# A Shaved Papillon!



## TFTpwnsYou

Well we were slow in grooming today, and I had been ever so curious as to what little Pippyn would look like shaved. Plus I was gonna try to ugly him up a little more as for poor Beacan never gets the "ooooing and awwwing" like Pip does. I soooo failed on that part cause now he just looks too freakin cute!..lol. We did a lion cut on him, and it looks so good. I'm so happy with it! I probably won't do it again since my curiousity has been satisfied and trying to ugly him up just doesn't work....lol. Here's the pics. If there are any Papillon owners out there and maybe would like to do the same thing make sure the groomer uses a #5 blade. It's perfect.


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## TeddieXRuxpin

Lol that turned out pretty interested. I would have nevr thought about shaving a papillon. 

When I shaved Ted I also used a #5. It's just short enough without being too short.


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## 0hmyd0g

CUTE! I love doing lion clips but not enough people seem to want to go for it


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## TFTpwnsYou

The groomer was right about the #5. It really got my curiosity started when someone brought in a Pap and got her shaved. It was with a #3 and she cut the ear fringe! It actually looked aweful because it was so choppy, but she loved it. Plus it didn't look like a Pap anymore. 

We discussed it, and I figured a lion cut was the best. I do love it! He has the cutest little body under all that fur that I never get to see. I think more people should go for lion cuts too. They just look cute!


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## SMoore

At first when I saw the bit about shaving a pap I was like...oh god, what is THIS going to look like. I expected a little rat with hairy ears but that is just too cute! 

I work part time as a bather at Petco just for the discount mostly but also because I love doing something with animals and every now and then one of the groomers will get bored and start to experiment on my dogs. 

Luickly I have German Shepherds so not much they can do to them although now and then Max will have pink toenails and such. Max's fur is almost long enough for bows.


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## Yvette

We have had a client come in for years with a Pap. The always ask for a complete strip & a Lions tail. This girl pup is about 16-17 yrs old. I don't really like it & you just cannot change her Momma's mind. She looks like a little Chi when done.


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## TFTpwnsYou

SMoore said:


> At first when I saw the bit about shaving a pap I was like...oh god, what is THIS going to look like. I expected a little rat with hairy ears but that is just too cute!
> 
> I work part time as a bather at Petco just for the discount mostly but also because I love doing something with animals and every now and then one of the groomers will get bored and start to experiment on my dogs.
> 
> Luickly I have German Shepherds so not much they can do to them although now and then Max will have pink toenails and such. Max's fur is almost long enough for bows.


LOL! Yeah. My b/f was like "are you sure you want to do this?" I said yeah because the fur does grow back. And I wouldn't have done it if I didn't know it would grow back normally. This Pap's grown in fur felt really nice. I guess it's just nature when you work in a grooming place and are bored to pick on your dogs..lol. I work at Petco as a bather brusher as well. 

The b/f thinks he looks like a little jester now because of his big ring around his neck. It fits him though!..lol.



> We have had a client come in for years with a Pap. The always ask for a complete strip & a Lions tail. This girl pup is about 16-17 yrs old. I don't really like it & you just cannot change her Momma's mind. She looks like a little Chi when done.


And yes. Doing that looks horrible. That's what the lady had done, but not a smooth cut like mine. Tail trimmed and ear fringe trimmed off. You're right. I knew it didn't look like a Papillon anymore, but a kinda LH Chi would be a good description.


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## Love's_Sophie

They could have gotten a smoother cut if they would have taken a longer blade (5\8) or a snap on comb backwards over that little pap...that's what I do, with the flat coated breeds, and they don't come out choppy at all...Brushing it up and redoing it again will help smooth things out. 

But, that said, while your little lion looks cute, I don't really care for a total shaved pap...Lol!


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## TFTpwnsYou

Yeah. A totally shaved Pap does not look right. Like Yvette said it looks like a Chi. I got a cute side shot of him the other day. Such a cute little body!...lol.


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## Jen D

He is going to need a sweater!


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## fisher

TFTpwnsYou said:


> Yeah. A totally shaved Pap does not look right. Like Yvette said it looks like a Chi. I got a cute side shot of him the other day. Such a cute little body!...lol.


very touching Pappi 
I love the wool of papillon! She is beautiful!


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## Comet

Your Pap looks great. I live in Arizona where it hit 120 degrees and is over 110 for several months so I've been thinking of shaving my Pap for years. After seening your pics I'm convinced to do it. He has a 7:00 AM appointment tomorrow.

John


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## Laurelin

Comet said:


> Your Pap looks great. I live in Arizona where it hit 120 degrees and is over 110 for several months so I've been thinking of shaving my Pap for years. After seening your pics I'm convinced to do it. He has a 7:00 AM appointment tomorrow.
> 
> John


I don't think shaving a pap will help tbh. The fur is fairly thin and close lying. I dunno. Personally I'd never ever shave my papillons.


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## LaurenE

Laurelin said:


> I don't think shaving a pap will help tbh. The fur is fairly thin and close lying. I dunno. Personally I'd never ever shave my papillons.


