Re: [PyrNet-L] Shaving your Pyr?

[PyrLove214@aol.com]

In a message dated 03/31/2000 5:47:56 AM Central Standard Time, 
ARIEGE@xtra.co.nz writes:

<< I wonder how hot it would
 need to be before someone shaved their Pyr purely because of the heat? >>

     Pretty hot but then I am in Houston, Texas.   I have shaved my Pyrs.   I 
have shaved them in May and by September you cannot tell they were shaved.   
My dogs also have shade, cool water and wadding pools to crawl into.   I do 
not shave all the dogs- I shave the ones who seem to have a hard time with 
the heat!! I know that sounds strange.   
      I ask my vet about shaving and he said in the years before the dog 
people said not to shave dogs they shave them all -- chows etc.  and he felt 
they did better than they do now.  
        Houston Texas is different than a lot of other places in the summer 
from late May to mid Sept we have 90 + degreee weather and most of the time 
it is above 95 degrees and we spend a lot of July and Aug above 100.   The 
thing that makes us different is it is a moist heat-- 90 +% humidity is not 
unusual.   Dogs in this hot humid climate do not grow coats like they do in 
hot dry climates or any other climate.   I have gone to dog show --  dogs 
from here cannot compete with dogs from anywhere else coat wise and if a 
judge is looking at two great dogs and one has a coat and the other does not 
-- well there you are.  
       Air Conditioning is good but the dogs do worse when they must go 
outside.  I know my house dog, Adair,  has a hard time with the heat when she 
is outside and she will not stay outside when it is really hot.   Yep, she is 
spoiled.
       The dogs do fine down here without shaving-- (or A/C) but must have 
shade and cool water.   I would recommend shaving if you think the summer is 
hard on your dog.
Pam 
Houston