Should I cut her hair now?? She is so hot!
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| I don't know, I'm having the same agony with Pippin. I love his puppy fur, and he's only going to be like this for a few more months, but it can't come at the cost of his health either. I haven't decided yet, as we can't afford to take him to the groomer for a few more weeks yet, but I've been going back and forht on this a lot in the last few weeks!
so no advice, but a lot of sympathy! |
Clyde never seemed hot with all his hair. He acts the same now cut down as he did with long hair. With a/c on, he was always fine and we went to the park and for walks in the evenings, which we also do now because of Bear's super thick coat. The puppy coat isn't that dense so I'm surprised she's be so warm already. Clyde's just naturally cool I guess.  |
| I gave Walter his puppy cut at around 6 months. I didn't shave him, but just trimmed about half the length on his body, legs and chest.
Perhaps some more experienced sheepie owners can contribute here, but the groomer I spoke with mentioned that the little guys do not yet have their undercoat (there are also several other posts about "blowing coat" and all that). I don't know how much of a difference that makes, but I'm sure the fine hair and lack of undercoat make puppies a little cooler...just theorizing. Good luck on the decision - love to see pictures if you do decide to trim! |
Walterthedog wrote: Perhaps some more experienced sheepie owners can contribute here, but the groomer I spoke with mentioned that the little guys do not yet have their undercoat (there are also several other posts about "blowing coat" and all that). I don't know how much of a difference that makes, but I'm sure the fine hair and lack of undercoat make puppies a little cooler...just theorizing.
No, I think you're dead on there. I probably should have mentioned that, in long hair, we stripped Clyde's undercoat out so that likely helped him be cooler too. As if Clyde could be any cooler.  |
I really don’t understand why you would cut down a puppycoat???? 
The don’t have any undercoat, and they don’t get matted (yet) and they just look sooo adorable in their coat |
| The problem is HEAT!
Pip gets SO HOT in the house ... 2 weekends ago we had unusually hot temps in the upper 90s. We have NO air conditioning in the house, and Pip and everyone else were MISERABLE. When you have 3.5" of black fur it doesn't matter if there's undercoat or not, you're hot! (Pip does have a very thick coat, at least compared to the other oes puppy in his training class) It got so bad that one evening he drank TONS of my bath water and then threw it up  We had fans on and everything else, but there's not much you can do to cool a 125 year old house... funds for window ac units are coming this summer, but not yet. He's been fine since, with temps back into the normal low 80s, but if we have a hot summer, the long puppy hair may have to go! |
| That how I feel! I love the puppy coat, DONT want to cut it....But we had 90's last week, and 80's this week and she is HOT! I was mainly asking the question, to get an idea of when everyone did finally cut their OES for the 1st time.....Right now I just brushed her real good and she is down for a nap with the fan on her! |
| I wouldn't cut down a puppy coat either, there's no undercoat yet anyway..... |
| your sheepies could just really dislike the heat. walter will not go out and play in anything over 75 degrees whether he is in full coat or naked. my advice would be to enjoy the puppy coat while you can because you might cut it and find they still prefer to hang out on the ac vents! |
| Yes, but getting overheated is not ok either. The vomiting was really what got me worried personally, as that is a sign of heat exhaustion. I just don't want to put my vanity before my dog's health.... this is why I'm having such problems making up my mind... Of course, with MN weather we may not have another 90 degree day all summer long, it's really hard to tell. Sigh! |
| I'm sure you already know this but I'll mention it anyways.
Are you keeping all the windows closed, and blinds closed, preferably drapes over the blinds...if you seal up the house the heat doesn't come in verses opening up the windows thinking it will cool down. I have a south facing kitchen, and the masterbedroom as well...our house will be extremely hot if I have the curtains and blinds up/open, but if I close them the whole house will stay cooler, and once the sun goes down I can open them again and then I open the windows for the evening cooler air. Keep the home as dark as you can and you'll be amazed the difference it can make. Good luck |
| It was probably the volume and type of water that he drank rather than the heat. Their little brains think their tiny stomachs are much bigger than they are and who knows what little bit of residue was left in the water.
Heat stroke is a major worry and a big problem but there's lots to do to control it. Just have to be careful and monitor closely. |
| My dogs barf up their water when it's hot too if the water itself is too cold. I just give them room temp water at this time of year. If you make sure they have enough to drink and don't leave them outside, it shouldn't be too too hot. Closing curtains, limiting electrical things running in the house, and opening windows only at night can help.
And, as soon as you can, get a window a/c unit. |
| It's a little different in FL because everyone has a/c, and when it's really hot outside you just don't go outside! BUT, I do know a lot of people who show down in the south manage to keep their OES in a comfortable full coat year round. I hope that you don't have to cut his fluffiness right now. Have you tried a misting fan? It's definitely very hard with no a/c!! To give you a little comfort, the two OES we fostered were in puppy cuts, in an air conditioned house, and the weather was never above the 80's while we had them and they still panted more than any dog I've ever seen - even when they weren't hot! You must definitely use your best jodgement as only you know the conditions of your house and location. Good luck and don't forget PICTURES whatever you decide! |
| My two sheepies puke up their water probably once a week, and do this whether they are hot or not. The just drink too much too fast......I'm constantly telling them no more water, because it never fails, if they sit there and drink the entire bowl, its coming back up.
Its been very hot here in SC, and max and miller will run for the shade. They both have medium hair right now, and I will get it cut shorter soon, but they don't seem to mind the heat too much. |
I'm in Michigan too and the temps were in the 90's today. Yuck. Just my opinion but I'd base it on individual dog's reactions to the heat. If they seem real hot or you just want to make them comfortable then by all means clip them shorter. Better than having them suffer from heat stroke. And it's just hair... it grows back.  |
| Mojo was almost 6 months old this time last year. He stayed in the air conditioning most of the time. He would go out to do his business and then want right back in on the a/c vent. We would take out walks in the evening after it had cooled down. If we were out in the day time, I always had plenty of water and stayed in shadey areas. We will be doing the same thing this summer. I can not bear to cut him down.
It is possible to keep them in coat but you have to use caution. We were lucky last year. There were very few days above 90 which is unusual around here. I wouldn't take him out unless necessary on those days. |
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