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desiree
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shaving your dog
Des - Our dogs have thier coats for a important reason. Thier metabolism work with thier coats to protect the dog. The only reason for trimming a coat is for health concens, If a dog is matted badly, or maybe tick infected are possible reasons, another is sanitation especially in older dogs with renal failure. I saved my Irish wouldhound one summer after a romp in the marsh and getting skunked all in one glorious dog adventure night. He was about 5 y.o. and his fur came back fine. I also shaved just the belly of my Malamute for sanatation(renal failure).
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    • Hello, I know there must be something in the forum about shaving dogs but i canmt find it. Almost 2 years ago i shaved my german sheppard.He is getting old and his coat was very ugly.]brushing hurts him so not easy to take care of him. His coat never came back the way it was.I wouldnt do it again probably. Is this because the gsd is not for shaving or does it never come back . Breed elative oronce shaved keep shaving because his fur will never be completely back. I saw some pics of a shaved CO.Any experiece with shaved dogs is welcome.
      • Des - Our dogs have thier coats for a important reason. Thier metabolism work with thier coats to protect the dog. The only reason for trimming a coat is for health concens, If a dog is matted badly, or maybe tick infected are possible reasons, another is sanitation especially in older dogs with renal failure. I saved my Irish wouldhound one summer after a romp in the marsh and getting skunked all in one glorious dog adventure night. He was about 5 y.o. and his fur came back fine. I also shaved just the belly of my Malamute for sanatation(renal failure).
        • Thanks Platz. My gsd is 11 years old.He swims a lot but his coat stay wet for a long time.I cant brush him anymore because he cries.I think his joints hurt.So i shaved him but it didnt came back as it should be . Normaly i am against shaving.Even in hot climat their coat works perfect.Isolation against the cold but also against the heat.
          • des - Brushing should not bother his joints. How does his skin look? Are there signs of skin allergies or fleas? That would cause him to react. You guy is 11, old dogs do loose thickneess in thiercoat as they age. That is likly why his coat didn't come back. Have you check his thyroid level? That would also effect his coat vigor.
            • No fleas no allergy,thick undercoat.He is a longhaired/old german sheppard.THick and grey dirthy undercoat.Almost matted. So normaly the hair just come back normal? Yeah maby he is just egtting old.

              • M
                Speaking with experience, you should never shave down a dog that does not have a continuously growing coat. It (obviously) will damage the coat and totally screw it up. You will end up with more undercoat then top coat and it will start looking fuzzy in areas that never had fuzz and mat up. Try to use a force grooming dryer to blow out his coat while he is dry. This will blow any loose/dead/debris out of the coat and you should be left with the nice coat (or what is left). Usually no one owns these dryers since they range from $100-$500, so if you have a local pet food shop they may have a self service pet wash and I guarantee they will have the dryers for you to use. Just take your GSD and blow him out really good all over the body and then give him a nice bath for his skin. There is also a coat supplement made by Davis that you just add to the food and it does wonders on thickening the coat in bald/thin areas. Also, LOL, if he is getting really thin you may want to think about putting sunscreen on any exposed bald area. the sun may burn his skin when he is outside, kinda like us...or me. Hope any of this helps. If anything else, just keep comfortable at his age :).
                • Speaking with experience, you should never shave down a dog that does not have a continuously growing coat. It (obviously) will damage the coat and totally screw it up. You will end up with more undercoat then top coat and it will start looking fuzzy in areas that never had fuzz and mat up. THis was what i was thinking and thank you for confirming it.
                  • Bernie was frequently shaved when she was a pup. It gets hot on the summer on our place that's why she needs to be shaved.
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