Rilla-My-Rilla Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Where we live there are quite a few ticks, and the BC I am getting is from a show line, so all the dogs have quite big coats. I've asked my breeder about clipping, and she said that the coat doesn't grow back the same. So, for ease of checking for ticks (we've got paralysis ticks) I was wondering how different the coat grows back? I don't plan to show my dog, so I don't mind if the coat is slightly different, as long as it doesn't grow back too weird. My breeder also said that because BCs have short bottom coat and a long top one, it actually keeps them cooler in summer. Would clipping ruin this? Hope this all makes sense! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clyde Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Yes clipping will ruin the insulation (not really an issue for indoor dogs/non extreme weather)) and the coat more than usually grows back funny (thicker and curly). But as a groomer who ran my business in a tick infested area for many years you need to weigh up what is more important. Personally I would wait and see how you go before doing anything too drastic - but don't let the purists make you feel bad if it comes down to shaving off the coat. Get in a routine of tick searches, concentrating especially around the front half the body (although they go everywhere), good tick preventative such as Advantix in conjunction with a Bayer tick collar is the best start possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 I don't understand why you would buy a coated dog just to clip it off? If the coat is going to be a problem why not get a short coated dog to start with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rysup Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 We clip a LOT of BC's at work. We try to keep them a decent length, but some do go back to almost nothing. Some grow back fine, others dont, but I would say its pretty rare. Clipping the coat off should technically not alter the hair regrowth in any way, but experience tells me this is not true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janba Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 (edited) I used to clip one of my BCs when he got old and had trouble regulating his body temperature. His coat grew back thicker and curlier and matted more easily but it did give a few more years of comfort in his old age. I live in a high tick area with 2 BCs. I do tick searches and twice monthly spot on tick prevention and have had no tick problems. ETA I don't clip younger BCs but do have a dogzillion (line from the anus through the back legs) done on my show line boy as his hair is so thick there that if he gets sloppy poos etc they get caught in the hair. Edited February 17, 2012 by Janba Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crisovar Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Why not simply buy a short haired Border Collie? Same dog less coat. :D My biggest gripe with people insisting on clipping off breeds such as the B/C is that in my experience eventually the majority of owners get lazy, they develop an attitude of we are going to clip it off any way, so they neglect to groom the dog between clips. Also the time between clip lengthens and The result is a revolting thick sometimes almost impenetrable carpet that you wouldn't find a tick in anyway. With a well groomed unclipped coat I find that search daily by finger feel is quite easy. NOTHING replaces the need to check for ticks daily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty Miss Emma Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 I would think you could treat this a bit in the same way that I deal with grass seeds - every time we go out somewhere that there is grass seeds we sit down and have about a 20 minute body search of every possible location there could be a grass seed and also a brush out. My BC had a good groom before summer and her coat was much easier to manage and also for me to search for grass seeds. I don't know about ticks because we don't have any here, but I'm super vigilant on looking over her skin anyway. The BC's I know who have been shaved off have very thick coats when it grows back, it almost seems wooly, and they have wavy coats (don't know if that is just them or if it is the clip). I'd say if you can avoid it then do so, but you don't want a tick on your dog so like someone else said you do have to weigh up the options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty&biscuit Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 I have an aussie shepherd and lots of friends with BC's and I live in FNQ, a high tick area. Just advantix once or twice a month, and non of us have had a problem before :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretel Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 I don't understand how you can clip the dog if you want to show it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rilla-My-Rilla Posted February 17, 2012 Author Share Posted February 17, 2012 Thanks for all the replies everyone! :) Why not simply buy a short haired Border Collie? Same dog less coat. Can't do so as I have fallen in love with the breeder's bitch, in fact all of her dogs, and the line they came from... :) My biggest gripe with people insisting on clipping off breeds such as the B/C is that in my experience eventually the majority of owners get lazy, they develop an attitude of we are going to clip it off any way, so they neglect to groom the dog between clips Don't think this would happen as I love grooming lol Sounds best not to clip, since where we live gets quite warm and a thick coat would make it unpleasant for the dog...I don't really want a curly coated dog anyway lol I tick check the other dogs regularly and pat them all over so much that I find a tick pretty much as soon as it is on anyway. Guess I'll just have to be more vigilant with the longer coated dog and keep her out of the paddocks and long grass during tick season. :)Thanks again everyone, all your advice really appreciated! