Many people believe that with the hot Australian summers that the best thing you can do is shave your dog down completely. Whilst for some dogs this may seem the best course of action, due to the thickness of the coat, here are some things you need to know about your dog's skin and why you shouldn't shave.
Why is your dog's skin and coat important?
A dog's skin and coat comprise of 10-15% of their total body weight. This makes the skin the largest organ of yours dogs body. The layers are made up of the Hypodermis, a base layer of fat, the Dermis, the second layer and largest portion which is responsible for keeping the skin and hair oily and lubricated to prevent friction (see picture 1). Then there is the Epidermis which produces keratin through specialized cells which provide a wax-like substance over the Epidermis to prevent water loss (Hunter and Ward, 2021, para 2). Throughout the year a dog will naturally shed and grow more hair. Even non-shedding dogs actually lose hair, they just lose less of it over a large period of time. This natural process helps a dog to maintain a healthy Epidermis.
However in non-shedding or some double coated breeds the loose coat gets stuck in the hair around it which causes a buildup. This in turn forms a knot. Eventually with no intervention this knot will get twisted up with other knots and causes matting to occur. When this happens the skin is not able to correctly shed hair and can cause moisture to buildup. Bacteria, fungus and dirt can also buildup causing skin infections to occur (see picture 2)
A dog's skin has many nerve endings that need to be protected from heat, cold, chemicals and even the sun. The hair protects the skin from external objects for example allergens and UV rays. This in turn makes sure that their internal organs are protected.
The hair also provides a level of immunity for the skin in preventing bacterial, fungal and other infections from occurring. Many vets will look at the shine or dullness of a dog's coat to determine its health. Without this layer of hair you can open your dog up to Staph infections as well as common fungal and bacterial ones.
Your dogs skin also provides storage for major nutrients such as protein, amino acids and Vitamins such as Vitamin D. All of these are vitally important in making sure your dog is healthy and happy. If the skin is damaged then storage of these vital nutrients can lessen and cause health conditions such as yeast infections (commonly found in ear infections), Hypo or Hyper-Thyroidism and even some hormone and endocrine conditions.
Last but not least a dog’s coat can help prevent dehydration and also helps regulate a dog's body temperature. Believe it or not your dog's coat will either contract together or spread out based on your dog's needs. When a dog is cold the hair compacts tighter together to insulate the skin. Some dogs may even shiver to generate their own body heat. When a dog is hot the hair will spread out more and this allows air to move under the hair so they can cool themselves down. Dehydration in a dog can occur if the skin is unhealthy or damaged as it allows water to escape. If they lose too much water and become dehydrated they can get heat-stroke or they may even develop metabolic issues which can decrease a dogs energy.
So why don't we shave?
So what has this all got to do with not shaving? By shaving your dog down you are increasing the chances of them getting heat stroke, a skin infection, cancer and other health conditions by damaging the skin. Shaving can create cuts because the closer the shave the more chance that the blade will dig into the skin and things like clipper rash can occur as well as ingrown hairs.
On top of that, shaving can do irreparable damage to a dog's coat. Many breeds were bred not to be clipped at all. By shaving them you can remove a layer to their coat which helps them stay warm for the winter and cool for the summer. It may also look ragged and uneven when it grows back or in some cases when they are clipped it may show up lines.
We do understand that in some cases a dog may need to be shaved if it has not been groomed in a very long time or for a medical reason however all care must be taken to ensure the dog is not in any discomfort (see picture 3).
So what can you do instead?
At Dogs 4 Eve and Meg, we believe in not shaving. We will make a dog short but comfortably so. You can still have a close cut without putting your dog in any discomfort. If you feel your dog is still too hot even with a close cut here are some other things you can do.
Have their belly clipped shorter than the rest of their body. Also dogs with long ears can have the inside of their ears clipped out to promote air flow through these areas.
Put ice in their water bowls. Just enough to make sure the water is cool instead of at room temperature.
Give them a cool space to lie on. Tiles and floorboards are usually a favourite for dogs but you can also give them cooling mats or even a bit of shade and dirt in the garden to relax. You may even consider having a fan on during the hottest part of the day especially for short nosed dogs.
Only exercise them in the early mornings or evenings. Exercising your dog in the middle of the day, even if it is down at the beach or by a lake, still increases your dog's body temperature. It takes quite a while for a dog to cool down even if they are wet on a hot day.
Don't wash your dog too much. Once a month is usually recommended, however if you find your dog has allergies or a skin condition, once a fortnight in a medicated shampoo like Malaseb or Aloveen is okay. Try to avoid shampoos or conditioners with perfumes in them, they will strip the oils out of your dogs skin more so than other shampoos. Make sure the shampoo is made for dogs and not humans.
Have your dog regularly groomed. Believe it or not, regular grooming helps keep your dog cool. Brushing a dog once every couple of days can help remove dust, dirt and loose hair off of the skin. This in turn allows the skin to remain relatively clear. Having a regular 6-8 week clip for those thicker coated dogs is vital too. Or if you have a long haired dog like a Husky, Shepherd or Collie, having them regularly bathed and brushed out every 6-10 weeks is important.
If after all of this, you believe that your dog is still suffering from the heat more than what is expected, for example; can’t stop drinking water, constantly drooling (some breeds will do this regardless), even pacing constantly or has laboured noisy panting for no reason (e.g not after exercise, not a short nosed dog), please talk to your vet as your dog may be suffering from an underlying medical condition.
Please feel free to talk to us about your individual dogs needs. We are more than happy to cater to the individual.
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Authored by Megan Patterson
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