Help with Newf Coat Care??

[DroolGirl]

I am at my wit's end trying to keep Sailor's coat mat free now that she is in and out of the water several times a day. I know that she requires frequent brushing- as I do with my 2 Rough Coat Saint Bernards- but it takes less than a day for new mats to appear with her love of alternating between her pool and the dirt cave under the deck.

I am sooo close to getting her shaved for the summer-- what do you guys do??? Thanks for any advice!

[Jessdryden]

Well, we get ours shaved!    They are so much more comfortable here in the hot/humid weather.  We ask for the "lab" cut and just leave the ears and tails long.

[Winslow 151]

Careful with trimming, the Newfie double coat helps control both heat and cold. Trimming to short may cause the skin to burn too.

Get a shop vac. plug the hose in the exhaust vent and dry your pup after the water it will help!!

[Moore1125]

Unfortunately, you need to dry them after every swim to avoid mats. I think someone mentioned becareful shaving...that is true. Newfs have that coat to shelter them from heat and cold, ESPECIALLY in the water. Good Luck

[DroolGirl]

Well, I took the plunge...  I took Sailor to the groomer yesterday and had her teach me to shave a newf. It is a lot of work, and I think the coat is shorter than I would prefer, but Sailor seems to absolutely love it. She is prancing around, more playful than ever, and seems to love the feel of her velvety coat being rubbed. And it is soooo easy to dry her now!

But, there is a mystery... in the day and a half since she was groomed she has been drooling much less than normal, with no other apparent change in her activities or environment. This is baffling me. Have any of you had a simillar experience? Do you know why this might be the case??

[Jessdryden]

Sasha and Bella are always really happy with their new cuts too!  I hadn't noticed less drool, but they do romp and play much more after their cuts.  They seem so much more comfortable! 

[Bailey B Bear]

I just adopted a 3 year old Newfie and I was wondering if it is safe to have her shaved or at least trimmed.  We are in the midst of a very hot & dry Colorado summer and she seems to be soooo hot all the time.  And she's shedding like mad!  She was supposedly groomed before I got her but she has knots and matting around her ears.  I haven't attempted to brush out yet, but it seems like it might be impossible to get some of them out.

I just want to make sure it's safe before I get her cut.  Is there any factual info on the web anyone could recommend?

[GoldenPyrs]

Welcome to BPO and congratulation s on your new Newfy girl!  We have lots of Newf's on the board, so I'm sure that you'll get lots of responses from Newfy people.  I just wanted to say welcome.  I'm the mom to 3 busy boys, 3 dogs & our kitties.  Sacked out by my feet as I type are Daisy our sweet 8 y/o Golden/Lab X, Cassie our 2 y/o Great Pyrenees/something special & mysterious mix, and Sammy our 5-ish y/o snuggle-Pyr.  We lived in a hot climate for many years with our Pyrs in the past and never clipped b/c we relied on lots of A/C, kiddy pools & plenty of shade to keep our pups cool, but I know that a lot of people clip their dogs during the summer.

Glad you found us!   

[CrazyLoveRosie]

The only part of Rosie we shave during the summertime is her belly. Since the first thing she does after a walk is lay down regardless of how hot she is, we shave her belly so the cool kitchen/bath tile and wood will help to cool her faster. The other good thing that comes of it is that's also where a lot of her un-brushable mats are too.

[DroolGirl]

I just adopted a 3 year old Newfie and I was wondering if it is safe to have her shaved or at least trimmed.  she has knots and matting around her ears.  I haven't attempted to brush out yet, but it seems like it might be impossible to get some of them out.

I just want to make sure it's safe before I get her cut.  Is there any factual info on the web anyone could recommend?

Welcome to BPO, and congrats on your Newf! I also have a 3 year old Newf, and did a lot of reading and agonizing before I decided to shave her for summer. It is conventional wisdom that their coat "insulates from heat" but there does not seem to be much basis for that belief. And with the dark newf coat absorbing more heat in the sun I believe they are cooler without it.

What tipped the scales for me, though, was that with her clipped it is much easier to keep her skin healthy and dry. Sailor is still a playful puppy and wants to get wet whenever possible- with a short coat a towel and a quick walk dry her, whereas before it took hours, and she was still prone to hotspots.

Also, my vet- a young and hip woman whose depth of knowledge always amazes me said, "Go for it" when I asked her opinion. 

Here are links to 2 vet opinions on the subject- nothing definitive, but this does not seem to be a subject of any research!

http://www.vetinfo4dogs.com/dhair.html
http://www.cvm.uiuc.edu/petcolumns/index.cfm?function=showarticle&id=510

[sarnewfie]

THREE WORDS
HIGH VELOSITY DRYER
whenever mine go swimming i drag out my k-9 11 dryer and they get blasted after a rinse.
you must have a high velocity dryer if you have a newf!