[Marsh Muppet]

Rusty got his summer haircut today. I don't think I'm in any danger of being mistaken for a professional groomer, but it gets the job done. The ticks are already out and getting the extra hair off speeds the search for the little bloodsuckers. Kinda looks like a Labrador now.

 

[dakotajo]

He looks great no matter what I was thinking of doing that to my Bernese when it gets hotter outside, does their fur grow back exactly like it did before? I'm curoius

 

[MrsJohnnyG]

Nice job! He does look a little more Lab-like, but that gorgeous fluffy tail gives him away!

 

[Marsh Muppet]

He looks great no matter what I was thinking of doing that to my Bernese when it gets hotter outside, does their fur grow back exactly like it did before? I'm curoius

It grows back just like before. I just knock down the "feathers" and his neck/chest ruff. I don't go down to skin 'cause he need the protection from thorns and sticks and such. My neighbor gives his Berner a crew cut every year, and he comes out looking like a tri-colored Rotty. He just had him done last week. I'll try to get a picture of him for you.

 

[dakotajo]

that would be great if you could get a pic! Goldens and Bernese have such beautiful fur but it's probably so much cooler for them

 

[Dieselsmama]

Just an FYI, No, they do not always grow back. I've been grooming for over 20 yrs now and I can't tell u how many double coated breeds I've seen that grew back in scraggly patches when shaved down. Plus, dogs are actually hotter when shaved, that outer coat is all guard hairs which reflect the sun and if your dog is combed thru to the skin he's actually much cooler with his full coat.
MM, you just took down featherings which is a little different, you stand a much better chance of having it grow back properly. Rusty looks cute with and without the featherings

 

[dakotajo]

that's good to know! but I still want to see the pic

 

[Marsh Muppet]

Plus, dogs are actually hotter when shaved, that outer coat is all guard hairs which reflect the sun and if your dog is combed thru to the skin he's actually much cooler with his full coat.
MM, you just took down featherings which is a little different, you stand a much better chance of having it grow back properly. Rusty looks cute with and without the featherings

Yup, a dog is physiologically designed to suffer the heat with his fur coat. What I cut off is pretty much all undercoat. He's got more than enough that he can stand to lose some. You still have to pore over what's left in order to reach scalp. The reddish fur you see in the pics is just as it came from the factory. The undercoat is the straw-colored hair. That's the part that catches the burrs and weed seeds, too.

Taking the coat down to the skin is very bad juju. If you've ever gone skinny dipping and gotten a sunburn where the sun don't normally shine, you'd never want to see that happen to a dog. My neighbor's Berner gets his cut to one length, with the topcoat shortened but intact.