I swear a truck load of cotton balls couldn't make this much of a mess! 
I wonder do any of you shear your dogs? If so, can you recommend a good shearer for a large dog such as an Akita, which is what Karma is?
Shearing Your Dog
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Shearing Your Dog
Karma isn't just shedding, she's molting! I swear a truck load of cotton balls couldn't make this much of a mess!
I wonder do any of you shear your dogs? If so, can you recommend a good shearer for a large dog such as an Akita, which is what Karma is?
I swear a truck load of cotton balls couldn't make this much of a mess! I wonder do any of you shear your dogs? If so, can you recommend a good shearer for a large dog such as an Akita, which is what Karma is?
"Common sense is instinct. Enough of it is genius." -author unknown
Re: Shearing Your Dog
Even when you clip a dog's coat off the dead hairs still have to come out only they are much shorter and difficult to get out of carpets. In the winter you have to provide them with another coat when taking them out.
When mine are moulting I go over them with a slicker brush to pull the dead coat out every day, if really bad I would do it twice a day. It only takes a couple of minutes for each dog if done daily. I can do all 4 of my dogs in under 10 minutes.
When mine are moulting I go over them with a slicker brush to pull the dead coat out every day, if really bad I would do it twice a day. It only takes a couple of minutes for each dog if done daily. I can do all 4 of my dogs in under 10 minutes.
[url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Nethertumbleweed/PIXIE.jpg][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Nethertumbleweed/th_PIXIE.jpg[/img][/url]
Re: Shearing Your Dog
What's a slicker brush like Mattie, is it similar to the furminator as I've read good reports about them.
What kind of dogs do you have Mattie? How do you manage to do all of them in 10 minutes,
We could brush our GSD's for close on an hour and the hair would still be coming out. I admit we don't do it every day though, it's like fighting a losing battle.
Our Dalmation's OK though, only takes a couple of minutes to brush her.
What kind of dogs do you have Mattie? How do you manage to do all of them in 10 minutes,
We could brush our GSD's for close on an hour and the hair would still be coming out. I admit we don't do it every day though, it's like fighting a losing battle. Our Dalmation's OK though, only takes a couple of minutes to brush her.
Re: Shearing Your Dog
This is a slicker brush. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Animal-Grooming-1 ... 4157902414 They can be used on any length of coat, Merlin my Greyhound used to love it being put over him. 
Bonnie is a Collie/Lab, 6 years old, had both back legs broken when she was about 6 months old, a rescue paid for all her vet bills and rehomed her to me when she was 8 months old. She was a nightmare at first because she had been confined in a crate for 2 months so her legs could heal, took several years for her to quieten down.
Tilly is a Greyhound/Belgian Maninois, 4 years old, came to me for Christmas then supposed to be rehomed, she was only 20 weeks old so needed to be in a home and not kennels. She stayed.
Dolly, Working Cocker/Dachshund, nearly 2 years old, came from a pound last May, she is a real cutie but far too intelligent and can jump.
Cyril is my latest, had him 10 weeks tomorrow, came in an emanciated condition but apart from his back legs he is back to normal now. His back legs will soon be normal as well.
Bonnie is a Collie/Lab, 6 years old, had both back legs broken when she was about 6 months old, a rescue paid for all her vet bills and rehomed her to me when she was 8 months old. She was a nightmare at first because she had been confined in a crate for 2 months so her legs could heal, took several years for her to quieten down.
Tilly is a Greyhound/Belgian Maninois, 4 years old, came to me for Christmas then supposed to be rehomed, she was only 20 weeks old so needed to be in a home and not kennels. She stayed.
Dolly, Working Cocker/Dachshund, nearly 2 years old, came from a pound last May, she is a real cutie but far too intelligent and can jump.
Cyril is my latest, had him 10 weeks tomorrow, came in an emanciated condition but apart from his back legs he is back to normal now. His back legs will soon be normal as well.
[url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Nethertumbleweed/PIXIE.jpg][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Nethertumbleweed/th_PIXIE.jpg[/img][/url]
Re: Shearing Your Dog
I've been using all kinds of brushes and combs, along with my furminator, but Akitas have three thick layers of coats. When I say she not only sheds but molts, I'm not kidding, because her fur comes out in large clumps! There are no bald spots and she's healthy. I just need something like an electric shearer or electric clipper to keep her cool during the summer time, and since she's kept indoors, to keep her comfortable and me and my family "fur-free" without having dog hair/fur over our clothing, furniture, carpets, and so on.
What I was asking -and still asking- is, can anyone recommend a good electric shearer or electric clipper?
What I was asking -and still asking- is, can anyone recommend a good electric shearer or electric clipper?
"Common sense is instinct. Enough of it is genius." -author unknown
Re: Shearing Your Dog
Listen to my 'coat clipping geek' first...... then I'll tell ya the answer, but NO CHEATING and skipping down, yeah? Fair?
K', insulation works both ways - insulate something to keep it warmer than the outside temperature, as you would a house or by a person putting on a thicker coat.
Insulate something in EXACTLY the same way - to keep it COOLER than the outside temperature, as you would.... a house... or by putting cool things into a coolbox or coolbag on a road trip.
