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Old June 15th, 2008, 02:00 AM
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growler~GateKeeper growler~GateKeeper is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hazmat View Post
Excuse my ignorance about double coats. But why not just take her to the groomer and have her shaved? Or go buy a $12 trimmer at Walmart and do it yourself.

My friend has his longhaired Lab shaved every spring. True the dog does look pretty strange with almost no hair. But for a few weeks afterwards that is one Happy dog
t.pettet is right the Lab is not a double coated breed but you may still end up with the coat not growing back in properly and if not shaved properly ie if done too close, they can have razor burn, hot spots & hematomas

The double coats on all northern breeds protect & insulate them from not only the cold but also from the heat. The coat won't grow back in properly if shaved, and will cause them to shed more the next fall when they blow their coat.

Quote:
From http://www.preciouspawsgrooming.com/...oatedDogs.aspx
Shaving Double-Coated Dogs
Please read and beware of the following:
- Double coats act as insulation from heat as well as cold and without them they are defenseless against the weather.

- Once a double-coated dog has been shaved down, they may require continuous shaving because once the coat comes back in, it may be even thicker than before.

- Dogs that have been shaved down can easily get sun-burned.

- The double coat protects against biting flies and mosquitoes.

- Some dogs get a complex after having their coat taken off.

- The coat sometimes does not grow back in properly, have it's original texture, length or colour, leaving areas of bald spots on the dog with sparse coarse hair covering them.

- Most dogs look "ugly" shaved down (since that is not their natural look).

- Not being used to being "naked", the dog sometimes continue to scratch just as hard as when they had their coat. Then they irritate the already freshly clipped skin, creating hot spots and ear hematomas.
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