Poodle wrangler Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 Friends have a lab who's been in Australia for a year (from the UK) and the owners were thinking about clipping him Said they know a rotti owner who does his dog and he thinks the dog's more comfortable in summer They say the dog's mane area is quite thick. What do groomers/ lab people think? I've never heard of it before, though people clip horses .... My initial reaction was to say get a paddling pool, shade etc., rather than clipping as I didn't think clipping was a great idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nevafollo Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 i wouldnt do it....the coat could grow back terrible.... the best way to keep a lab kool would be how u suggested paddling pool blocks of ice ect!!! but in saying that people do do it, my mum is clippinga lab today who has been clipped a fair few times before and even thou mum had encouraged them just to keep getting him washed reguarly the have still choosen to get him clipped (their reason behind clipping was because he sheds too much) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShesaLikeableBiBear Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 Presumaly they dont have time/cant be bothered to give the dog a good brush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavandra Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 Silly idea! I am sure they will find someone to do it though Clipping his coat , who knows how it will grow back, he will look stupid too. Dogs cool themselves from underneath, thats why they lie on cool tiles etc in summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WreckitWhippet Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 I've been asked to clip one and a Rotti too. I refused. I advised them that a good brush, bath, condition and blow dry will get rid of the loose coat and it will thin out with time anyway. The dog is not going to be more comfortable clipped, he's just going to have his skin exposed to the sun and lose the insulation and protection he would otherwise have. As far as I'm concerned they can take their dog and money elsewhere, if they choose to ignore my advice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poodle wrangler Posted November 12, 2007 Author Share Posted November 12, 2007 It's a weird one. They're caring owners and think they're concerned about the different temperature here vs. the UK. I think the rotti owner left the impression that it's something we do in Australia . I suggested the hydrobath and force dryer idea. They say he's not shedding that much at the moment and that they brush their dog a few times a week with a slicker Thanks. I'll tell them a definite NO! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 No no no. Would flat out refuse to do it. Of course explain why, and tell them to brush their dog with a comb as a slicker will not do the job on a lab at all. Also as suggested a wading pool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShellyBeggs Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 I would explain to them just how sunburnt that newly exposed skin will get and the worry about skin cancer. Dogs have fur to protect them from the sun........and here in oz our UV levels are much higher and the poor dog would be crispy fried in a day! The incidence of skin cancer rises every year in oz and I am sure they are not planning to dip the dog in sunscreen every 1/2 hour or so. Having had a large black lab that over heated in summer.......a half clam wadding pool (you can get them cheap....no more than $20, I paid $4 at the salvos) and a chicken frame frozen in a ice block....they love it and it keeps them cool.....Plenty of shade...pref over the pool...put up shadecloth if necessary......and even keeping them inside if you are lucky enough to have a cool house. With a regular hydrobath and blow dry and a quick daily brush the shedding will be kept to a minimum.......I am sure they pat their dog anyway....get them to put on a knobbly grooming mit and its suprising how much hair comes out. I would refuse to clip the dog!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 I believe some Rottis can carry the long coat gene & have a different coat & length to a typical rotti so that could be the case. As for this lab & good rake through would do the job.The owners also need to remember it can take a good year or so for the coat to change season patterns this dogs coat would be getting ready for a UK winter so they need to use a good rake to help the dead coat shift. They could clip but if its a black it will regrow a red/choc colour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rose of tralee Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 Just curious as to whether the lab is carrying any excess weight; if so, would the owners be amenable to discussion along those lines? Neither a groomer nor a lab person unless spending time with tenants' grossly overweight lab counts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavandra Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 I believe some Rottis can carry the long coat gene & have a different coat & length to a typical rotti so that could be the case. Yes I used to clip a Rotti (German lines) years ago, he was absolutely massive, and had a huge thick coat & curls on his ears etc..........very different style & type to what I have seen bred here in general. