Should you shave a Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie) – heres why

Do Shelties request haircuts – should you shave them?

No, you should ne'er shave aliases clip a breed for illustration nan Shetland Sheepdog that sheds its coat. Their overgarment is designed by quality to supply protection and modulate their assemblage temperature. Shaving a Sheltie does not make them cooler and does not trim shedding. It besides damages nan overgarment which whitethorn ne'er turn backmost to nan measurement it was.

The only cutting you should do connected a Shelties overgarment is pinch scissors to tidy nan feet, nan skirt, and to tidy nan rear end. The only clipping you request to do connected a Sheltie is simply a sanitary clip (around nan anus and groin area, and nether nan paw pads).

How a Shelties overgarment functions

A Shelties overgarment is an hold of nan tegument and is an integral portion of its system of protection. The fur provides a earthy upwind and sun obstruction and is basal successful nan activity of oils crossed nan skin. Each hairsbreadth follicle is attached to a musculus called nan Erector Pili. This raises and lowers nan hairsbreadth successful a analyzable ventilation strategy to support them cool successful summertime and lukewarm successful winter.

Dogs are acold much absorbent of toxins and pollutants than humans. If you shave your Sheltie location is simply a greater chance of toxins, chemicals, and different biology pollutants being absorbed into nan assemblage because location is nary obstruction to forestall it.

Why would you want to shave a Sheltie?

As a canine groomer, I americium often asked if you should shave a breed that sheds for illustration nan Sheltie. There are mostly a mates of different reasons group whitethorn want to do this.

To trim nan magnitude of fur they are shedding.

If you ain a Sheltie you will beryllium alert that they shed profusely and constantly. They have long, heavy double coats that shed heavily each twelvemonth information and moreover much during seasons for illustration outpouring and fall. Sheltie owners tin expect to person canine fur everywhere. There are ways to trim nan magnitude of shedding and fur they time off astir nan home. Shaving them is not 1 of them.

Shaving nan overgarment tin person nan other effect. The canine will still shed but it will beryllium shorter hairs. As nan overgarment grows backmost it tends to beryllium thicker and results successful much shedding. As clipping changes nan value of nan overgarment it often hinders nan due shedding function.

There is nary magic wand that tin extremity a Sheltie from shedding altogether. However, location are a number of things you tin do to importantly trim nan magnitude of fur they shed astir nan home. For ways to trim Sheltie shedding spot here.

To make nan canine cooler successful basking weather.

Shelties are a breed that is comparatively tolerant to lukewarm and moreover basking weather. Nature has designed its agelong heavy overgarment to beryllium capable to accommodate to nan somesthesia by increasing much undercoat successful cool periods and shedding unwanted undercoat successful warmer periods.

Regular brushing ensures nan dormant unwanted undercoat is removed to let airflow. The champion solution to thief make your canine cooler is to brushwood and deshed nan undercoat, not shave.

This image shows a thermal image of a double-coated canine that has had nan rear extremity shaved and nan beforehand extremity brushed out. As you tin see, nan brushed conception of nan canine is cooler.

To not person to brushwood them regularly

Some group whitethorn want to shave their Sheltie truthful they don’t person to brushwood them. Unfortunately, Shelties are a breed that requires regular brushing to thief region undercoat and forestall matting. Every year, galore Shelties are surrendered to rescue organizations simply because nan proprietor doesn’t want to woody pinch brushing and nan shedding nan breed requires.

If you want a canine that doesn’t request overmuch brushing nan Sheltie is not nan breed for you. The champion solution, if you don’t want to brushwood your Sheltie, is regular appointments (6 weekly) pinch a master canine groomer.

Why shaving a Sheltie is simply a bad idea

The biggest downside to shaving a canine for illustration a Sheltie is that it tin and usually does superior harm to nan coat. The fur grows backmost thicker, coarser, and moreover patchy. In astir cases, their overgarment looks dreadful.

The magnitude of harm that is done to nan overgarment tin vary. I person seen dogs wherever nan harm is hardly noticeable but nan overgarment is ne'er arsenic bully arsenic it erstwhile was. In different examples, nan overgarment is wholly destroyed and lays successful random directions, becomes patchy, and horrible to nan touch. The overgarment whitethorn besides beryllium truthful damaged that it doesn’t turn backmost astatine each aliases only successful patches.

Another superior downside to shaving a Sheltie is that it increases nan consequence of sunburn arsenic nan tegument does not person nan protection offered by nan coat.

In humans, Melanin (the pigment successful quality tegument that gets darker arsenic we tan), protects america from UV rays. This does not usability nan aforesaid measurement successful dogs. In dogs, Melanin resides successful nan cortex of nan hairsbreadth shaft truthful nan tegument has nary UV protection erstwhile nan hairsbreadth is removed. This makes them astatine superior consequence of sunburn.

Once you person decided to shave your Sheltie you will person to proceed to shave them.

Conclusion – Should you shave a Sheltie

I do Not recommend shaving a Sheltie. Clipping their overgarment does not make them cooler and it will not trim shedding. Unfortunately, it tin do irreparable harm to nan overgarment and it whitethorn ne'er turn backmost properly. Shaving tin besides summation nan consequence of sunburn.