I believe that most owners who have raised dogs will face the problem of shaving their dogs. Now there are two common views, that is, dogs cannot shave and dogs should shave.
One, the role of dog coat
Coat mainly has the functions of heat preservation, protection and feeling.
Figure 1: Anatomy of the coat and skin
According to the structural and functional characteristics, it can be divided into needle hair, fluff and tactile hair.
Needle hair: thicker, longer and tougher, it mainly plays a role in protecting the skin.
Fluff: relatively soft and short, mainly for heat preservation.
Tilia: Specialized needle hairs, rich in nerve endings, mainly for sensory functions.
Two, should dogs shave?
As mentioned above, the dog's coat has the functions of protection, heat preservation, feeling and so on.
1.Dogs that normally molt
Although the dog's coat has a good thermal insulation and heat insulation effect, this is mainly because the down is playing a role. For dogs that change their coat in spring and autumn, most of the down will be removed in the spring and replaced with more beneficial ones.
2.Puppy of boreal origin
For dogs whose origin is in the cold zone, such as Alaskan Malamute, Husky (Siberian Husky), etc., due to the local climate, dogs have evolved the characteristics of cold resistance and heat resistance in the long-term evolution process.
Figure 2: Alaskan Malamutes from the frigid region of origin (the picture is prohibited from being stolen)
Figure 3: The Alaskan Malamute is very dense (the picture is not allowed to be stolen)
Figure 4: The newly born Alaskan Malamute pup is already quite dense (the picture is not allowed to be stolen)
3.Dogs that do not moult
Some breeds of dogs do not molt in spring and autumn, such as Poodles (details), Bichon Frise, Schnauzer, Bedlington Terrier, etc. The main reason is that their cortical structure is better than that of other breeds of dogs.
Figure 5: Properly trimmed Poodle (Teddy outfit) (Picture is prohibited)
3. Precautions for shaving dogs
If owners still feel that they need to shave their pets, then be sure to pay attention to the following points:
1. The shaving time should not be too early. It is better that the temperature is relatively stable. When the temperature difference between morning and evening is relatively small, it can prevent dogs with weak constitutions from getting sick due to the excessive temperature difference.
2. The length of the shaving hair should not be too short. It has been emphasized above that the dog's coat has a good protective effect on its skin. Do not shave to the extent that the skin is exposed, so as to avoid sunburn and even skin diseases.
3. For dogs who have already suffered from skin diseases, it is recommended to shave a large area (or even shaving), on the one hand, it will help the foreign objects to fully exert the effect of the drug, on the other hand, it will also facilitate the discovery of other lesions, and complete cure, and can also prevent