[poohlp]

He's got the long, thick cottony hair and it is about to start sweltering here. Any advice on how I can have him trimmed to be cooler without doing a full shaving (that's what we did w/ our Old English when I was a kid)?

Here's a pic of Hansel if that helps:

[acanoffleas]

A dog's coat is designed to insulate them from both the cold AND the heat. What's key is to keep the dead undercoat from building up and blocking circulation. My advice would be to have him bathed, brushed and lightly scissored (feet, feathering along the front and back legs, sanitary trim). The bath and the process of drying him (with a high velocity drier) will really help to get out the dead undercoat. Also, brushing him once or twice a week with a de-shedding brush will help between grooms/baths, too. I'd recommend a Furminator, rake, or shedding blade.

And what a cutie, He is!

[poohlp]

Thanks. It's funny actually how fast he dries - water sticks to my short haired pointer, but Hansel is dry in about 10 minutes or less.

BF already furminates and brushes him a couple times a week and I've been bathing, but not drying, him every 2-3 weeks....more often when he gets dirty and nasty.

I'm a short hair dog person, so I know very little about the long coats. Is the undercoat what I'm seeing when the reddish color hair comes out through the black - that is what was all matted when I found him in the street?

Would shaving the fur off his chest and belly, but leaving it long on top be an option?

[acanoffleas]

As far as the undercoat goes, that's typically what you find rolling around your house, and also what the furminator pulls out. It tends to be a little lighter than the top coat. Undercoat can mat when it doesn't shed and isn't brushed or bathed out.

As far as shaving him goes, has he ever been shaved before? Shaving a double coated breed is something of a well-debated subject amongst groomers. Some are avidly against it because there's a risk of changing the coat texture or even the coat coming back at all (and also the fact that the coat serves a protection against the sun and heat), others don't really have a problem doing it. I personally fall in between. I try to dissuade people from doing it, but if you're dead set on it I'll work it out with you to find what's best for the dog. I'd try taking him to a pro for a bath and brush every 4-6 weeks over the summer and see how he does with that. If he seems overheated, than maybe try taking off some hair.

[poohlp]

Thanks...I'll get him trimmed up and then see how it goes as it gets hotter.

Are there any long haired breeds that are single coated?

[dane&cockermom]

Originally Posted by poohlp

Thanks...I'll get him trimmed up and then see how it goes as it gets hotter.

Are there any long haired breeds that are single coated?

afghan? i think...afghan doesn't have a double coat does it?

well, even so, they need a lot of brushing. lol

[zerolover]

Might try getting a cooling mat, not sure where- probably Petedge, but they stay cold for several hours, a client of mine breeds Bernese mt. dogs and swears by them since she doesn't clip them down. They are way more durable then they look. --Gorgeous coat!