Now, doggy insulation aint perfect and I can't pretend it is, because the thing inside the insulation can raise its own temperature [unlike a can of soda].
Crucially though, what a dog REALLY sucks at doing is lowering its own temperature. As they only sweat through their feet and all other cooling is done by hanging out the tongue and panting [with a small amount achieved by increasing or decreasing blood flow to certain areas of teh body].
So, recap - insulate something to keep something cooler OR warmer, than the outside temp.
Now - a dogs coat, particularly a double stand off coat like an Akitas. Its a great insulator, the two lengths of fur and the stand off nature of it do a GREAT job in trapping air between the dog and the outside world.
Thats like how bubble wrap or neoprene foam makes a way better insulator than a peice of denim does.
Keep that coat groomed well to remove dead undercoat, and it continues doing its job well. Bearing in mind you DO have to keep dogs out of the midday sun [because only mad-dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun!], because physiologically they are ill equipped to cope with a lot of heat, REGARDLESS of coat length!
Shave that coat and take it from a two length, double coat, that can trap air to keep the dog cooler or warmer as needs be..... and its like going out in teh desert, naked. [When did you last see an Arab Sheikh wandering around in just his undercrackers, I refer you back to the mad englishman, to be seen every year in his tightywhities, burned to a crisp and glowing bright red!, whereas the desert dwelling chap is dressed in long flowing layers of pale coloured stuff!]
Once the dog has lost the double coat and they cannot trap air between fur and skin, they CANNOT protect themselves from the heat much at all - every summer in the UK I see WAY more dogs with heat stroke that got shaved right down to the skin 'because its cooler' than I do well groomed fully coated dogs. I also see more naturally smooth coated dogs susffering heat problems than well groomed heavier coated dogs!
In addition as Mattie says - you are only shortening the coat. If your dog had 10 billion hairs on its body and you shaved it to 5mm long all over. Its still got 10billion hairs on its body - they are all now 5mm long but they are all STILL THERE. So the dogs coat is JUST as dense, and therefore the dog will shed just as much fur. But now its really short and works its way INTO your furniture rather than lying on top of it, so its harder to clear up.
Sometimes we do end up wtih dogs whose coat type is not ideal for the place/weather we live with - thats a tough call, but things like turning your heating down/turning your air con up, walking early morninga nd late night will usually take care of these issues along with really really thorough grooming.
Dogs with coats like the Akita are ALWAYS going to shed a ton, year in, year out, in huge clumps and by the fistful. That coat is just not designed to cope with central heating and warmth, its designed to handle cold weather, snow and ice. The only time I see Akitas, Malamutes, Huskies etc shedding in one big 'blow' twice a year, is in dogs kept soley outdoors, in cold climates. Then they do look for a couple of weeks like a sheep losing its fleece, and after that again they dont shed much.
So - dont shave her, it wont help and it could make life harder for her.
IF you struggle to keep her cool enough even with extra grooming [ you do need a variety of combs/brushes to get lots of undercoat out!] there is one way that shaving can help.
Shave JUST her tummy/belly/between the back legs. NOT because the removal of the hair will directly lead to her being cooler - but because when she lays down on a cool surface THAT will help her cool down more quickly/stay cool. Also these areas are rarely in direct sunlight so are at much less risk of burning and the rest of her coat functions normally which protects her from heat stroke.
Good makes of clipper are Oster, Andis, Aesculap, Lister and Wahl. Check online for dog grooming supply sites for these.
Also, a BRILLIANT tool I have found for removing a LOT of undercoat [when you thought, after raking or slickering, that youd got it all out] is the Oster Mane and Tail Rake, actually made for horses. The other excellent one is the Furminator, and finally, the coat king [this is basically the same as sthe Oster mane and tail rake though but more expensive].
K', insulation works both ways - insulate something to keep it warmer than the outside temperature, as you would a house or by a person putting on a thicker coat.
Insulate something in EXACTLY the same way - to keep it COOLER than the outside temperature, as you would.... a house... or by putting cool things into a coolbox or coolbag on a road trip.
Now, doggy insulation aint perfect and I can't pretend it is, because the thing inside the insulation can raise its own temperature [unlike a can of soda].
Crucially though, what a dog REALLY sucks at doing is lowering its own temperature. As they only sweat through their feet and all other cooling is done by hanging out the tongue and panting [with a small amount achieved by increasing or decreasing blood flow to certain areas of teh body].
So, recap - insulate something to keep something cooler OR warmer, than the outside temp.
Now - a dogs coat, particularly a double stand off coat like an Akitas. Its a great insulator, the two lengths of fur and the stand off nature of it do a GREAT job in trapping air between the dog and the outside world.
Thats like how bubble wrap or neoprene foam makes a way better insulator than a peice of denim does.
Keep that coat groomed well to remove dead undercoat, and it continues doing its job well. Bearing in mind you DO have to keep dogs out of the midday sun [because only mad-dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun!], because physiologically they are ill equipped to cope with a lot of heat, REGARDLESS of coat length!
