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Dogs with Dog Walker

Double Coated

Double-coated dogs have two coat types, a harsh, water repellent outer coat and a soft, down under-coat. The dog’s outer-coat protects the skin from weather conditions (such as excessive heat, snow or rain) as well as other environmental hazards such as: fly bites, burrs, and parasites. The under coat insulate the dog agains cold and hot weather. Double-coated dogs need both coat layers to survive in any environment. The pet owner may request the coat to be shaved to eliminate shedding or to “cool” off their pet during the summer. It is the responsibility of the professional groomer to educate the pet owner about why double-coated dogs should not be shaved and to offer an acceptable grooming alternative.

The Facts

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  • Shaving the double-coat does not reduce shedding, it only changes the length of hair that sheds out.

  • Shaving off the coat makes the pet suffer more in hot weather. Removing the coat also removes the insulation that protects the skin, causing health problems such as heat stroke and sun-burn.

  • The outer-coat will not grow back in with the same water-repellent consistency.

  • After repeated shavings, the outer-coat does not grow back at all.

  • When the outer-coat is removed, the soft downy under-coat offers the dog no protection against environmental conditions.

  • The under-coat sheds out naturally with seasonal changes, it the out-coat does not grow back in, the dog develops patches of bald spots during the shedding cycle. Often the bald spots become permanent.

  • Shaving the double-coated dog causes stress in the animal, many dogs go into shock when their hair is removed.

Exceptions

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Pets with health conditions in which a veterinarian has requested that the animal be shaved. View the veterinarians orders, or speak to the veterinarian personally before shaving off the coat.

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Which Dog Breeds Have Double-Coats

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The dogs listed below are pure-breeds that cannot be shaved. Dogs that are mixed with these breeds will have to be considered on an individual basis.

For The Health Of The Pets Entrusted To Our Care We Do Not Shave Double Coated Breeds!

  • Akita

  • Alaskan Malamute

  • American Eskimo

  • Australian Cattle Dog

  • Belgian Malinois

  • Belgian Sheepdog

  • Belgian Tervuren

  • Bernese Mountain Dog

  • Chesapeake Bay Retriever

  • Collie

  • Corgi

  • Finnish Spitz

  • Flat Coated Retriever

  • German Shepherd

  • Golden Retriever

  • Great Pyrenees

  • Keeshound

  • Kuvasz

  • Labrador

  • Newfoundland

  • Norwegian Elkhound

  • Samoyed Schipperke

  • Shetland Sheepdog

  • Siberian Husky

  • St. Bernard

  • Thodesian Ridgeback

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