Hot Dogs

No, not the kind you eat, the kind you walk on the end of a leash! Whenever we walk our collies in the summer months, we always get asked why we don't shave our collies to keep them cool.  Many will ask why we cut Westley's hair, but not Ozzie and Desi...lol.  This is when we stop in the shade and explain the difference between a Smooth Collie and a Rough Collie.  Most people are fascinated to learn that not only can both varieties be born in the same litter, but both have a double coat!  Collies aren't the only double- coated dogs though; Huskies, Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, and Newfoundlands are all double-coated as well, just to name a few.  Double coated dogs have an undercoat with finer, fluffier hairs that are close to the skin and a tougher, outer coat of guard hairs that help protect the double-coated dog from insects and the elements.  That's right, having both of those layers of coat protect the double-coated dog from harm.  There's a reason you don't shave a double-coated dog and that is the fact that not only will doing so not help them stay cool, but doing so will actually make it *harder for them to cool off.*

I don't believe in shaving any dog for the summer unless the dog is a haired breed whose coat needs to be cut as it continuously grows.  Even still, keeping a slightly denser cut on a haired dog will help them to stay cool when it's warm outdoors and vice versa, as well as protect them a bit more from insects and sunburn.  Double-coated dogs should only be shaved if your veterinarian has advised you that it is medically warranted.  If you do shave your double-coated dog you will need to be even more vigilant about keeping them cool as they won't be able to puff up their outer coat to trap cooler air close to the skin.  They will also be more exposed to the sun, risking overheating, sunburn, and even skin cancer. If your veterinarian has had you shave your dog for medical reasons, you can use cooling vests and canine sunblock to protect them when they are outdoors and fans, cooling mats, and the A/C to keep them cool when indoors. 

Keeping your dogs well-groomed is one of the best ways to keep their coats doing the job they are designed to do.  Regular brushing, pulling out loose hairs and dead skin cells, which is imperative to helping any dog keep cooler. Regular grooming is particularly important for senior dogs.  They will find it more difficult to thermoregulate than younger dogs and will need those regular grooming sessions to insure that their coats are free of mats and loose hair which will inhibit their natural ability to shake their bodies and floof up their coats to allow for unobstructed air flow. 

Now, if you follow Desi and Ozzie on social media, then you already know that we are battling foxtails and burs here in California.  Foxtails are a grass-like weed with barbs.  While even green barbs can get caught in fur, the dried barbs are the worst, literally going up noses, into ears, and between toes of unsuspecting pets.  These barbed nightmares can migrate once they are under the skin, causing drainage tracts and even heart and lung damage if they migrate their way there. While we do our best to avoid foxtails on our walks and hikes, avoiding the burs in our yard is a bit harder.  Conserving water in California means letting our lawn die back which results in weeds with seed pods that dry out and become small burs entangled in fur and stuck to the bottom of bare human feet :(  Because of this, I do use scissors to clip the fur between the pads of my dogs' feet and scissors and a razor to clip the fur on their legs to minimize how many burs they catch when they lay on the grass.  I also spray them with Mane n' Tail Detangler, originally designed for horses, to make it easier to get the burs they do pick up out of their coats before they create mats.  The nice thing about Mane n' Tail is that for a few days after application, the burs literally just fall off the dogs when they shake their bodies!

Stay safe and cool out there. Make sure you and your pets have water available on your walks and hikes and don't forget the sunscreen. Walking at off peak times will help you and your dogs stay cooler, as will fans and even wading pools filled with water for soaking feet and quick body cooling. 

As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

Ozzie and Desi resting on the dying lawn! You can see in this photo

 that I've clipped the fur on Desi's feet and legs.

The fur has been clipped on both collies' feet and legs 

to make these burs easier to find and comb out!