Shave that coat and take it from a two length, double coat, that can trap air to keep the dog cooler or warmer as needs be..... and its like going out in teh desert, naked. [When did you last see an Arab Sheikh wandering around in just his undercrackers, I refer you back to the mad englishman, to be seen every year in his tightywhities, burned to a crisp and glowing bright red!, whereas the desert dwelling chap is dressed in long flowing layers of pale coloured stuff!]
Once the dog has lost the double coat and they cannot trap air between fur and skin, they CANNOT protect themselves from the heat much at all - every summer in the UK I see WAY more dogs with heat stroke that got shaved right down to the skin 'because its cooler' than I do well groomed fully coated dogs. I also see more naturally smooth coated dogs susffering heat problems than well groomed heavier coated dogs!
In addition as Mattie says - you are only shortening the coat. If your dog had 10 billion hairs on its body and you shaved it to 5mm long all over. Its still got 10billion hairs on its body - they are all now 5mm long but they are all STILL THERE. So the dogs coat is JUST as dense, and therefore the dog will shed just as much fur. But now its really short and works its way INTO your furniture rather than lying on top of it, so its harder to clear up.
Sometimes we do end up wtih dogs whose coat type is not ideal for the place/weather we live with - thats a tough call, but things like turning your heating down/turning your air con up, walking early morninga nd late night will usually take care of these issues along with really really thorough grooming.
Dogs with coats like the Akita are ALWAYS going to shed a ton, year in, year out, in huge clumps and by the fistful. That coat is just not designed to cope with central heating and warmth, its designed to handle cold weather, snow and ice. The only time I see Akitas, Malamutes, Huskies etc shedding in one big 'blow' twice a year, is in dogs kept soley outdoors, in cold climates. Then they do look for a couple of weeks like a sheep losing its fleece, and after that again they dont shed much.
So - dont shave her, it wont help and it could make life harder for her.
IF you struggle to keep her cool enough even with extra grooming [ you do need a variety of combs/brushes to get lots of undercoat out!] there is one way that shaving can help.
Shave JUST her tummy/belly/between the back legs. NOT because the removal of the hair will directly lead to her being cooler - but because when she lays down on a cool surface THAT will help her cool down more quickly/stay cool. Also these areas are rarely in direct sunlight so are at much less risk of burning and the rest of her coat functions normally which protects her from heat stroke.
Good makes of clipper are Oster, Andis, Aesculap, Lister and Wahl. Check online for dog grooming supply sites for these.
Also, a BRILLIANT tool I have found for removing a LOT of undercoat [when you thought, after raking or slickering, that youd got it all out] is the Oster Mane and Tail Rake, actually made for horses. The other excellent one is the Furminator, and finally, the coat king [this is basically the same as sthe Oster mane and tail rake though but more expensive].
West Midlands based 1-2-1 Training & Behaviour Canine Consultant
Re: Shearing Your Dog
Guys -pardon me, ladies and gentlemen- there seems to be a miscommunication here. Wvv isn't looking into shaving Karma, she just wants to get the fur shorter. 
That's shearing here in our little part of the world. I don't think Wvv wants to expose Karma to dangerous situations as taking her outside for a walk where she's exposed to sunlight in which can sunburn her dog's skin. 
That's shearing here in our little part of the world. I don't think Wvv wants to expose Karma to dangerous situations as taking her outside for a walk where she's exposed to sunlight in which can sunburn her dog's skin. 
Re: Shearing Your Dog
Ah - shearing usually means taking the whole coat off, as in how sheep are sheared...
However, shortening the coat a little will make no difference. Shortening it a lot will stop it from being insulating. Neither will make the dog cooler, or shed less.
To do the job though you need a decent set of clippers, a small model of any of the makes I mentioned [check out horse supply places also] iwth a comb attachment. I dont think you can get comb attachments that will just take a short amount off of a coat like an Akitas though, if she wants to take a really small amount off then scissoring is the way to do it. Even the longest comb attachement on clippers will take the coat so short it stops being insulating.
However, shortening the coat a little will make no difference. Shortening it a lot will stop it from being insulating. Neither will make the dog cooler, or shed less.
To do the job though you need a decent set of clippers, a small model of any of the makes I mentioned [check out horse supply places also] iwth a comb attachment. I dont think you can get comb attachments that will just take a short amount off of a coat like an Akitas though, if she wants to take a really small amount off then scissoring is the way to do it. Even the longest comb attachement on clippers will take the coat so short it stops being insulating.
West Midlands based 1-2-1 Training & Behaviour Canine Consultant
Re: Shearing Your Dog
Thanks for that Mattie. I've bought one and it seems pretty good. I haven't used it too much yet, I want to take my time and make sure Jake is happy with me grooming him. He hasn't objected up to yet, so I take it he is. By the way the furminator in the pet shaop was on special offer at £36.00. Does that sound right, I thought it was very expensive?Mattie wrote:This is a slicker brush. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Animal-Grooming-1 ... 4157902414 They can be used on any length of coat, Merlin my Greyhound used to love it being put over him
How lovely of you to take on all your dogs, they are very lucky to have you. Do you have any problems with fighting with three b itches in the house?
