular basis but if he was just getting a little bit and this is a special occasional treat I wouldn't worry about it.

DivaDog · 07-24-2007, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluesbarby

Actually, I've always buzz cut my dogs with heavy coats. Vet recommended. I have heard what love4dogs said but I've also heard the opposite. Who knows who is right. But I live in the South west and most heavy coated dogs were not bred for this kind of heat and Zoe was always much happier and I never had a problem with heat stroke.

Only just seen this but wanted to say - vets often recommend clipping - they even recommend clipping breeds like terriers which just dont need it. Unfortunately a lot of vets are just not that well up on their knowledge of dog grooming. Same as I wouldnt expect a groomer to give anything beyond basic medical advice unless having other training, I wouldnt expect a vet to be able to give anything but basic grooming advice - and sadly its often the wrong advice.

And a small lick of ice cream isnt that bad - but not all the time

bluesbarby · 07-24-2007, 01:16 PM

skelaki: you might want to read this: http://www.oes.org/page2/2554~Summer...ail_Coats.html

Divadog: just saw your post. Am really surprised at how little respect vets get on this board. So what's your expertise based on?

DivaDog · 07-25-2007, 06:38 AM

bluesbarby - I have no end of respect for vets-when they are dealing with what they know. My post wasnt aimed to be disresepectful to vets - I am mearly informing people in an area I am more than qualified to talk about.

I have had countless people inform me that their vets said use human shampoo, get the dog shaved down in the middle of the summer, and one that sticks in my mind most is a vet telling a customer with an american cocker that the dog had too much hair? This particular dog was in a show trim and actually needed MORE hair not less. Like I said I have no amount of respect for vets - but I dont expect them to be all that knowledgable on something they are not trained in. They are not all that bad some are great - my own vet included. But some unfortunately give out information that is completely wrong.

As for the article posted - if that was true all OES would be shown clipped. They are not. A well brushed out coat insualtes and also protects from heat. Well brushed being the key words - many dogs are not well brushed and packed undercoat is what causes the overheating in longcoated dogs - not the long coat itself.

bluesbarby · 07-25-2007, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DivaDog

bluesbarby - I have no end of respect for vets-when they are dealing with what they know. My post wasnt aimed to be disresepectful to vets - I am mearly informing people in an area I am more than qualified to talk about.

I have had countless people inform me that their vets said use human shampoo, get the dog shaved down in the middle of the summer, and one that sticks in my mind most is a vet telling a customer with an american cocker that the dog had too much hair? This particular dog was in a show trim and actually needed MORE hair not less. Like I said I have no amount of respect for vets - but I dont expect them to be all that knowledgable on something they are not trained in. They are not all that bad some are great - my own vet included. But some unfortunately give out information that is completely wrong.

As for the article posted - if that was true all OES would be shown clipped. They are not. A well brushed out coat insualtes and also protects from heat. Well brushed being the key words - many dogs are not well brushed and packed undercoat is what causes the overheating in longcoated dogs - not the long coat itself.

I really don't see how that follows at all. I'm talking about people who have heavy coated dogs in areas that are extremely hot. It's not what nature intended. I am not talking about SHOW dogs. And you didn't tell me what your actual expertise is? ARe you a vet? I have never had a vet tell me to shave, only buzz cut. There are good and bad vets that's true. But I would be much more likely to follow their advice than someone who simply "shows" dogs.

DivaDog · 07-25-2007, 12:37 PM

Of course it follows - people still own these sort of breeds in hot areas - there is no difference between pets and show dogs - only that many pet owners dont groom their dogs so well hence they suffer.

As for my area of expertise I am a fully qualified professional dog groomer - and certainly more qualified than a lot of vets to give good sound advice on what is best for a dogs coat.

I know you wernt talking about show dogs - I was trying to explain the difference and show that pets CAN live in hot areas with all their coat.

What is the difference between a shave and a buzz cut in your opinion - because most vets dont see a difference im afraid. As I said I have all the respect in the world for a good vet where medical advice is needed - but where grooming is concerned I cannot take most of them seriously.

