best4koda Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Hi guys, I have a quick query. We are moving to Karratha WA soon and it'a already approaching 40 degrees there. What does everyone think about clipping the fur of a GSD? Is it a good thing to do in such a hot place, does it make them more comfy, is there any reasons that you shouldn't? I can't even imagine what a clipped GSD looks like! When I did a quick search I hardly found anything on the net but did see something about you shouldn't. Feed back would be great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gayle. Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 No, let the dogs coat adjust to the climate. I would not clip a GSD ever. Their coat provides protection from the heat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fordogs Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Definitely NOT. Would you rather your dog gets sun burnt? Just be careful not to over exercise, find a place where you can swim and give the dog time to acclimatise. Your dogs coat is it's insulation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 make SURE there is somewhere cool for your dog .. a wet/damp sandy patch in shade is perfect when the dog's outside ... also make sure water is in large containers and kept cool. Our working dogs - some of them have longish coats .. and they live permanently outside - they have damp sand in which to dig a cool bed ..and get wet down in the middle of the day ... and no exercise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freundhund Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Okay, most GSD owners and breeders I know in Perth WA, keep their GSD's inside in airconditioning. I know a number of GSD breeders actually have airconditioned kennels. You cannot clip a GSD, the coat is actually designed to keep the dog hot and cold. You might find after a while your dog will have less and less actual coat as it adjusts to the heat. If your dog has to be outside during the day in the sort of heat you describe you will need to have a childrens plastic swimming pool with clean water in it for your dog to lie in, as well if you will need to make a shaded area up with heavy duty shade cloth for your dog to lie under. I wouldn't recommend leaving your dog outside however, once the heat gets over about 35 degrees. Also no exercise once the temperature reaches 28 degrees during the day. I will see if I can find an article written years ago about living with a GSD in Darwin and the Tropics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Plenty of heavier coated dogs live up there & do fine.Providing the right cool spots is a must . Just brush regulary & the dog will be fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeamSnag Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Agree with everyone.. Dogs have acoat for a reason! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
korbin13 Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 A friend I had up there always had air con on 24/7 for most of the year, so if your dog is an inside dog, you should be fine! Her power bills were enormous Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crisovar Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Your best friends when faced with a double coat and hot weather should be a hydrobath, a high velocity dryer and elbow grease. Keep the dog thoroughly groomed out, plenty of shade, avoid exercise in the heat of the day, keep the dogs weight down (chubby dogs don't cope as well), and all will be well. GSDs do not look pretty clipped off ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
best4koda Posted November 13, 2011 Author Share Posted November 13, 2011 (edited) I wouldn't recommend leaving your dog outside however, once the heat gets over about 35 degrees. Also no exercise once the temperature reaches 28 degrees during the day. I will see if I can find an article written years ago about living with a GSD in Darwin and the Tropics. Freundhund, if you can find that article would be great. Yep, we will have a shell pool for her and when we are home she will be in and out of the house to the aircon. She is still young, mad chewer so she may be outside while during school hours on days I work. But will provide lots of shade etc for her. We may crate her inside if that's cooler then out. We have her crated at night so she is used to it. No, I'm not greatly wanting to clip her but it was suggested to me so I thought I would ask the people in the know what everyone thought. I thought perhaps it maybe of benefit being so hot and dogs like GSD's arent from tropic areas is all...would definitely not let my dog get sunburt that's for sure. I thought it would be better to leave the fur as well. We will be home for some weeks after we move which will be good for her to aclimitize to it as well as ourselves for that matter. We try to keep her on the thinner side as much as possible as a general rule for good health too. Edited November 13, 2011 by best4koda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clyde Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 As a groomer who has no problem clipping double coated if absolutely necessary, I wouldn't clip her either. They acclimatise and find good, cool resting spots. I have two Maremmas who literally don't budge on warmer days. One lies under the veranda table and the other finds a shady tree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Make sure you get her undercoat out as much as possibly and shade, etc etc as suggested and she will acclimatise in time. Clipping them off can make them hotter as the skin hits straight on the skin and they can get very sunburnt, but also the undercoat is still there just as thick - if somewhat shorter so they can still get very hot. Grooming and making sure you get any dead undercoat out will be the best thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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