Author Topic: Opinions on clipping for summer?  (Read 9706 times)

Offline gottsislandgirl

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Opinions on clipping for summer?
« on: March 23, 2007, 03:54:11 pm »
I see that clipping vs. not seems to be a fairly well-debated topic, but am curious about Newfy coats in particular. We took our Newfy to Florida with us this Feb. and he was HOT. He got hot spots. He panted constantly. He was lethargic. I ended up feeling terrible about bringing him with us. We'd just rescued him a short time before the vacay and didn't want to give him more abandonment issues or whatever, but I just felt BAD.

Anyway, summer in Maine is about as hot as the Keys in February and I now don't know what to do so that he'll be comfortable. I'm leaning pretty strongly towards a moderate clipping. To the point where if anyone has a brand (I've read the Oster fans' contributions) that they love, I'd be glad to hear about that as well. Nonetheless, if I'm going to be further torturing the dog by clipping him, I don't want to do it. I'm confused! Please help!

Offline gottsislandgirl

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Re: Opinions on clipping for summer?
« Reply #1 on: March 24, 2007, 03:00:21 am »
I found the pics of Drake with his summer 'do. Maybe a trip to the groomer for a good trim would be enough to keep the hot spots down to a minimum. There's a nice lady right close by who does great work. This shocked me: before we took him on our trip, we took him over there for a shampoo and trim. I figured it would be $80-$100 but she said he was in such nice condition and so well behaved she only charged $30! Definitely worth the time it saved in post-bath cleanup. I'd been meaning to wipe down the entire kitchen anyway, but, rilly. Percy is a champ at worming out of the towels and tearing through the house, shaking himself out as he goes.

Thanks for the help. I know I have a lot to learn about taking proper care of a Newf. He's such a love, and he had a pretty hard time before he came to us. Any additional thoughts would be appreciated.

Offline Binky

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Re: Opinions on clipping for summer?
« Reply #2 on: March 24, 2007, 03:06:24 am »
Hi- great to see another Mainer on here!  I was worried about how Binky, our Pyr, would handle the heat last summer (haha, that one hot day was really worth the worry) so I had her clipped.  I thought that she would have a cute "puppy" cut.  Well, our breeder practically took her fur down to the skin.  Binky looked absolutely ridiculous and she was still hot!  However, a lot of people said her coat would never grow back right, but it came back just fine, so don't worry about that.  If you do get your Newf clipped, be sure to tell the groomer exactly how long/short you want the hair.  This year, I am just going to have Binky heavily groomed to make sure all of her undercoat is gone and I think she'll be fine.  I talked to a lot of people before clipping her and I really don't think that it harms the dog in any way (other than her being "embarrassed" for a few days).
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Offline morph's mom

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Re: Opinions on clipping for summer?
« Reply #3 on: March 24, 2007, 03:54:57 am »
I have never had a Newf but I do have a Keeshound who has a VERY thick undercoat.  We have lived in San Diego for the past 6 years and it does tend to get Really hot there esspecially inland where we lived.  The first year we did not clip AJ we just had him groomed out really well and he was completely MISERABLE.  All summer long it was like he was dieing.  So the next spring as soon at it started getting warm we took him and had him shaved down.  It was about like shearing a sheep and he LOVED it.  It was like we had taken 3 years off of his life and he was a puppy again.  His hair grew back in perfectly and by October he was full grown and looked like nothing had ever been done.  So now every year as soon as it starts warming up we have him shaved down.  AJ does have one slight issue with the whole thing though... he wont let the groomers touch his head ( bad experience the first time they got his ear ) so when he is first shaved he kinda ends up looking like a bobble head but he is happy so I dont mind plus it kinda makes him a conversation piece at the dog parks lol.  Well I hope that this helps like I said this is just my experience with my keeshound. 

Oh yeah an added bonus to the shaving thing...... LESS HAIR AROUND THE HOUSE hahahahaah
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Offline morph's mom

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Re: Opinions on clipping for summer?
« Reply #4 on: March 24, 2007, 03:58:33 am »
sorry I ment to tell you that AJ's hair is about half way grown-in in the top picture.  I dont have any full gown pic of him on the computer.  So just imagine three more inches of fluff lol.
Morpheus Mastidane 1 yr

A. J. Keeshound  3 yr


 Dogs are really people with short legs in fur coats

"No one appreciates the very special genius of your conversation as the dog does." - Christopher Morley
 
"The average dog is a nicer person than the average person." - Andrew A. Rooney

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Re: Opinions on clipping for summer?
« Reply #5 on: March 24, 2007, 04:11:34 am »
I agree with Tina, clipping is a personal preference.  When I was a groomer, summer was our busiest time of year, it gets soooo hot/humid here.  I've clipped golden retrievers, newfs, pyrs, huskys, you could tell they were uncomfortable before the clipping but after they all seemed so happy they'd instantly lay on the concrete floor, sigh and just relax! lol  The place where I worked only had a few blades,so we could only clip two inches out (There would only be two inches of hair left by the time we were done.)  If you decide to take your newf to a groomer, and you want a longer grooming, make sure you ask first how long they can actually keep it. Some groomers do use sheep shears on larger dogs which take the fur down to the skin, so just make sure to talk to the groomer and ask questions before hand.

