# Shaving a Saint Bernard



## jkprostko

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## Tankstar

I would strongly discourage you doing this. A dog has hair for a reason. it regulates the body temputare they need. a SB has a thick double coat with guard hairs. Much to what you probably think about helping the dog keep cool, it wont work well. Your dog will be more likley to get sun burnt and more bug bites from the coat being shaved. the thick coat actually helps keep them cool in summer and warm in winter. by shaving them you may or may not ruin the coat completly, so by winter the dogs coat may not do its job by keeping it warm enough.


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## mandymmr

I would never shave a long haired or ton's of hair dog. The thick fur/long hair helps them in the winter to stay warm, and helps keep them cool in the summers! I suggest you ask your vet....but I wouldn't!


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## harrise

I only had my guy shaved once. That was because he was covered in mattes and hot spots when I adopted him. I do trim him up about every other month, but it's only in places and only about 1/2 an inch at most. Mostly to remove his faulty curls and his toe/leg hair. Getting the hair out of the feet will help more than a shave. Bubba takes a lot of monitoring in the summer. I usually have him done with exercise by 6:30 AM and then I soak him when he goes out for his lunch time digger. Yeah, my house smells like wet dog, but I care more about his general comfort (luxury) than I care about the smell of the couch. 

Don't shave him. I noticed no difference between his panting in that shaved summer versus every other summer.


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## Cheetah

I'd only recommend regular brushing out of his coat to keep it working like it should. Double coated breeds usually need that coat, like everyone else said.


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## Tankstar

jkprostko said:


> I do know that their hair also keeps them cool. our house does not have central air though, we have window units but it's not as cool as central air would be. so he is still hot. it's only may and he is already pretty hot and breathing heavy. we just want him to be more comfortable. we definitely don't want to mess his hair up, that why we are asking around. Thanks for the replies.


We have central air, but hardly use it. Blaze has lots of coat. I just make sure he is brushed out very well. trim up his feet and belly. you can try clipping his belly, as it will help keep him more comfortable. Have you thought of taking him to a actual groomers, getting him bathed and blown out to get all the access hair out of his coat, will help alot as well, then you can just do the up keep for him.

I took blaze in with me the other day to work (groomers). I bathed him and blew him out, and its really shocking how much coat came of off him. I brush him about 5 times a week, but I guess i was still missing the major parts and when I blow dryed him at work I got it all out (dont have a strong enough dryer at home for him)


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## Raggs

Go ahead and shave him.. I shave a Newfoundland. Just don't go to short.. I say use a snap on comb on him.. Maybe an inch or around there.. it will take most of that coat off, but still live him with enough for protection.. 

Also something that will really cool him down, have the groomer do a T-tummy. It's where the entire belly is shaved up close to his front legs..

Dogs lose heat through panting, pads and bellies.


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## Willowy

My neighbors have a Saint that gets a summer haircut about an inch long. Seems OK. Cuts down on the shedding, I guess.


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## Love's_Sophie

You could certainly get him clipped down shorter for these hotter months. I wouldn't go any shorter than about 3\4 inch, as you don't want to get too far into the undercoat, but honestly, if the groomer does a good job of deshedding during the groom and finishes up with a good carding, the dog should be fine; you just have to be sure to get rid of the shedding coat, not just leave it in there; a lazy groomer will just shave the dog, but do no deshedding...this does no service to the coat. 

Ask questions, and make sure the groomer states that they will be deshedding the dog, as well as clipping him


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## 3212

I'm sure it's really uncommon, but I met a beautiful shaved Saint Bernard at the dog park once and struck up a conversation with the owners. Apparently they had been told it would benefit her to be shaved and her guard hair never grew back! 

I cannot imagine this is common, but she was stuck short haired after that.


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## 0hmyd0g

I had to shave one today  It made me SO SAD. The dog got shaved every summer it's whole life somewhere else, and its undercoat was incredibly think. I think if I was to brush it out it would take me forever since it was matted a lot on some parts. No matter what I could say to the man to talk him out of shaving, he really wanted it done. He was willing to pay a lot, this is what he wanted He even said "I don't care, I have $300 set aside for this" I wasn't going to charge him that much, but that's how badly he wanted it. I really don't like shaving dogs that shouldn't be shaved.