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rilla-My-Rilla Posted February 17, 2012 Author Share Posted February 17, 2012 I have an aussie shepherd and lots of friends with BC's and I live in FNQ, a high tick area. Just advantix once or twice a month, and non of us have had a problem before :) So do I, hence the clipping question :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alyosha Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Another good tool in searching for ticks is a good dog dryer. Using it with no heat, it makes it very easy to go through the coat at skin level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espinay2 Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 If you want to clip for ticks you are really going to have to clip about every 6 weeks to make the exercise worthwhile. As mentioned one of the issues is that when you clip you are cutting both guard hairs and undercoat. The longer and thicker guard hairs on an unclipped coat actually keep the undercoat separated. Cut them the same length and as they grow they get more tangled together. Hence a clipped coat generally needs MORE grooming as it grows not less or you end up with a thick tangled mess. It tends to tangle a lot quicker than an unclipped coat does. I agree the best investment is a dog dryer. IMO a better investment than clipping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 If the coat grows back funny it was going to be funny anyway. The hair grows from follicles deep in the skin. Clipping takes the hair off at the surface & in no way touches or affects these follicles where hair grows from. To damage the follicles you would have to injure the skin to a deeper level than a clip. Its a personal decision how you have your dog & I would rather see any dog shaved than matted or at risk of getting everything stuck in its coat from the environment. A poodle I knew was kept short all over, head, tail ears too. It did not look pretty but it went swimming in the sea most days, except bad days, with its owner. She loved the personality of the breed & didn't care about its looks. Both happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crisovar Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 If the coat grows back funny it was going to be funny anyway. The hair grows from follicles deep in the skin. Clipping takes the hair off at the surface & in no way touches or affects these follicles where hair grows from. To damage the follicles you would have to injure the skin to a deeper level than a clip. Its a personal decision how you have your dog & I would rather see any dog shaved than matted or at risk of getting everything stuck in its coat from the environment. A poodle I knew was kept short all over, head, tail ears too. It did not look pretty but it went swimming in the sea most days, except bad days, with its owner. She loved the personality of the breed & didn't care about its looks. Both happy. There is a huge difference between clipping the coat of a Poodle and double coated breed, huge. I don't know how many repeatedly clipped off double coated breeds you see, but I deal with dozens of them. Beautiful full coated animals with correct coat texture that turn into thick gross carpets. Many owners rue the day they made the decision to clip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 I think part of the problem is that when you clip a double coated breed the top coat and undercoat become the same length. What the breeder said about removing insulation is true. It also makes the dog liable to sunburn. If it's going to be a major drama to keep a full coated dog in your living circumstances, I'd honestly recommend you choose another breed. Or in this case, source a lighter coated dog from working lines. You still have to check the skin on shorter coated dogs for ticks. If you get into the habit of parting the hair while you groom the dog daily, two problems are solved at once. Interestingly, I've had fewer issues with grass seeds on my longer coated dogs than some folk have with their short coated ones. A longer coat traps the seeds and PROVIDED you groom regularly, I think they have less chance to grow into and penetrate the skin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeltaCharlie Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 I know someone who clipped their older BC thinking it would cool him down and his fur never grew back. He was covered in bum-fluff for the rest of his life Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rilla-My-Rilla Posted February 18, 2012 Author Share Posted February 18, 2012 (edited) Thanks everyone. Sounds better and just as easy to not clip than to clip. :D I know someone who clipped their older BC thinking it would cool him down and his fur never grew back. He was covered in bum-fluff for the rest of his life Wouldn't feel game to clip after reading this lol :laugh: eta typo Edited February 18, 2012 by sjp118 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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