# SHaving a Sheltie



## Deron_dog (Feb 21, 2009)

(sighs) Before anyone jumps on me and says DON'T SHAVE A SHELTIE...let me give you some details and hopefully you guys can help me figure out how to not make the poor guy look so butchered. 

Pistol is my grandfather's dog, my grandfather is in his late 80's and will take Teddy and TJ A Pom and a Chi to the groomers to be bathed and groomed about every 4-8 weeks. But Pistol gets sick in the car no matter how many precautions we take. Pistol is 16 years old WE THINK. My Grandmother rescued him 2 years before she passed away she died 4 years ago. 

Pistol is very weak in the back end has issues squatting to poop/pee or doing anything. Pistol is also deaf. (sighs) I feel so bad for this dog, he gets his butt and groin area shaved by me every 4 weeks just to help with poop and pee staining. 

My biggest issue is last summer Pistol refused to go outside because it was so hot and his ungroomed coat was matted/hot and uncomfortable so we shaved him....he looked like someone took a chain saw to him. 

I need some advice on how to even out the Shave so he doesn't look so bad. We plan on taking him from ears to back of back legs down. So advice? I'd really like to make him look neat and clean for my Grandfather who just acts like Pistol is a big inconvenience. 

I just wanna make Pistol's quality of life a bit better for the next few years or even the next year, sense we don't know how old he is so we don't know how soon he's going to pass.


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## Tankstar (Dec 30, 2006)

Youll hardly ever get a great clean looking shave on a dobulbe coated dog. it always ends up looking "rough" IMO. Id say if you can, try getting a clip on comb a inch or larger, that way you dont have to clip righ to the skin and destroy the whole coat.


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## Deron_dog (Feb 21, 2009)

We shaved him down last summer and his coat came back pretty decent but by the end of the winter it'll be mat city again. I would take him to my home but my dogs do not like Pistol because he dosn't get Doggie Que. My dogs will bark in his face and he'll just stand there smiling and wagging his tail. He's such a sweet dog, and I just feel horrid for him.


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## MoosMom (Sep 15, 2009)

Honestly the coat already sounds destroyed. Go to a professional. The coat needs to be clean,dry and brushed so they can clip it without actually going to the skin. At 16, if the dog is staying most of the time in the house and is not in danger of being in the elements for long periods I would say shaving it probably isn't too big a deal. I typically tell anyone who asks me to shave a double coated dog "NO". But if a client came to me in this position I would do it with the proper warnings of protection from the outdoors and the CLEAR understanding it would not be beautiful and it most likely would not grow back.


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

I second going to a professional. They (if they are good) will be able to do a decent job, keeping in mind the dog is quite old and its going to be pretty hard on him to stand, etc. If he just can't take the stress at the groomers, then I recommend using a 4F blade backwards. If your clipper only uses one blade and then attachments (meaning its one of the "kits" you buy for home use) you are going to have a hard time getting thru the coat, which could be why he looked so bad before. A good clipper and blade will cut thur that coat like butter. Anyway, if you have one of those clippers, be sure your blade is very sharp, the dog is clean and freshly blowdried while brushing, and use a short comb attachment and go in reverse of the lay of the coat. Thats going to do as good a job as you are able to get at home. Poor old guy. Just make him comfy.


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## Deron_dog (Feb 21, 2009)

The groomer isn't the option, and I'm just aiming to make him comfy for the summer it gets hot up here, yes I live in Oregon but where I live it gets HOT. And he's miserable and uncomfertable. He got sprayed daily with Fly spray and Sun protectectent. His coat did grow back just not as thick and busy as it was before. We do have a professional set, my Grandmother was a groomer and used to take care of all 3 dogs before she passed suddenly. I didn't know about the reverse lay, which might be why he looked butchered LOL. And I'll admit we didn't bath him till after the Shave my Bad. Will do it the other way this spring, Thanks for the advice. And I'm not aiming to shave to the skin either just get most of the matted length off.


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## Yvonne (Aug 6, 2010)

With his age and physical issues I suggest a professional groomer if you are truly going to shave this double coated dog. I think it is more stressfull on him and harmful to him to shave him though with the factors you listed than just scissor trimming mats out for him.


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## Keechak (Aug 10, 2008)

Shaving him down will make him MORE prone to heat issues, dogs need at least some coat to keep a buffer zone between the rays from the sun and their skin.