I agree. I just adopted a papillon who has been shaved every summer for the past 6 years and her hair is not nearly as pretty as my pap's that has never been shaved. Also, their fur helps protect them from the sun, it doesn't necessarily make them hotter. They're at higher risk for sunburns and skin cancer with a shaved coat.


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## luvntzus

He looks a lot better than I expected when I saw the title of the thread.


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## Comet

I just shaved my Pap. Here are a few pics.


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## Michiyo-Fir

Wow a what a pretty pap you have! What's his name? How old is he? We LOOOOVE Papillons on this forum 

May I ask why you shaved him?


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## Comet

His name is Comet and he weighs 7 lbs. He'll be 6 on July 13th. I shaved him because we live in Arizona where the temperature can reach 120 degrees. This time of year I keep the air conditioning at 80 degrees. Even at that temperature, he pants a lot so I shaved him to keep him cool. He is much more comfortable today and he still looks cute.


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## Tankstar

Comet said:


> His name is Comet and he weighs 7 lbs. He'll be 6 on July 13th. I shaved him because we live in Arizona where the temperature can reach 120 degrees. This time of year I keep the air conditioning at 80 degrees. Even at that temperature, he pants a lot so I shaved him to keep him cool. He is much more comfortable today and he still looks cute.


Hope you dont plan on doing any long adventures outside with him for the next few months. now that you removed his coat protection. he will now be easily burnt by the sun. 

If my collie can take the +30+humidity+toronto smog we get all summer, Im sure a thin coated pap could have done fine with his whole coat



Am I wrong but dont paps have a double coat? I dont see many of them, and the only one we have that comes in the shop has been shaved for years so I cant remember.


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## Comet

30 degrees celsius I assume? That's only 86 degrees fahrenheit. That's winter in AZ. How can you possibly compare a cool temperature like that to the temperatures that are reached in AZ? It gets up to 50 degrees celsius here. 

And he's not hairless. I didn't shave him down to the skin. He has a full inch of fur covering his torso so he won't be getting sunburned.


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## Michiyo-Fir

I think it's been discussed before that shaving a Papillon doesn't help with heat loss that much since they are single coated. I don't have personal experience though as I've never shaved my Pap. It goes up to 40 Celsius here in the summer but we have no air con. We still play outside in 40C weather and bright sunlight, I just give her more water more often and she does fine it seems.

Another thing that some owners are concerned about is coat damage from shaving. Long haired breeds do suffer coat damage after being shaved down and some owners really want a good coat on their dogs. I would personally never shave my Papillon but I don't think there's anything wrong with it. 

Do you shave him every year? Or is this year the first one?


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## Comet

This is the first time I've shaved him and I left about an inch of fur. He's not hairless even though he looks it in the photos. He has about as much fur as he had when he was a puppy. Here are a couple of pics when he was about 6 months old. 

Shaving was recommended to me twice; once last week from his current vet and once last year from his former vet. Shaving might not do much as far as cooling down the dog but for the past couple weeks he's been panting on and off all throughout each day. I shaved him this morning and he hasn't panted since so I can only assume he is cooler. He certainly seems much more comfortable.


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## Michiyo-Fir

Pappy puppyyyyy <3<3<3

did he have a very very thick coat? Most Paps seem to do alright in heat, it's usually the double haired very thick coated dogs that have problems. But then it doesn't get as hot around here as it does where you are, so maybe that's why. He's such an adorable Papillon though! Makes me want another one


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## lucidity

I don't know if I'd trust a vet to tell me what to do with my dog's coat =/ Groomers usually know better whether or not long coated breeds need to be shaved and whether the coat will EVER grow back the same.

I'll never shave my Papillon as well. Ever. 

Hopefully your pap's fur grows back the same..


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## Comet

Yes, he had a very think coat. I've gotten several comments suggesting that I overfed him because he looked fat. As you can see he's pretty lean but he had just soooo much fur he looked round.

Here are a couple picks that show how thick his fur was. One with him on his back waiting for a tummy rub.


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## Laurelin

Tankstar said:


> Hope you dont plan on doing any long adventures outside with him for the next few months. now that you removed his coat protection. he will now be easily burnt by the sun.
> 
> If my collie can take the +30+humidity+toronto smog we get all summer, Im sure a thin coated pap could have done fine with his whole coat
> 
> 
> 
> Am I wrong but dont paps have a double coat? I dont see many of them, and the only one we have that comes in the shop has been shaved for years so I cant remember.


Yes, they have a single coat, not a double coat at all. I would be concerned about coat damage and such with shaving a papillon. I do use thinning shears on mine sometimes. To me it looks a lot more natural than shaving.


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## Tankstar

Comet said:


> 30 degrees celsius I assume? That's only 86 degrees fahrenheit. That's winter in AZ. How can you possibly compare a cool temperature like that to the temperatures that are reached in AZ? It gets up to 50 degrees celsius here.
> 
> And he's not hairless. I didn't shave him down to the skin. He has a full inch of fur covering his torso so he won't be getting sunburned.


yes but 30 with the wonderful thick toronto smog where you cant see some days 10 feet in front of you lol.

Plus you have to remember we get extreame tempeture changes here, -30 for half the year and +20-35 for the other half. its not a easy adjustment to any dog, much less my thick coated dog haha.


