[mack1322]

We live in the south and as you know it get very warm and humid here. We have debated this over last summer about getting our beloved chow: "Murphy" and good shave for the summer but it hard for me to proceed and convince my wife because she says that without his beauty coat he would not be same dog. Are there any medical risks to having him possibly overheat that i can try to leverage and convince my wife he needs a shave for the summer for his health.

 

[Kendalle]

we shaved our chow mix in the summer. you can have it look pretty, ours never did cause we had to tranq him to have him shaved and he was always un even but happy after

 

[Dragonrain]

I don't know much about chows.

Keep in mind that some dogs coats keep them cool as well as warm. It sounds kind of weird...but with dogs with double coats the fur helps to insulate from sudden temperature changes, meaning they heat up or cool off more slowly. Also, fur protects the dog from things like insect bites and sunburn.

Also sometimes when you shave a dog with a double coat, it can take a very long time for the fur to grow back in and look as nice as it did before you shaved them. The coat can grow in unevenly making the dog look kind of scruffy for awhile too. Or you may luck out, and not have any of these issues.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not against shaving dogs. I actually keep my Papillon's fur clipped shorter, which isn't common for his breed but seems to keep him more comfortable. Papillons don't have a double coat though.

If you do shave him, make sure to still give him plenty of shady areas and watch out for sunburn. If you decide not to shave, keeping him well groomed and brushing out any shedding undercoat as well as making sure he has plenty of shade and cool water should be enough in the summer time.

 

[Purple-Hops]

I would talk with your vet and groomer to find any thing that Dragon might have mentioned. You shouldn't avoide it simply because your wife doesn't want an ugly scruffy dog- if the dog will be uncomfortable then you want what's best for him. . . Someone here shaves their Newfoundland dogs in the summer and I'm in the North Atlantic!! lol, it looks like a bear!

 

[BeagleGuyScott]

The only reason to shave a dog is because its fur is so matted that it is painful to brush it out. It is insulation from heat as well as cold. If you must be lazy, the time to shave them is early spring so they will have some growth before the heat of summer sets in.