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## Deron_dog (Feb 21, 2009)

Okay again going to a professional is not possible my Grandfather will not allow us to do this. He says we can shave him, I'm not shaving him completely down, He still has a pretty thick coat I'm just shaving off the length, and the Matts. I just wanted to know how to make the fuzz look smoother I guess, I guess I'm leaving his under coat still and taking off the long coats. I would love to Take Pistol to a professional but we can't, and getting one to him isn't going to happen my grandfather lives further off in the boondocks then I do, and I can't get a Vet to come to me. LOL


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## Yvonne (Aug 6, 2010)

Take some grooming classes then because realistically you will not get it smooth without learning the trade as bad groomers that are getting paid still suck at doing it. Just leave his coat on and scissor out the mats. the clippers in his current issues is too much stress IMO


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## staffymom (Apr 16, 2010)

Hey Deron
First, thank you ....for giving a dang about this poor old boy. As a groomer for 20 something years, I can tell you that I have clipped down many Shelties. I would just take a #5f blade to him. As you clearly stated yourself, the reason he looked so crappy last year was because you clipped without bathing first. I would suggest you bath him, towel him as much as possible, and then put him somewhere nice and warm (a bathroom perhaps) and let him air dry. Then attempt to clip him the next day. With elderly dogs, it is always easier on them if you break the grooming process into small stages. Being that he is indoors and this old, I really don't see why we are even discussing the "double coats protect from the elements" argument. And god knows at this stage of the game, comfort is ALL that matters. I suggest a #5 since it is safer than a #7, less likely to catch old dog thin skin. I also wouldn't bother with the "just cutting out matting" route. Since the undercoat would have to be removed to both make him look better and cool him off. And scissors on a matted coat, with a non-professional is a recipe for stitches. Do the best you can with what tools are available. Just remember that any improvement.... is an improvement. And chainsawed is better than matted and miserable. Good luck


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## Yvonne (Aug 6, 2010)

You must have never owned a double coated breed or you would know it does indeed protect them. I was a groomer and I refuse to shave a double coated breed.


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## Kyllobernese (Feb 5, 2008)

I don't think anyone is saying that their coat does not protect them but as the dog is old, and is in the house, he will be much more comfortable with the mats out of his coat. Whether his coat grows back the same or not to me, is not really an issue.


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

Kyllobernese said:


> I don't think anyone is saying that their coat does not protect them but as the dog is old, and is in the house, he will be much more comfortable with the mats out of his coat. Whether his coat grows back the same or not to me, is not really an issue.


Wholeheartedly agree. I am a groomer, and I cut down and shave doublecoated breedds all the time, of any age, after explaining the "risks". Yet to have a dog die because it was shaved. Jeez. The dog is 16 years old! Thats pretty darn old for a sheltie, and he's not in good health as he described above. I see old dogs like this often, and them having their coat is the least of their worries. Its an inside, 16 year OLD dog. He isn't going to die because they cut his coat off. His last days here will be more comfortable cut down than packed full of coat and matted with poo. Its not humane or reasonable to think that a dog in this condition can go thru the stress of being brushed out. Its not worth it. Cut him down, and make him happy.


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## Yvonne (Aug 6, 2010)

So the whole coat needs to be shaved off to keep him from getting poo in coat? why not just shave the area around those regions or trim them down with scissors. If the owner cant bother to keep the dog mat free it is a bad idea to shave the dog down he is not going to keep the dog warm enough with sweater and sounds like if a sweater gets put on the dog it would not be removed and put back on for regular grooming and checking underneath it for problems. Simpler just cut the mats out and hygenic trimming. It is winter and the dog is old let the dog stay warm.


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## LazyGRanch713 (Jul 22, 2009)

Deron_dog said:


> (sighs) Before anyone jumps on me and says DON'T SHAVE A SHELTIE...let me give you some details and hopefully you guys can help me figure out how to not make the poor guy look so butchered.
> 
> Pistol is my grandfather's dog, my grandfather is in his late 80's and will take Teddy and TJ A Pom and a Chi to the groomers to be bathed and groomed about every 4-8 weeks. But Pistol gets sick in the car no matter how many precautions we take. Pistol is 16 years old WE THINK. My Grandmother rescued him 2 years before she passed away she died 4 years ago.
> 
> ...


The only way I've been able to get a smooth shave on a double coated breed is a wash, blow dry and complete de-shed, THEN cut the coat down. I had to shave 2 labs yesterday (yes, I tried to talk them out of it...), and both dogs had packed undercoat from years of being cut down with a #7. Mom tried to cut the male dog down before he was bathed and it clogged the clippers and gave the dog clipper "tracks". It wasn't worth it, so we bathed, dried, de-shedded, and voila--a #7 went through them like a hot knife thru butter.
With a 16 year old, you might have to live with the chain-saw doo _at first_. I would bathe, dry, and then do the cut down and live with how it looks for a week or so, then re-go over the whole dog with the blade to smooth it out (it might help to re-bathe before you go over the dog for the 2nd time). If his undercoat is matted and packed, brushing and combing it out probably wouldn't be the nicest thing for a 16 year old deaf dog with a wobbly back end. I don't normally agree with people who want to shave down their double coated dogs, but if the dog can not tolerate brushing and/or the dryer, it's the best option IMO.


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## Deron_dog (Feb 21, 2009)

Okay I dindn't mean to start a fight and I'm NOT shaving him right now! I do go up and brush when I can, but my Grandfather lives 45 miles away, and his two small Dogs the Pom and Chi do not get along with Wally. So its a fight to get my grandfather to put them up while i'm there. But I do it about once a week. Firstly I am not SHAVING PISTOL RIGHT NOW! I'm talking End of May Early JUNE! and what I really wanna do is get his COAT back under control. It may not grow back normal and all fluffy but it won't be matted. And I am not COMFERTABLE cutting Matts out. I used to be a Bather Brusher for Petsmart, and when I incountered a Matt I could not BRUSH out, before the BATH I would ask one of the GROOMERs to shave it out and note it on the dogs chart that he had Matts in such and such place. I NEVER delt with Matts myself I was not comfertable with it because I didn't know how bad it was. And Pistol's Matts can NOT be brushed out belive me I've tried. 