Id be very worried about coat damage that you have done now to the coat. it may or may not grow back properly.


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## LazyGRanch713

Michiyo-Fir said:


> Pappy puppyyyyy <3<3<3
> 
> did he have a very very thick coat? Most Paps seem to do alright in heat, it's usually the double haired very thick coated dogs that have problems. But then it doesn't get as hot around here as it does where you are, so maybe that's why. He's such an adorable Papillon though! *Makes me want another one *


Me, too! My papillons don't do so well in the cold, but seem to do alright when it's hot (except for the 95 degree HUMID days...none of us do). Auz thrives in the cold, but handles anything over 75 with panting. I refuse to shave any of my dogs.


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## Terrie

Why have a pap with a short coat? Their long coat is one of their prettiest traits IMO.


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## BooLette

Haha ,no thanks. I would never shave my boy.


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## -Radar-

Oh, but it's the hair that makes them such beautiful little dogs I think. But I can see how you are thinking of your dog and since you keep the air cond set at 80 he probably will be more comfortable. Good Momma... ;-)


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## misscandypop

Hi,

Does anyone know if the Papillon coat grows back the same after being shaved?
I have wanted to lion cut mine for years but he has the softest silky coat that im too scared to ruin.

Thanks


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## lucidity

Speaking from my experience, no, it won't grow back the same. Why would you want to give him a lion cut? I thought that was a Pomeranian thing..

The groomer shaved a couple of spots off my Papillon 1.5 years ago and the fur never grew back the same. It grew back, but the fur is short. Not long anymore.


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## misscandypop

I think they look adorable with lion cuts just like Poms do. I hadn’t seen one before but wanted to try it, but from the photos at the start of this thread I am super keen now. Mine has pretty short hair anyway. Its just very silky and soft which I wouldn’t want to ruin.


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## Laurelin

I still have to say I just don't get shaving a papillon. Then again I don't like lion cuts on any dog.


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## lucidity

Laurelin said:


> I still have to say I just don't get shaving a papillon. Then again I don't like lion cuts on any dog.


Me neither. They just don't look like Papillons without their fur.


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## Keechak

Long nails can cause the toes to bend incorrectly producing foot pain and if left long they can develop early arthritis.


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## newpupmom

Ok, I was reading this thread because I have been looking for a good dog for a first time dog owner and I read papillons were perfect. 
I found a six year old rescue good with children and other pets. Thoughts?

I figured who better to ask then those who love them!


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## Laurelin

Well no dog breed is perfect but I really do love papillons. Do you have any specific questions? If that dog is what you are looking for then I'd go for it. With a 6 year old dog what you see is really what you'll get so I'd worry more about if the individual fits you than the breed.


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## notoneofus

I came across this site looking for advice on whether or not I should shave my three papillons. I feel that they need it and I need the break. One in particular is constantly shedding year round and her coat is very thick. I live in lower Alabama and it's very hot outside but my dogs don't spend much time out there aside from doing their business. I have a dog door so they get to choose. I don't see how they would get sunburned anyway as long as I don't shave them too short.


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## notoneofus

Papillons are perfect pets in my opinion. The three I have each have their own issues, as I feel I have rescued mine even though two of them came from the same breeder. I say "issues" because the personaly type I read about isn't in line with theirs. They are loveable within the family but 2 of them are afraid, for the most part, of other people. I don't know exactly what they experienced before I got them.


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## Crantastic

I would not shave a papillon. It doesn't help with cooling them, it makes them more susceptible to sunburn (even if not shaved right to the skin), it can take one and a half or two years for the coat to grow back properly (if it does at all), and it just looks stupid to me.


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## bgmacaw

It's about time to get our Maine **** Cat shaved. He usually gets a lion cut and it looks appropriate on him.

Here he his after last year's shave...









Since he doesn't go outside, sunburn isn't a factor but I'd worry about shaving a dog that was outside a lot. And, I agree, lion cuts just don't look right on most dogs.


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## grab

Just as a note, I live in AZ with Chows (one smooth coat, one rough coat) and have never shaved them, nor would I.... They do perfectly fine... They pant of course...as all dogs do....but no more than any of our other dogs. And they've never been in distress.


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## notoneofus

2 of my dogs were shaved the summer before I got them because the ac went out in their kennel, according to the not so fabulous breeder we bought them from. It did take a while for one dogs fur to completely grow back but not even one of my three had real long hair, not even around the ears. I shaved them yesterday, lion style and they seem to be more comfortable. My dogs have a hard time with fleas as the comfortis doesn't seem to quite do it's job anymore, and one in particulars back had itched all the time. Her back seems feels much better, and she doesn't seem to be scratching any more on her neck region that she did previously either. I don't regret doing it even though I may or may not do it again. My babies are beautiful to me whether they have show dog coats or Chihuahua coats I love them just the same! I only wanted to know about any real negatives as I would not want to hurt them. Also, they seem to be much cooler. I'm not an expert so I can't know how an expert would arrive at determining that shaving doesn't offer a dog relief from the heat but mine sure seem to be enjoying the break.


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