Why it is important to NOT shave your dog short all the time

A dog’s fur is not the same as human hair.  It’s design is slightly different, it’s purpose is to protect their body through various ways.  Some breeds- like Labs, Golden Retreivers, German Shephards, and Pomeranians- to name a few, have fur that should NEVER get a full haircut. 

Other breeds- like Shih Tzu, Yorkie, Poodle, Bichon, etc. have a fur type that IS designed to be cut. 

They are different on a genetic level. 

When getting a haircut for a breed that does get cut, it is important to know that repeatedly cutting it very short causes damage to the follicle.  This often results in the fur being unable to grow back or to grow back uneven and in patches.  A dog coat in that condition most likely will not grow back, leaving that dog more exposed to temperature regulation issues and susceptible to environmental causes of skin conditions. Also, should that dog ever need to be put under anesthesia, that dog’s ability to survive is threatened due to difficulty in maintaining the increased body temperature they would require under those conditions. 

Ultimately, a dog’s fur functions differently than human hair. The recommended shortest length is 1” of fur.  Shorter than that begins to put your dog at risk. 

If you would like to better understand how dog fur functions, please do not hesitate to ask us, We would be happy to explain !