Don't know what to call this post

[FinnishLapphund]

Blomma had no problem with her fur, and the heat last Summer. Some weeks ago she still looked like her usual fluffy, beautiful Finnish Lapphund self

But she will be 15 next week, and this year the Summer heat was getting to her, so I decided to do something drastic.

Something very, very drastic. To her fluffy Finnish Lapphund fur...






So my gorgeous, beautiful Blomma now looks like this:

But she's happy, and I'm actually starting to get used to how she looks now. Sort of.
I tried to not trim all the way down to the skin, so there's a little thin fluff left to help protect a bit against sunburn. Sooooo, come on, give me your honest opinion, what do you think? What was the first thing you thought when you saw her new look?

Have anyone else seen a breed that shouldn't be trimmed, but still was? Do you own one? Any photos to share?

 

[Cortez]

She looks beautiful, like a little lion

 

[Escapade]

She looks like a little lion
I'll admit to doing similar with my golden retriever in the summer she was 12, we had some very hot weather and she was really struggling to regulate. She was immediately much more comfortable but I don't have any freshly peeled pics to hand

 

[Caol Ila]

I think I want a Finnish lapphund! Shaved or fluffy.

 

[meleeka]

I’d have just whipped the lot off, but I agree she looks very cute. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t care what she looks like and is much more comfortable.

I’m sorry to say, we are due awful weather soon, not that the forecast has said, but I fully clipped my mini shetland today and that pretty much guarantees it

 

[ycbm]

I think she looks happy and cool and that's all that matters

 

[fiwen30]

I think she looks lovely and happy! When they reach older ages, it does become more about management NOW than management in the future. Did you do it yourself, or was it by a groomer?

 

[Rumtytum]

Was a bit shocked when I first saw the photos but after 30 seconds I can now agree she looks great as a mini-lioness and must feel so much better !

 

[Shady]

Adorable and a very good idea! I do my Persian cats every year and they are so much happier ( I also leave their heads and tails for maximum cuteness!)

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

It’s a great idea, I used to wish we could do that to our Keeshond, he suffered in the summer.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

I think she looks lovely and happy! When they reach older ages, it does become more about management NOW than management in the future. Did you do it yourself, or was it by a groomer?

I have a proper trimmer for dogs, so I did it myself. That's why the left behind thin layer isn't evenly cut, without have a bit of a Sheep sheared in a hurry-look.
I bought the trimmer because Jonna also needed a bit help with removing some of her fluff during her last two, or three Summers. But on her, I tried to leave enough fluff on the top half to both try to disguise the shave, and avoid maybe having to put on sunscreen. This year with Blomma, I decided to dare to be brave.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

It’s a great idea, I used to wish we could do that to our Keeshond, he suffered in the summer.

It's difficult to go against what has been ingrained in you for years, that this type of Spitz coat insulates against both cold, and heat, and should never, never, ever be trimmed for any other reason than that a veterinarian have to for medical reasons. I've also been told that trimming will affect the hair quality of the regrowth.

But when my late Jonna got old her heat regulation didn't work as well anymore, and I felt that I either had to figure out how to build her a portable igloo for her to survive another Summer, or some of her fur would have to go. I still was a coward though, who worried about that it would make Jonna too cold, risk sunburn, and not look like a Finnish Lapphund, so I only started with belly trims which I later extended further, and further up her sides.
This year with Blomma I had finally worked up the courage to dare to give her the trim I did.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

She looks just like a little lion! If it works to keep her cool o hot weather it doesn't really matter what she looks like, imho.

 

[Surbie]

RRROOOAAAAAARRRRR!

She must be much happier without all the fluff. Who cares if they shouldn't be trimmed.

 

[Fjord]

My first thought? Wow, I bet she feels cooler now! Second thought was that she looks cute and funny, (sorry) but definitely must be more comfortable.

 

[rabatsa]

I have seen two dogs trimmed like this during this week. One was a border collie and the other an old english sheepdog. Different owners and places.

If it is done with the dogs best interests at heart then I can see no problem.

 

[Aru]

She looks great! At that age...whatever makes them comfortable!
The main reason people appear to be so against it is the risk of the coat not growing back well and aesthetics. The argument that they insulate using the double coat....makes very little actual sense. we don't wear a jacket of warm insulating material in hot weather and most of these coats are a cold weather adaption.
I've seen a several shaved lappies at this stage as well as other double coated breeds (tick paralysis treatment here requires a full shave to locate the ticks and removed them before they kill the dog) They might not look as typical breed pretty...but most do cope well with the heat after as they grow back in. Stripping the undercoat out also helps but shaving definitely does help some dogs cope better with heat. If mine every act like the heat is holding them back excessively il do the same...start with a belly clip and progress to lion if required.

Sunburn is very uncommon in clipped dogs. heat exhaustion and heat stroke is not uncommon in comparison.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

She looks great! At that age...whatever makes them comfortable!
The main reason people appear to be so against it is the risk of the coat not growing back well and aesthetics. The argument that they insulate using the double coat....makes very little actual sense. we don't wear a jacket of warm insulating material in hot weather and most of these coats are a cold weather adaption.
I've seen a several shaved lappies at this stage as well as other double coated breeds (tick paralysis treatment here requires a full shave to locate the ticks and removed them before they kill the dog) They might not look as typical breed pretty...but most do cope well with the heat after as they grow back in. Stripping the undercoat out also helps but shaving definitely does help some dogs cope better with heat. If mine every act like the heat is holding them back excessively il do the same...start with a belly clip and progress to lion if required.

Sunburn is very uncommon in clipped dogs. heat exhaustion and heat stroke is not uncommon in comparison.

Before spaying my Lapphund bitches seemed to grow a lighter Summer coat with a bit less under-fluff than compared to their Winter coat, but after spaying there's less difference between Summer and Winter coats, and both coats comes with a bit more under-fluff.
I used to think that they tolerated/coped with Summer heat better than I do, but on the other hand, that probably set the bar very low, because I'm no fan of Summer heat.

Anyhow, I might consider going a little further up her neck, and take more of her socks, but the mere thought of giving her a full shave sounds a bit sacrilegious to me!

But ticks I loathe entirely!
And those horrible things can be difficult to locate in the thick fluff, so the words ticks + dead dog is probably the one thing that would convince me to give her a full shave.