Hairy puppy struggling in heat

[BentleyBelly]

We have a 20 week standard schnauzer who is rather hairy and struggling in the heat, she is fidgety and uncomfortable and won't settle. She is not a big fan of water, she ran into the water when I was hosing the garden and didn't like it, although she drinks loads and drips everywhere from her beardy face! She is also quite smelly so I would like to give her a bath but don't really know where to start if she doesn't like water?! Is 20 weeks to young to take her to be groomed? She is very lively and quite naughty with a 2 second attention span.

 

[clydesdale]

no i would take her to the groomers and have it all cut off well short anyway

 

[Hanzybaby01]

I found this with all my spaniels when they were younger. The way I got round this was to keep them in the shade during the 'hottest part of the day' and only let them out for toilet breaks or a 5 minute wander in the garden before they started panting again.

The best thing that helped them i found was a childs big garden/plastic container thing that you fill up with either sand or water for them to sit in a play/splash around. Id fill it up with some cold water and just let them explore it. Before long i couldnt get them out of the thing it was a massive help for keeping them cool and also washing them down a bit.

 

[Spudlet]

I don't know with schnauzers whether you handstrip or clip them - either way, I think it sounds like a trip to the groomers is needed. Find a nice one where all is calm though, the first one I took mine to was manic and very stressful for him! I'm sure a good groomer would take account of the pup's age and perhaps give themselves extra time to make it a less stressful experience.

In all honesty, I think that the priority should be the comfort of the dog so lose the excess coat. I know some spaniel people would be horrified at the severe clips I give my boy in this sort of weather but he's not a show dog, and he's better off without it so off it comes!

When it comes to baths - hmm maybe I will be shouted at but mine hates them too, however he gets no choice in the matter. If he needs a bath, it happens, no matter how much he wriggles and yips. It hasn't killed him yet and he doesn't seem to have stopped loving me

 

[Apercrumbie]

^^^ Agree with Spudlet. Tough if he doesn't like baths. At some point he is going to roll in something very smelly and will need a bath so he might as well get used to it now.

 

[kal40]

Poor thing, I agree get hair off. I am going to have to thin my cobs feathers and do his mane as he is getting a bit hot. My chocador lives in her paddling pool atm

 

[BentleyBelly]

Thanks all...stopping on way home to get a paddling pool (its worth a try) and will google local groomers and make a few calls. I don't really like the way schnauzers are clipped for showing so might be an interesting conversation if I find someone who insists she should be clipped 'properly'! I just hope she behaves, she can be a right madam!!

 

[CAYLA]

She is not to young for a trip to the groomers, infact getting them there are young as possible will aid your groomer to prepare them for their future clips, even them visiting for baths when very little and a brush and learning how to stand/be handled and bathed.
Your groomers will be well prepared for puppy figityness.
Panting is only there way of cooling down and is very effective, the extra water intake could be a cooling down aid or making up for lost saliva from panting alot.
It wont necc make her cooler taking the hair down, but certainly for comfortable and shaving her stomach down will enable her to soak up a little more coolness when lying in the shade/on concrete and trimming her beard will stop some of the water drippage

 

[CAYLA]

Thanks all...stopping on way home to get a paddling pool (its worth a try) and will google local groomers and make a few calls. I don't really like the way schnauzers are clipped for showing so might be an interesting conversation if I find someone who insists she should be clipped 'properly'! I just hope she behaves, she can be a right madam!!

They look very smart when clipped have a google. And don't worry about how she will behave, the groomers deal with that all day long.

 

[Elle123]

This time of year the clippers come out for my sisters mini schnauz. He has a 'puppy cut' Just finished clipping my little cocker today too. So warm.

As for the bathing...schanuzers can be quite melodramatic about it! Ollie the schnauz doesn't like water at all, but if he smells or is hot, you have to ignore the schnauz grumbles and huffs and get on with it! I think he was about 4 months old when he had his first haircut. He was a December pup so didn't need it before.

Especially as schnauz don't have moulting coats they do seem to feel it when they start to resemble mops!

 

[misterjinglejay]

I've just bought ours a pool, and awaiting delivery. As I'm not sure how brave they'll be with it, I was asking amongst friends what they do. Apparently you can get a cement mixing tray from a builders merchants; they're quite big and only 2 inches deep, just right for hot paws.

And a lot cheaper than this sodding pool that I bet they won't use