Offline gottsislandgirl

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Re: Opinions on clipping for summer?
« Reply #6 on: March 24, 2007, 08:05:41 am »
Y'all are awesome! Thanks so much for your experience. There's so much conflicting information out there, I get confused.  :-\


Offline MagicM3

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Re: Opinions on clipping for summer?
« Reply #7 on: March 24, 2007, 02:15:24 pm »
I agree with most of the others saying it is personal prevrence.And be sure to let the groomer know what you want.They prefer to please people but will do what they think you want,and can be way off base.

I also have what I have come to call my undercoat removal treatment.

I used to raise Collies in Tx and the summer was brutal,so I came up with a system that turned my yard into a snow of undercoat every spring.

And for the fummer I had naked Collies under their top coat.

I would not recommend it if you intend to show but if not it works great.

It's also a lot of work but worth every minute.
If your interested let me know and I will send you my formula .

Tricia and the fur kids

Offline rayray

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Re: Opinions on clipping for summer?
« Reply #8 on: March 24, 2007, 02:17:41 pm »
i think that the dog's comfort is what matters....i know that people have their own ideas on it but my inlaws shave their american eskimo every year and he loves it....i can't imagine the poor guy having to sweat out this texas heat with that fur coat on.
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Offline Butts Mom

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Re: Opinions on clipping for summer?
« Reply #9 on: March 24, 2007, 05:35:36 pm »
No Newf here,just Saints.When I got Butt last spring he had to be shaved naked,because the people who I got him from had no clue what a brush or bath was.I let it keep growing in until he got hot spots.Then the Vet recommneded I keep him shaved as long as the weather permitted.So both him and Tub will spend their summers shaved.I'm just sitting on my hands waiting for it to get and stay warm enough to shave them down.Besides being cooler,they won't have to be harrased by mean old Mom as much to get brushed :D
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Offline aggghgmom

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Re: Opinions on clipping for summer?
« Reply #10 on: March 25, 2007, 09:13:22 am »
We have a flat coated retriever and live in Western NY it gets hot and humid here in the  summer so we have Harley shaved down.  He looks like an anorexic lab but I think it is the best for him.

Randy & Harley

Offline Rufus 10536

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Re: Opinions on clipping for summer?
« Reply #11 on: April 25, 2007, 11:24:29 am »
Here in tick-land (Westchester County, NY), it is difficult eough to find deerticks on my children, let alone on dark-haired Rufus...so, for the sake of his health, and the warmer weather, I had him clipped last week. 

I told the groomer to make him look like a lab (he's a labradoodle), with the hair all one length.  He seems happier without the added weight, and his front legs are much easier to wipe off after he absent-mindedly aims towards the front, lifting a leg kindof-sortof, which he does most of the time (ick).

I was nervous about clipping short, but since I ADORE labs anyway and was hoping for a lab when we adopted him from Adopt-a-Dog, I'm not missing his wavy coat at all, now that I'm used to it.

I'm so glad to have found BPO...what a wonderful place to spend my free time!!

Robin (and Rufus)

 

Offline Rufus 10536

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Re: Opinions on clipping for summer?
« Reply #12 on: April 25, 2007, 11:57:29 am »
Here is Rufus's new 'do for summer, and beyond...

Robin (and Rufie)

Offline newfiesx3

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Re: Opinions on clipping for summer?
« Reply #13 on: May 23, 2007, 04:57:45 am »
As a Newf mom I did some research on this. When we moved to North Carolina last year from Germany the dogs where so unhappy in the heat. They slept all day next to the air conditioners.  I started considering a shave so they would be more comfortable. Called our breeder, spoke with someone at NCA. Based on our climate, we decided it was a bad idea. The next week I was at our Vet for a hot spot and they where doing CPR on a gorgeous PYR that was shaved the week prior. The poor guy had heat stroke. I drove home crying and thinking that could have been one of my guys. The climate in Maine is pretty mild, so you should be OK. For anyone in the HOT states, I was told that a Newf coat will insulate them from the heat like an igloo. I don't know how true that is, but I'm too scared to find out.
My heart,soul...house,car,bed,kitchen,....wallet all belong to three beautiful Newfs. I wouldn't have it any other way. Hmm..we could have 4 or 5,6....

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