I am by no means a Professional Groomer, Thats why I came here to ask some advice. As for him getting over heated he spend 90 precent of day INside, which in the winter the house is Over heater and in the summer Over cooled. So I just can't see him getting heat stroke, sun burn or any of that. I'm more concerned with him being too hot or uncomfertable to go outside and starting to use the bathroom inside. My grandfather will then lock the 16 year old dog outside with no Shade/Shelter. And again me taking him is not an option he won't let me.


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

Yvonne said:


> So the whole coat needs to be shaved off to keep him from getting poo in coat? why not just shave the area around those regions or trim them down with scissors. If the owner cant bother to keep the dog mat free it is a bad idea to shave the dog down he is not going to keep the dog warm enough with sweater and sounds like if a sweater gets put on the dog it would not be removed and put back on for regular grooming and checking underneath it for problems. Simpler just cut the mats out and hygenic trimming. It is winter and the dog is old let the dog stay warm.


He said he is not shaving him completely down, and YES, if the entire dog is packed with coat (and why wouldn't it be when he isnt' brushed well regularly,) and its NOT humane to brush all that packed undercoat/matts out on a geriatric dog. He is planning on doing this in the spring. The old dog will be fine. He would be doing the humane thing by cutting the dog down. Its just dog hair. These shave/not shave doublecoated breeds posts always get out of hand. Yes, its ugly, no its not ideal. But its NOT going to kill a dog and its not abuse. In this case its the exact opposite.


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## Miranda16 (Jan 17, 2010)

P.S. 
Deron is a chick


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## Deron_dog (Feb 21, 2009)

Miranda16 said:


> P.S.
> Deron is a chick


Yes indeed I am, gods is my username misleading! XD! I'm glad someone remembers I'm a chick!


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## Tankstar (Dec 30, 2006)

That could have been the problem right there, not bathing him first. Id do a really good bath, then if possible at all blow out is coat, deshed then shave. Really I am against shaving DC dogs, but honeslty this is a very elderly dog who doesnt do much but hang out inside, like others have said he wont die getting shaved at this age and relaxing inside


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

Miranda16 said:


> P.S.
> Deron is a chick


Sorry, my bad. ;-) Darn computers make things hard to figure out sometimes! lol I apologize.


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## Deron_dog (Feb 21, 2009)

Tis cool Graco22, It was my poor choice of Use names LOL!


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## RinseAce (Aug 16, 2010)

Don't worry about shaving the dog. We dog sat a Sheltie many years ago and the poor dog picked up fleas in the yard. This was before Frontline was really known so the vet suggested we shave the dog so that the flea shampoo could be effective. Just try to keep the cut even... we always use scissors. The dog will not look like a sheltie for a while but in our case, the fleas were gone after one bath... dog was cool all summer due to the short hair and by the time the owner came back (9 months later) she looked normal again. Most important is the comfort and happiness of the dog not what the "experts" say.


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## dannyd (Jan 14, 2011)

Hi Deron_dog,

I don't know if this is too late, but I got some Andis PM1 clippers for Christmas and they are fantastic. We use them on our Cocker Spaniel so not sure how good they will be on your dog. I've seen a great competition from the company we got them from where you can win a pair. I'll post the link below, hope it helps 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Groomers/180725658605164


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## blackgavotte (Sep 28, 2006)

I am a retired master groomer and former breeder/exhibitor of poodles. IMO the kindest thing you can do for this old sheltie is exactly what you planned.... shave him AT HOME, because in his condition no matter how kind a pro is, a busy shop is a busy shop, and its going to be more traumatic for him. Don't worry so much that he looks rough, his comfort is most important. Try clipping in one long movement, rather than "jabs" with the clippers, most novice groomers are not accustomed to keeping the clippers moving enough, and they "poke" and that will definitely add to the jagged look. His coat will definitely grow back, and the fallacy that these huge coats are protection from the heat are just that, a fallacy... try wearing a fur coat all summer especially if you're fat and old, good luck... humans have bred dogs to have excessive coats that they usually don't need in our lifestyles, and they don't shed out as fully, often, as a wild dog's would, so they suffer far more in heat than they should. I assume that after he's clipped, when he is outside, he has access to shade, that's when most dogs get sunburn, by being shaved short, then put out with no protection from the sun. A 4F blade will give a nice shortish cut but you may find that if his coat is too heavy, you'll need a 7 or 7F to get through it... Good luck. Don't worry about how he looks, make him comfortable.. use a # 10 with the grain on his underparts, that will help keep him much cooler, also around the underparts and the rectum its safer to use a # 10 than a skiptooth blade.


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