Grooming Advise

[Ali63]

I have a 5yr old sheltie/ maltese cross who's coat looks very much

like a sheltie's however it never seems to shed but just grows

thicker until I give in and have her shaved.

I have been told she has a triple coat. I am after advice on the best

way to manage her coat as she seems to always be hot and doesnt seem

to enjoy her walks when her coat is so thick, she seems to be constantly panting

Am i best keeping her shaved and buying a coat for winter? It seems a

shame as her coat is so soft and luxurious!

[atua]

Hey what length do you usually take her back to?

You could try by leaving a little bit of length like a half inch or so, so that shes not completely short all over during the winter periods. By keeping her belly shorter than the rest though would also help with the heat a little too so that when she layed down in the shade she would feel the little bit cooler on her belly.

In summer if your happy to take her back to the 7 which is nice and short but in winter Id tend to leave a little bit of length but not full length if she is still having trouble with heat problems

[redarachnid]

How much does she weigh and do you have a pic?

I ask this because I have grooming clients who constantly say their dog is hot and panting, but it's not the length or type of hair they have... they are all overweight!!

Even 2kgs extra on a small dog can start to cause breathing problems. So maybe you need to call into your vet to have her weighed and ask a vet nurse if they think she's overweight as she is panting all the time. They should not charge you for this if it's not a consult, just an over the counter enquiry.

Even if YOU don't think she's overweight, she still may be. From my experience, people with overweight dogs, never think they are overweight.

I woiuld do this before you consider that her hair is an issue. Good luck.