Clipping collies.....

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Slightlyconfused

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After the heat stroke thread in the Tack Room got me thinking big collie has a big fluffy double coat and he gets very hot in summer, We have always trimmed his under carrage, walked early hours or late eveing and had fans out and hosed them off in the middle of the day when it gets jot but I was wondering about clipping.

Is it okay to do it? I don't want to ruin his coat and I don't see any collies clipped. Or would I get reported for collie abuse ;)
 
My old boy was collie x springer, but looked just like a collie. He was clipped every summer, he looked totally fine.
 
i had a rough /border cross who i clipped every year in summer -he looked like a freak but it kept him nice and cool:D
 
A true double coat has insulating properties, i.e. it keeps the dog warm in winter and cool in summer. If you clip a dog with a coat like this you will actually remove the outer coat which protects the dog, it is better to groom really well with a decent rake and strip out the woolly undercoat.
I think the main problem with some dogs (particularly collies) is that they are constantly on the go and so can overheat that way (as in that video clip). If I am doing outside jobs in the heat of the day I have to shut my GSDs back in the house otherwise they will keep charging round playing until they are far too hot.
 
There is always a chance that a double coat will not grow back after clipping and I strongly advise clients not to do it except in rare circimstances. I had one get classic post clipping alopecia but that was a border collie clipped to half an inch so he could be bathed most days when his owner was on Chemotherapy so was that or rehome the dog.

Instead raking out undercoat and a belly clip ( as would be done for a nursing bitch ) allows faster cooling if needed.

Carrying a water spray set to mist is useful for cooling.
 
Like MM and as a GSD owner, I have always been taught that the coat, especially on an outdoorsy working type breed protects from the heat as well as the cold and don't like to mess with it too much.

The last couple of weeks training, some of the dogs have really been blowing in the heat (it's not been particularly sunny, just 'close') and to me that is as much a fitness and endurance issue as much as a heat issue - my dog is black and long/heavy coated and did not struggle as much as some of the other dogs, yes, I am careful but if you protect them too much from heat sources you are making a rod for your own back if for some reason they have to be exposed to more heat.

I figure it gets quite hot in Germany and as long as the dog has access to shade and water I don't think it is worth messing with the coat that nature gave them.
 
Thanks guys, thinking the coat seems to be the best option as don't want to mess with his two layers.

I will clip his chest hair tho as that will help him keep cool.
Thankies:)
 
Part of the problem with clipping a double coat is that very often the under coat comes in thick and faster than the top coat. The top coat is there to provide protection from the wet conditions by allowing the water to run off. The undercoat is there as insulation, but if all you have is insulation and nothing to protect that, then it acts like a big sponge to water and dirt.

Like S4sugar, if the dog has a medical need to have the coat removed, I will do it. But it's under veterinary instruction, not just because "he feels a bit warm".

Clipping out the undercarriage is a better way of allowing him to cool off without damaging the coat.
 
Like PucciNPoni, I will clip a collie for medical reasons or if they are really old and thick coated and cant cope with proper grooming. I did clip a Rough Collie fully a couple of weeks ago as it has wet exzema and the vet recommended getting the coat right off to let the skin breathe and allow the sore bits to be easily treated. It looked okay afterwards (but a bit puzzled!).

As a general rule I wouldnt do it though as the regrowth tends to be thicker and the problem is worse.

A good going over with a powerful blaster will usually get a fair bit of undercoat out and make life easier all round.
 
Skippys Mum said:
A good going over with a powerful blaster will usually get a fair bit of undercoat out and make life easier all round.
Click to expand...


Thankyou.......though I am having a dumb moment and when i read the above sentance i thought of Han Solo shooting my collies undercoat off:o:o

what does that mean and can anyone recommend some good thinning combs?
 
Most dog groomers have power blasters which are basically high powered dryers that force air out at speed. This lets you blast all the loose hair off the coat without having to brush for hours and is far kinder on the dogs skin. Its a great thing for collies :D
 
My border collie x gets clipped out from march-October(ish) then allowed to grow through winter.
Before
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And after
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160ece97f2c5c8855ad4d5f1e67545b8_zpsa8322f1f.jpg


Wouldn't touch the rough collies coat though, it's so so different. He gets to keep his :-)

9548f56eebc31385646a047f64e68042_zps08157bf9.jpg
 
I clip my border collie, April through October. She has a genetic hyperthermia and has a military grade cool vest as well for the summer. Bit embarrassing for the Scottish summer, but she's happy a can go out for a walk during the day
 
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