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poodle wrangler Posted November 13, 2007 Author Share Posted November 13, 2007 Just curious as to whether the lab is carrying any excess weight; if so, would the owners be amenable to discussion along those lines?Neither a groomer nor a lab person unless spending time with tenants' grossly overweight lab counts Haven't seen the dog, but they did tell me he's nice and lean. He goes on runs with the owners. It's sad to see overweight labs, especially the oldies whose joints don't cope well with the extra weight. I'll give them all the info. and suggest a rake. Think they'll be happy as they only want to do the best for the dog and genuinely thought clipping might make him more comfortable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandgrubber Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 (edited) As a Lab breeder, I wouldn't be the least bit bothered if someone wanted a pet Lab's coat trimmed in the thick areas. Ok, it would look odd. But many Labs suffer from the heat. A dog brought from a cool climate is likely to be miserable. They can't get the mane area wet unless you have a really deep pool for them. If you clip too far, sunburn would be a concern, but you don't have to clip that far, and if the dog hasn't blown its undercoat, you have to go right down to the skin to have a problem. I wish mine were clipped at the moment. Every time they run in the grass they come back with horrid little seeds worked into their coats. Hard to get out even with a rake. Irritating to the coat. The problem is worst in the dogs with coarse, rather rough topcoats (ie, to the standard as opposed to soft, silky coats). If someone, so to speak, clipped off the split ends and left a flat, unlayered profile at the top of the coat, I suspect they wouldn't be so prone to picking up seeds. A rake only work for coat thinning when the dog is blowing coat. If newly imported, the dog's metabolism may not understand when to blow coat. OK. It wouldn't look good in a show. (Although if the dog had a wavy coat it might actually improve the look). But most Labs are pets. edited to make points clearer Edited November 13, 2007 by sandgrubber Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffo Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 wuldnt the light colour of a lab's coat help to reflect the sunlight and keep them cool? clipping them would just mean the sun is directly hitting their skin hence making them hotter. Sounds dangerous as far as skin cancer goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rysup Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 wuldnt the light colour of a lab's coat help to reflect the sunlight and keep them cool? clipping them would just mean the sun is directly hitting their skin hence making them hotter. Sounds dangerous as far as skin cancer goes. Not all Labs are yellow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poodle wrangler Posted November 14, 2007 Author Share Posted November 14, 2007 Sorry, should have mentioned that the dog's been here almost 12 months now and is a choc lab. They said he blew his coat massively when he first arrived. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacklabrador Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 (edited) For those people who say their coat would grow back dreadfully how do you know? Have you done it? I've had my lab clipped before and his coat grew back exactly as it had been. The coat seemed to be too thick to clip back to the skin and he was left with a short velvety coat about a millimetre long. I got him clipped because he gets himself wet a lot in summer and he takes so long to dry that he smelt awful, even when he was clean. He smelled like a towel that had been wet too long. He's my inside dog who is by my side constantly - it was becoming a real problem. Clipping him solved the problem nicely. His coat was so short that he dried very quickly. It grew back gradually into a normal labrador coat again. He did look like a bull breed though (he has a big head) I intend to do it again this summer. Edited November 14, 2007 by blacklabrador Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 For those people who say their coat would grow back dreadfully how do you know? Have you done it? Fom experience. It seems you have only had it done once ,each time the dog is clipped the texture is altered more & more . Great if its worked for you but many people are not informed of what can happen & the results it may achieve & a client should be told the facts & make a decision knowing that .A ruined coat takes even longer to dry as clipping enciurages the undercoat to grow thicker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
First Time Puppy Owner Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 I say get a mars coat king and run it through more than necessary if that is the issue as it also cuts a little of the top coat - but the bonus is that it get the undercoat out, yet leaves enough for insulation from heat and sunburn!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffo Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 wuldnt the light colour of a lab's coat help to reflect the sunlight and keep them cool? clipping them would just mean the sun is directly hitting their skin hence making them hotter. Sounds dangerous as far as skin cancer goes. Not all Labs are yellow :rolleyes: lol oh really? gee thanks for that. lol i was actually going to specify yellow labs in my post but couldnt be bothered. Still even if it was a black lab, or in this case a choc lab, i would imagine the sun would do a lot of damage to bare skin? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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