A Different Great Pyr Q. - to shave or no?

[chickn]

dog groomer here! how cruel is it for the dog to have to take all that pulling for hours on end? for the groomer as well.
it will not hurt your dog to get shaved, when you go tell them, you dont want it down to the skin, that you want them to use the longest blade possible to shave him, well, dont even use the word shave, just tell them to use the longest blade possible.

yes they can sunburn, so you will need to be careful about that in the event that they have to shave the dog.

the clip should last a good 8-12 weeks, so by fall it will all be back and you can start working with a slicker brush and a good conditioning leave in spray to help keep up with the coat. actually dont even wait, start using the brush and spray to get into the habit before you really need to

this is my professional opinion!

 

[black404]

Also matting is painful to dogs..It restricts their movement.

I shaved my Komondor two weeks ago and it is already starting to grow back.

 

[erthymom2]

every may we have our groomer close-cut the st. bernard and the GP's fur. we do once and a while shave the st. bernard without problems. He likes it but he's a couch potatoe who will hid inside instead in the central air to avoid going out in the summers...usually under the beds!!

 

[mekasmom]

I just shaved two of mine last week and the third pyr Tuesday of this week. They really have a thick undercoat, so you may have to change blades after shaving. I would never leave a dog with thick mats. It is much better to shave them. We shave our dogs every summer in May. By the time cool weather returns their coats are regrown thick and full.

 

[joebryant]

We had a cocker spaniel years ago with long hair. He was always in the weeds down by the creek, so he was loaded with burrs that could not be combed out. We finally had to shave him because it was impossible to kill the fleas. We were only going to cut the hair short, but soon we realized that he had a THICK mat all over him that was like a half-inch blanket up against his skin. Shaving him down to the skin to get that tightly knitted mat off of him was the only answer. We had to give him away to a friend who lived in the city who could keep him away from burrs.

 

[greyhorsewoman]

how cruel is it for the dog to have to take all that pulling for hours on end? for the groomer as well.

Excellent post chicken. As a 'former' professional groomer, I second your post. It would cost a small fortune to have a professional groomer groom out a large, overly matted dog.

While shaving should not be an alternative to proper grooming of a double coated breed. If it does get away from you, shaving (or clipping as long as possible), is a good way to 'start over.' You should always be careful of sunburn for the first couple weeks after a close clipping, but the coat grows back pretty quick.

If you start BEFORE you have mats, it is better for the dog. When spring and 'shed' time come in, a warm bath and some diligent grooming can strip out most of the undercoat to keep a dog more comfortable in summer. There are products that can be sprayed on occasional mats to help with easy removal or just cut straight through them several times (away from the body) to break them up.

Don't confuse this with breeds that REQUIRE clipping. Cocker Spaniels NEED to be clipped regularly. Actually, 'corded' breeds, such as Komondor and Puli were routinely 'shaved' with the sheep and their coats were allowed to naturally 'cord' inbetween.​

 

[chickn]

thanks, i just dont think people consider the dog when it comes to an overgrown matted mess. sometimes its better to start fresh. i know i hated it when my mother would pull just one tangle out of my head, can you imagine your whole body? ouch!

 

[thebritt]

Thanks to all who replied. We live 6 miles from the coast and, while it can get hot (up to 85 degrees), it's often overcast/foggy throughout the summer. Ludwig always lays in the shade (we have lots), so as long as there's some length left I guess I'm not too worried about sunburn. I think I agree with the groomers - all that pulling for hours just seems like too much.
Once I "start over" with the short fur, what products do you professionals recommend? I've had a little luck with "Cowboy Magic" detangler, and "Show Sheen" for horse manes and hair - it kind of helps repel dirt/dust too. Any other ideas? Thanks!

 

[greyhorsewoman]

There is a product call "PINK" ... is is much like Cowboy Magic, but cheaper. You should be able to find it in the hair product part of your local Walmart. It is for existing mats. Once sprayed on, it helps to break them up and slide out. It will make your area very slick, so be careful not to get it sprayed on your floor.

The biggest mistake people make when they brush their dogs is only getting through the top layer. You need a good pin brush and you should brush backwards so you get all the way to the skin. Rakes are handy during heavy shedding season.

A good, wide tooth comb works, too. I start at one edge of the mat and pull the good hairs with a few teeth of the comb. Mats behind the ear should be clipped out regularly (clipping the soft hairs behind the ears periodically helps to prevent them). Trim the leg feathering and britches if needed.

 

[chickn]

what i use is called "the stuff" but i have never seen it at any store. but any good conditioning , anti static spray will help.