All information on this page is included in our Double Coat Shave Release Form, in which you may be required to read over and sign if you wish to have your double coated dog’s haircut shorter than recommended.
Double Coat Care & Shave Down Information
What Does “Double-Coated” Mean?
A double-coated breed of dog, ie Labrador Retriever, Siberian Husky, Golden Retriever, etc., has two important layers of fur. The first layer of a double coat is the fluffy and thick undercoat that hides within an inch off the skin. This layer acts as the insulation that traps heat close to the skin in the wintertime, but also keeps the heat of the sun out in the summertime. It is most commonly seen as the layer of the coat that ‘blows-out’ in giant tufts, a few times a year.
The second, more visible layer to a double-coat is the soft, wiry, or smooth top coat. This is the layer of fur that gives breeds like Goldens their long and luscious locks. The top coat is also referred to as ‘guard hair’ because of its important job of protecting the dog from weather or natural forces like rain, snow, wind, burrs and thorns. This layer of the fur is also extremely important for undercoat health, because it acts as a weighted blanket to pull the dead and shedding undercoat from your pet’s hair follicles.
Single coated dog breeds, like the Poodle, Shih Tzu, etc., have roughly 5-20 strands of hair per single follicle. Double coated breeds have 20 or more strands per follicle, typically making their coat more dense and prone to paction of the follicle. In order to keep your double-coated breed healthy, is it generally recommended that they be brushed and professionally groomed regularly to release the dead hair from the follicles.
Why is it Bad to Shave Them?
Shaving a double coated dog is generally not recommended unless your veterinarian suggests it for skin/ coat issues, or if the pet is matted beyond brush-out capabilities. When a double coated dog is shaved short enough to expose the undercoat, the dog loses its natural ability to shed properly. As stated above, the top coat acts as a weighted blanket for the undercoat, pulling the dead and shedding hair out of the follicle. When you take away those weighted guard hairs, the follicle cannot properly relieve itself of dead hair. This can cause the hair to grow back abnormally. Along with issues of growing back the coat, the dog may not be able to self regulate its body temperature, potentially leading to other, internal, issues.
Risks Associated With Shaving a Double Coated Dog
Below is a list of potentially non-preventable or unexpected risks that may occur when shaving a double coated dog.
Nicks, cuts and abrasions- due to the skin being pulled up into any severe paction or matting
Skin rashes, irritations and redness underneath any paction or matting due to the skin’s inability to receive proper air flow
Pre-existing pests, wounds, and skin infections becoming exposed after any paction or matting is removed
Lethargy or restricted movement from exhaustion after any paction ot matting is removed
Shivering or trembling due to the inability to self regulate body temperature after the coat is taken down
Your pet may seem “off”, not themself, or experience lethargy for the first few days to a week after a shave down
Your pet may seem itchy or irritated while the hair grows back after a shave down
Your pet may experience limited or patchy coat regrowth after a shave down
Your pet may not be able to regrow their coat at all after a shave down
Our Policy for Double Coat Shaves
Whether you decide to have your pet shaved for comfort or for easy maintenance, we as professionals will never hold judgement, but instead do our best to educate you on the risks and potential outcomes. If you do proceed to shave your pet, we have a policy in place to best help them regulate and keep a healthy coat after a major change. Any double coated breed that gets a haircut resulting in less than an inch of fur will automatically be charged for a Deshed Treatment. This is not an upcharge based your decision, but instead a treatment to keep their coat healthy after being stripped of their natural ability to shed properly. The Deshed Treatment takes out all of the dead and shedding undercoat before we give the pet its haircut so that while the coat is regrowing, the dead coat does not get trapped and cause later issues. This surcharge is $15 USD.