[Sherrie]

My husband and I own 3 GR. One is a mixed GR and Lab. His fur is very dense but short. The other 2 GR's have the usual amount of fur. I'm confused about summer clipping. I hear the fur helps to keep them warm in winter and cool in summer. Hubby says they have to be cut! I can see a little trim but if the fur is to protect them how much is good and how much is bad? Is it wrong to keep their fur all year?
This is my first time writing in, so, if I have made a mistake in my sending this, please let me know.
Thanks so much and I look forward to any suggestions in this matter.
Sherrie

[3DOGNIGHT]

I have a Gorden Setter I trim in the summer when it is hot, and to reduce the shedding. I don't shave, I trim. His pants, his tail, his ears and under belly. I don't trim the heavy areas on his sides.

He doesn't look too funny except it is hard to get used to. He seems to like it espcially if he goes swimming.

Mind you I am not a dog groomer, so I suggest you talk to them or have them do it if you don't feel comfortable to do it. It can take a lot of time and practice to do it right. I probably don't do it right, but not one has complained to me yet!

[Amaya-Mazie-Marley]

I have a chinese crested powderpuff..her hair gets extremely long and the powderpuffs have double coats, so we just shave her. Not like shave her bald, but shave it pretty close. She's so small and would get over heated very fast.

[Sherrie]

Thank you for answering so soon. I appreciate your comments 3 Dognight and Amaya-Mazie-Marley. I do not want to shave them but cutting as you suggested dognight, we'll trim just a little.

[merrow]

i would never surgest shving a breed like a gr personaly theu would look terible there are some breeds that pull it off and other that dont a golden should be fine in the heat it is right about it helps them to stay cool in the heat i had a flat coa croos basicly a black golden and iv got a lab and a full coated lahasa all do fine in the summer

rember to keep the dog brushed so there isnt any dead coat in there so the air can curclate well trimm the hair out from the pads as the feet help controm lots of the body temp i do shave out my lhasa belly so when he lays on the floor it keeps him cool also shaving the dog down with increse the risk of sun burn which then can lead to sun stroke then of corse death and it happens fast

my boss who used to keep the newfys used to have a paddling pool and when it was hot they would lay in it

also if u shaved ur dog u would need to keep doing it usally as they coat grows back wooly and thicker so then it will get hotter like if u shave ur hair gets thicker and fuller

one of the best ways of keeping a dog cool is just draping a wet towl over there back for 5 mins cools them right down grate on those summer scotching days

[Shalva]

OK with a Golden Retriever.... or a golden mix .... pretty much any dog with an undercoat by shaving you remove the top coat which is the protective guard hair...this top coat of hair reflects the sun and protects the dog from the heat... so even though they may look hot... that top coat of hair is protective....

if you shave... what you in essence do is remove the top coat of protective guard hair and leave the dense undercoat that is actually what is hot .... thus you are actually putting your dog more at risk of heat stroke and heat related injuries by shaving off the very hair that protects your dog....

YOU NEVER want to shave a dog that has an undercoat.... never ever ever...... plus the fact that when you do so it is very likely that the coat will not grow in normally in the future and thus you end up with more grooming problems down the road....

if you feel that your dog is hot..... you may want to put a wading pool out... make sure they have tons of water and shade..... AND get yourself an undercoat rake.... this tool will help to pull out the older dead undercoat that may be loose so that is what I would recommend... you can get a rake at petco or another pet supply store....

but don't shave your dog... he may appear cooler to your eye when shaved, but in reality you are doing more harm than good

good luck
s