06/08/2026
SHOULD WE BE CLIPPING DOGS COATS SHORT IN THE SUMMER? 🌞
When the weather gets warm, it’s inevitable that many dog groomers start to get requests for dogs to be clipped off short. Many dog owners may also attempt to do this themselves rather than taking their dog to a professional groomer but I would always advise against it as its very easy to nick or cut dogs with sharp clipper blades if you aren't trained. Safety first!
I understand owners wanting to help their dogs to stay cool & comfortable during warmer weather but clipping your dog short isn’t always neccersary and in some cases, it can leave your dog at real risk of sun burn, sun stroke & skin cancer.
🐶 Dog’s coats are insulating, helping to keep them warm in colder months but also cool in the heat.
This seems counter intuitive I know, people don’t wear coats outside in warm weather, but dogs aren’t people.
Dogs skin & coats respond to temperature changes very differently than human skin does. Dogs skin is thinner than human skin and their coat provides both protection and insulation for them. Their coat serves to regulate body temperature in both cold & warm weather.
🐶 Is clipping a dog short necessary?
Sometimes yes. If a dog is very heavily matted from nose to tail then it's far more humane to clip all the dirty, matted coat off rather than attempting to get all that matting brushed out which would be very uncomfortableand even painful.
No good groomer wants to put any dog through the pain of a full dematt.
Humanity over vanity in my salon, always.
🐶 Double coated breeds
It’s important to know whether your dog is single or double coated.
Certain breeds have two coats and not just larger dogs. Double-coated breeds include:
German shepherds, Golden retrievers,
Labradors, Chows, Bernese mountain dogs, Newfoundland, Huskies, Malamute, Corgis & Pomeranians to name but a few.
Double-coated dogs effectively have two separate layers to their coats. The undercoat made up of shorter guard hairs which are fairly dense and closely spaced, and the top coat made of longer softer hairs more sparsely spaced.
Double coated breeds will naturally shed their undercoat when it starts to get warmer, as it is primarily use is to keep them warm during winter months.This is known as “blowing” their coat.
The shedding may seem extreme but it’s a natural and healthy part of the life cycle for double coated breeds.
They really don’t require haircuts or clipping off in order to keep them cool during warmer months, although a groomer can help with de-shedding treatments should you be fed up with coat all over your home constantly!
Their excess feathering or longer length coat can be trimmed up if you like your dog neater looking.
Once shedding is finished they are left with just an outer coat which is plenty of protection and insulation for the warmer weather.
Double coats dont grow constantly as some other breeds do. They will only grow to a certain length and then stop so they really don't require lots of hair cuts other than trimming.
Someone recently asked me to shave their Pug and I said no simply because it just doesn't need clipping off! Regular de-shedding treatments really are enough to help control the shedding process.
🐶 Single Coated breeds
Many breeds of dog are single coated, lacking a distinct undercoat.
Dogs like boxers, Greyhounds, Jack Russels, Pugs etc have coats that will only grow to a certain length then stop so they really don't need regular haircuts. They will still shed but they won’t go through the kind of immense coat blowing in the late winter/early spring that double-coated dogs will.
Single-coated dogs still require regular bathing & brushing to sufficiently maintain their coat though.
🐶 Longer coated breeds
Some breeds with either single or double coats, don’t stop growing at a certain length and they must be given regular haircuts to keep them clean and prevent them from becoming overly long, knotted & matted. Dog breeds in this category include:
Cocker spaniels, Schnauzers, Lhasa apsos, Bichon Frise, Yorkies, Maltese, Shih tzus etc.
You can have your dog clipped off if you really want too! 🐶
I clip off lots of dogs here, sometimes because they come in badly matted but more often then not because their owners want them to be easy to maintain at home. I call it 'wipe clean'!
Spaniels in particular can look really smart clipped short all over, or with their top knots & ears left full & fluffy.
Shih tzu's too although owners often like their heads & tails left fuller & fluffier too.
Some owners just don't have the time or energy to groom their dogs at home every day or two or sometimes their dogs are naughty, biting or playing up when they are groomed at home so owners give up trying. Some have very active dogs who like getting into pools & muddy puddles or through long grass & bushes and it's just far easier for their owner just to rinse or wipe them clean when they get home.
If it's easier for an owner to have their dog clipped off short, that is absolutely fine, I don't judge here, and in fact I keep a couple of my own motley crew short & neat year round.
If you opt for a short clip i will always ensure the dog looks super smart and their coat will grow back.
WORD OF WARNING though, it's rare but on occassion i do hear cases of dogs getting something referred to as 'coat funk' when the coat grows back very thin or patchy.
It's really not a clipping issue though, it's usualy because a dog has a severe health issue or is on strong medications such as long term steroids and there are some breeds that are prone to thinning hair called Alopecia, such as Pomeranians.
🐶 Sun protection
I will at times refuse to clip a dogs coat very short to protect it from the sun. White colored dogs with pink skin, elderly dogs with thinning coats or dogs that generaly have a thin coat with some bald area's are best not shaved too short to protect any exposed skin from the sun rays 🌞
They really would be at high risk of sun burn, sun stroke and skin cancer and I would never put a dog at that sort of risk just for a haircut.
I could clip a dog shorter but still leave it fluffy enough with comb attachments, to cover any exposed area's though. I will always advise owners if their dog is at risk.
🐶 How to keep your double coated dog cool in warmer weather
Whilst the motivation is because we love our dogs and want them to stay cool & comfortable you don't have to resort to clipping their coat short to keep them cool & comfortable.
Here are some tips you can follow to reduce shedding out-of-season and help to keep the dog cooler and more comfortable on hotter days.
*Regular professional de-shedding grooms can help assist the natural coats blowing process with regular de-shedding but dont remove the top coat or cause possible permanent damage the way shaving sometimes can.
*Trimming excessively long hair, even in dogs whose hair stops growing is another option and can help keep them clean & easier to brush out at home.
*Clipping short around the bottom, groin, belly, paw pads & inside the ear leather can help too.
*And trimming up legs, feet & ears for appearance and hygiene are generally fine, regardless of breed or coat type.
Most important though is to keep your dog out of the sun during the hottest part of the day.
Walk them only in the early morning, late afternoon or evening when he sun has gone down & it's cooler.
Never leaving them in a car even for a short period of time.
Always ensure they have shade, fresh cold water regularly replaced throughout the day & night and you could even use an electric fan for them when at home.
Safety first for our precious pets ❤
Ruth x
The photo is of my own precious older Newfoundland girl Kodi, aka Baby-bear, who sadly passed away earlier this year. I kept her clipped short to help me manage her 'hotspots' that regularly appeared on her skin.
