ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
by Snuggles

I'm taking Sunggles to a groomer this weekend. What type of haircut should I request - does he need to have a short-short haircut for the summer - or can he have the puppy-cut and be just as comfortable.

Do they get hot and sweaty with all that hair? Or does it automatically keep them cool like other animals - please let me know. Thanks!

DISCUSSION:

Two places a dog sweats: his nose and his paw pads; he doesn't get sweaty all over. Make sure you know what your groomer's definition of a 'puppy cut' is. From reading many of the posts and talking to my own groomer, a 'puppy cut' is 3/4 inches all over. Let me tell ya, 3/4 inches all over is really Short! If you want your dog to still look fluffy, but not too long, may I suggest 1 1/2 inches all over [referred as 1-1/2 in. puppy cut or 1-1/2 in. kennel cut]. Make sure you tell your groomer exactly how long you want it. I'm letting Pixie Bella grow out so that I can have 1-1/2 inches all over. I'm also letting her hair on her head grow out for that 'page boy' look. I also have her get 'bangs'. Looks cute and keeps hair out of her face, but still leaving enough on top for a topknot.
-Vicki

I've always been led to believe that real short hair is not good for a dog in the summer months. The shorter the hair, the more skin is exposed to the sun, and the risk of sunburn is much higher. My 2 have puppy cuts all year long and I do not overexpose them to the seasonal elements. Maybe someone knows of a "sunblock" sold exclusively for pets !!! Take Care.
-Karen Kalamaras

I have one dog that is hot all the time. I keep her hair about 1/4 inch for the summer months and she just loves it. When she sees the clippers she comes and sits down without any problems. My other is smaller and is on the cool side. I leave her hair no shorter than 2 inches. Its short enough for her to romp around and it grows back long for winter. I think knowing what the dog enjoys the most helps out with the length.
-Teri

I would suggest a cut I tryed last month. Cut about 3/4-1" from neck to tail, and tapered to longer sides, the top of the legs were longer, and got shorter as the hair reached the feet. Feet cut short. Tail long. (Looks kind of like a cocker spaniel with a tail) Looks elegant, yet easy to groom! I have a diagram, if you would like me to e-mail it to you, or fax. -Patti
-Patti

I try to keep Lucy's hair in the 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 range with her ears, topnot, etc. a little longer. She loves to roll in the grass, whether it is wet or dry, and I have found that if it gets any longer she will start to mat. She is at the groomer's today and her hair going in is a little over 2 inches. Up until the weekend she had nary a mat. Suddenly I noticed she had about 4, particularly in her chest hairs and back quarters. Since she will sit patiently for about 2 minutes before she's tired of me undoing them, she got to the groomer with about 2 and half mats! So my rule of thumb is when she starts to look like a little polar bear baby, off to the groomer she goes.
-cathy brown