If you don’t have dog hair on your blouse, shirt, or pullover, you’re simply not properly dressed as a dog owner! As dog owners, we all know this and many more dog hair sayings. But what about the hair on our darlings? What types of coats are there and when should owners clip the dog and when should it be trimmed? You can find everything you need to know about clipping dogs in this article.
The dog coat – from the undercoat to the topcoat
A dog’s coat texture depends on its breed. There are dog breeds whose fur consists of several layers of undercoat and topcoat. Other dog breeds only have a single layer of topcoat, i.e. no undercoat. The dog’s coat determines whether the dog should be clipped or trimmed. With multi-layered fur, the topcoat, also known as coat hair or primary hair, protects against sun, rain, snow, dirt and also against parasites such as mosquitoes. It is the heavier coat that makes up the bulk of the layered coat. The topcoat also determines the color of the fur. Depending on the breed, a dog has between 400 and 1200 outer hairs per square centimeter on its skin.
The undercoat, also called wool hair or secondary fur, is used for insulation – both when it is hot and when it is cold. It is thin and dense and lies under the topcoat. The undercoat ensures temperature equalization on the dog’s body, but it must not be matted. To keep the undercoat fluffy and clean, it needs to be brushed regularly. Also to avoid tangles and to get dead undercoats out of the fur. Up to 20,000 undercoats, hairs can cover a square centimeter of dog skin.
Dog breeds that have topcoat and undercoat shed twice a year – in spring and autumn. In the spring, the undercoat dies off and the coat becomes thinner overall. In autumn the coat changes again and more undercoat is formed for the winter. The top hair, on the other hand, falls out all year round.
Should you clip a dog?
There are only a few dog breeds that can be clipped. Most of them have no undercoat.
The different coat types of dogs
Stick hair: Stick hair most closely resembles wolf fur. It consists of a topcoat and an undercoat. Stick hair undergoes a change of coat twice a year as described above and grows to different lengths depending on the breed. Dog breeds with stick hair are for example Rottweiler, Labrador Retriever, Collie, and Spitz
Wire-haired: This type of coat also consists of two layers. However, the undercoat and topcoat change at the same time. The loose and dead hair does not fall out of the fur by itself but has to be plucked or brushed out by hand. Wire-haired dogs are: Cairn Terrier, Schnauzer, and of course the wire-haired dachshund
Felted hair: The felted hair is also a double coat, but with an extremely thick and long undercoat. This quickly leads to tangles. This creates strands of hair that look like dreadlocks, but that only start a few centimeters above the skin, so skin problems cannot occur. Breed representatives are: Komondor, Bergamascos and Puli
Smooth-Coated (Short-Haired): Dogs with smooth hair hardly have any undercoat. The topcoat is short and strong and sheds throughout the year. Typical dog breeds for smooth hair are: Boxer or Doberman
Long-haired (with little undercoat): Typical for long-haired dogs is a long topcoat and very little undercoat. The coat change takes place periodically. Once only the topcoat falls out and once only the undercoat falls out. These dogs include: Setter, Spaniel or German Longhaired Pointer
Long-haired (with a lot of undercoats): Dogs with this coat type are the most demanding when it comes to grooming. The coat change takes place all year round and the thick undercoat tends to become matted quickly. For example Bobtail, Tibetan Terrier or Shih Tzu
Frizzy Hair: The coat on dogs of this type is mostly curly hair and often dogs of this coat type have little to no undercoat. A coat change does take place, but the hair can become very long. This coat should be clipped or clipped regularly for grooming. Example: Poodles and Bedlington Terriers.
Which dogs can you shear?
Poodles, Water Dogs, Doodles, Bedlington Terriers are among the dog breeds that you can shear.
Shave or trim the dog?
In addition to regular grooming and skincare by brushing, depending on the breed and coat structure, there is the question of whether the coat can be clipped or should it be trimmed. There are only a few dog breeds that can be clipped. They are mostly dogs with curly hair and no undercoat. However, when clipping dogs without an undercoat, make sure that they are not clipped too short in summer. If the clip is too short, there is a risk of sunburn on the unprotected dog skin.
On the other hand, dog breeds are trimmed that have top coat and undercoat but that do not fall out of the coat by themselves during the natural coat change or regrowth. To ensure that the dog feels comfortable and does not have to constantly scratch itself due to the dead hair being pricked, the loose hair is trimmed out by hand or with a trimming knife using a special technique. With regular trimming care, the so-called “rolling coat” develops, an even coat of fur without trimming holes.
Regardless of whether it is shearing or trimming, if you want to lend a hand with your four-legged friend, it is advisable to get information from a professional beforehand or to attend a course. In fact, many dog hairdressers already offer such courses on a regular basis and many a talent has already been discovered that has found its profession in it.
Important note: If dogs are shorn with their undercoat, their coat structure will be destroyed. Both the undercoat and the top coat can no longer grow properly and the natural protective function of the coat is no longer fulfilled. The fur becomes matted and dull.
How can I clip my dog myself?
It is best to have a professional groomer show you how to do this. Many groomers even offer clipping classes.
These dog breeds can be clipped!
Poodle
Waterdogs
Doodles
Bedlington Terriers
These dog breeds must NOT be shorn!
Most dogs should not be clipped, and certainly not dogs with undercoats. Not only is the protective topcoat destroyed, but the remaining undercoat grows back much faster and thus leads to matting in the coat. Post-clipping alopecia can also occur – ugly bald spots on the skin or isolated spots on the dog’s body where only tufts of top hair grow.
Here is just a small selection of breeds that may not be shorn. It is better to only brush the fur to get the dead undercoat out of the fur coat, to bleed the skin, and to make the fur look well-groomed.
Hovawart
Australian Shepherd
Border Collies
German shepherd
Newfoundland
Retriever
Labrador
Bernese Mountain Dogs
Boston terrier
Long and short-haired dachshunds
Leonberger
Pekinese
Husky
What hair length is perfect for dogs?
What the perfect hair length is varies from breed to breed. The right hair length is therefore also independent of the season.
How to – How to clip your dog
Each breed of dog whose coat is suitable for clipping has special requirements. It is therefore actually best to have a professional groomer show you the right technique for your dog. However, all dog breeds are always cut with the direction of hair growth. It should also always be clipped in such a way that the fur does not lose its natural protective function. Before doing this, however, the dog should have become familiar with the clipper and the sound of the machine being switched on. Just getting started without the dog knowing what’s on his body and then the funny noise can make him afraid of shearing for life.
Before clipping, the coat should be thoroughly brushed and free of all dirt and tangles. After a good shower and drying, the coat is best clipped. The dog stands on a table with a non-slip pad. With a high-quality and powerful clipper, the procedure is less stressful and more bearable for the dog. Because it can definitely be painful for the dog to pull on the skin when clipping with little cutting force. The use of the different attachments of the clipper and the appropriate cutting length for the dog should be explained to you by a professional dog groomer.
Always shave in the direction of hair growth. Without stopping, the shearing is started with slight pressure on the neck, starting over the back and then downwards in the direction of the chest, legs, and stomach. Sensitive body parts such as the head, ears, paws, and also genitals are better treated with rounded fur scissors. After clipping, the dog must be brushed out again to remove all loose hair. And when the dog has survived this strenuous procedure of shearing and standing for a long time, it can then play extensively and receive its favorite biscuits more than usual.