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## lesliewenstrom

I have a long haired ( rough coat) Saint and I shave her every year in June and again in August. she is so much happier being shaved, much more lively! I have never had a problem with her coat. it always grows back ( in FULL) for the winter here in Colorado. I don't leave her outside on hot days even shaved to protect from the sun and bugs. I say go for it! I also shaved my short haired Saint as well and she thrived. again, no problem growing back the hair


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## Flaming

Trim short yes, it'll help remove some of that r-value (insulation) but don't shave bald or too short, keep a enough on him so he doesn't get burned or bug bitten. Keep him cool in other ways as well with shade,water and frozen food (my dog loves frozen canned food and plain ice cubes)


hair r value = 3.88/inch square
http://www.warmfloor.com/english/handbook/STEP_Warmfloor.pdf/0.6.../6.2.%20R-Values%20for%20Building%20Materials.pdf


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## packetsmom

I know this is probably going to be a wildly unpopular and un-PC opinion, but here goes. I don't mean this directed at anyone on here in particular or personally.

It makes me sad to see northern breeds kept in a climate that they aren't suited for. It also makes me sad to see dogs shivering up north without the proper coat for the cold. I lived next to a St. Bernard in Florida and saw how much that poor dog suffered from the heat and I've seen plenty of shivering thin, smooth coated breeds up here. In my opinion, if you have to shave a St. Bernard, risking ruining the dog's coat in the process...maybe you live in a climate where you should reconsider your choice of breed next time you get a puppy. I could see doing this if you had to move and, thank goodness, brought your dog with you and they were miserable, but I just am disappointed when people who know they live in one climate choose a breed knowing full well it isn't suited to that climate.


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## CptJack

packetsmom said:


> I know this is probably going to be a wildly unpopular and un-PC opinion, but here goes. I don't mean this directed at anyone on here in particular or personally.
> 
> It makes me sad to see northern breeds kept in a climate that they aren't suited for. It also makes me sad to see dogs shivering up north without the proper coat for the cold. I lived next to a St. Bernard in Florida and saw how much that poor dog suffered from the heat and I've seen plenty of shivering thin, smooth coated breeds up here. In my opinion, if you have to shave a St. Bernard, risking ruining the dog's coat in the process...maybe you live in a climate where you should reconsider your choice of breed next time you get a puppy. I could see doing this if you had to move and, thank goodness, brought your dog with you and they were miserable, but I just am disappointed when people who know they live in one climate choose a breed knowing full well it isn't suited to that climate.



I agree to this, to a certain degree. Only a certain degree, though, and that's where energy level and heat suitability intersect. A low energy dog, or one small enough to be exercised? Eh. Most homes are climate controlled. If you need to run the dog for hours to meet exercise needs, different kettle of fish. 

But I have a dog who is unsuitable for ANY CLIMATE (more than one, actually - Jack shivers in 60 degree temps and Bug is a Boston). And I've lived in climates that are ill suited for any dog, at least in as much as they'd be miserable and panting and in danger of heat stroke outside. Sometimes the answer, for people and dogs, is wearing a couple of layers, and/or have good central heating and get out when the sun's down.


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## zeronightfarm

Any one notice this thread is from 2009, and the OP has never come back?


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## hueyeats

Yeap like others said... it is unwise to shave off a SB hair.

Roman is a GP and also have a very thick double coat...
He loves sleeping outside through to the teens and won't beg to come in unlike hot summer now.
He will paw to be let in... to nap in comfort.. TV room is fav.

I only trim him between the toes, butt/ flank hair, tidy up his leg fur along his legs etc.
And we love grooming him... especially DD.

Most all females love Roman's hair... a mini polar bear.
In fact, last encounter with another guy also walking his dog... a group of girl scouts passed by and couldn't help but pet Roman.
Totally ignoring the other dog... so I told hubby he'd have no problems scoring chicks if I weren't around.. lol.

Its all that soft & bouncy hair...


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## HollowHeaven

packetsmom said:


> I know this is probably going to be a wildly unpopular and un-PC opinion, but here goes. I don't mean this directed at anyone on here in particular or personally.
> 
> It makes me sad to see northern breeds kept in a climate that they aren't suited for. It also makes me sad to see dogs shivering up north without the proper coat for the cold. I lived next to a St. Bernard in Florida and saw how much that poor dog suffered from the heat and I've seen plenty of shivering thin, smooth coated breeds up here. In my opinion, if you have to shave a St. Bernard, risking ruining the dog's coat in the process...maybe you live in a climate where you should reconsider your choice of breed next time you get a puppy. I could see doing this if you had to move and, thank goodness, brought your dog with you and they were miserable, but I just am disappointed when people who know they live in one climate choose a breed knowing full well it isn't suited to that climate.


Gets over 100 degrees down here in the summer.
Aleu would go all day long in that if I would let her. 

On the hand, my chihuahua craps out at about 80, but will go for an hour in snow.


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## Willowy

I don't think the climate here (insanely bitterly cold in winter, insanely humidly hot in summer) is suitable for any living creature. . .. Ah well. You learn how to deal with it.


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