Purplex15 · 07-25-2007, 01:18 PM

diva dog, im here to come to your defnese. id like to ask the person disagreeing, what expertise do you have? most vets do not have any idea about grooming. just ask a groomer who has worked at a vets office and they will tell you how hard it is to work for somone with so little understanding of the job. yes i respect them immensely for their knowledge in health care and all that, but if people are going to get mad at us for giving any meduical advice, then they should feel the same way about aq vet giving grooming advice. on another site, a women said she shaved her lab, and when solmeone told her that this isnt ideal for a lab, she shot back with "my vet recomendded it". well considering her vet charged her 150 bucks for the shave job, im not shocked her vet suggested it. i live in socal, and know so many people with full coated dogs who do just fine, and they are brushed daily and taken to a groomer on a regular basis. they are also not left outside all day and have many different way to cool off (many of which have already been mentioned). these dogs should not be shaved. it is an owners choice, but to me you are just taking the easy way out. you got a dog like this and if your intention was just to shave it, well, you should have gotten a short haired dog.

and just so know, buzz cut and shave are pretty much the same thing. anything done with a 7 or shorter is shaving.

bluesbarby · 07-26-2007, 07:57 PM

I agree, vets don't know how to groom dogs. Anymore than my doctor knows how to cut my hair. But when it comes to a health issue - especially a life threatening health issue which heat stroke is, I'm not going to the groomer for advice. My hairstylist has told me some real whoppers but she has no medical training and very little science training, if any.

jatt559 · 07-26-2007, 10:46 PM

Make sure your dog has an area with plenty of shade preferably in a grassy area its always cooler under a tree and on grass than cement. Like said before buy a small pool and give him plenty of water, if it becomes necessary you should bring him inside in the laundry room if you don't allow him inside the house to keep him cooler. Hope that helps.

DivaDog · 07-27-2007, 03:50 AM

TREATING heatstroke - yes you need a vet, I am not qualified to medically treat a dog with a condition they could potentially die from

PREVENTING heatstroke with the appropriate care of a coat - the vet cannot do that and that is the time you need advice from a trained groomer. The vet can advise on other ways to prevent heatstroke -but rarely do they have enough indepth knowledge to advise on the best coat care to help prevent heatstroke.

Cheetah · 07-29-2007, 03:22 AM

I think there's a reason that vets go to veterinary school and groomers go to grooming school...

I wouldn't dream of shaving my fluffy corgi, even if it gets very hot here in the summer, because I know that his coat insulates him from the heat as well as cold, and that if I shave it off, it will never grow back the same, and I'll have grooming issues with his coat for the rest of his life.

fuzzie · 08-15-2007, 09:24 PM

Yes, a coat will insulate a dog by holding in his heat and protecting him from the cold, but then it gets hot. the dog would find some shade, or some cold ground but this big fur coat is insulating him from the cold he is trying to transfer through the ground. what's worse is, all his internal functions are producing heat as well, wich cannot escape him through all this stupid fur!

stop bashing vets, they spent 8 years learning about the internal workings of a dog. I spent a couple minutes reading a very good artical and applied an ounce of common sence. how 'bout you go to your hair stylist for a brain scan? no that wouldn't make much sence would it... but an architect cuts my hair and I haven't died yet.

an abridged and slightly less emotional version is this... hug your dog and it will feel verry warm. this is natural body heat. it needs to escape.

an excerpt from the artical, if you won't read the entire artical at least read this.

...almost everyone is easily able to understand how the coat protects against cold winter air/wind.

What is apparently less well understood is heat flow and body cooling on warmer days and ultimately on hot summer days. While a dog's normal body temperature is a bit higher than that of an "average" human the dog still needs to loose heat to prevent heat prostration. (The body is constantly burning fuel (food) to liberate the energy necessary for sustaining life - heart beating, breathing, digestion, moving etc., but an inevitable byproduct of this fuel burning is heat. Heat which if not removed would cause the body temperature to quickly climb to fatal levels.)...