# Sanitary trim bad?



## mariebowman

Hi my groomer gave my pup a sanitary trim around his anal and penis/lower belly area. I hate it, his genitals are exposed and I feel he needs his hair to protect his private parts. Does anyone have experience with this enough to know whether or not his hair will grow back? Also, groomer shaved down fur around paw pads, without asking me, and I hate that, too, for the same reason I hate the unexpected sanitary trim. *sigh* Experienced advice/information? BTW, my pup is a double coated northern breed, that may effect hair growth, maybe?


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## Kobismom

Kobi had his genital area shaved when he was neutered. It is growing back. Not as fast as I would like, but it is definitely growing back.


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## Spazmelda

Um, I'm pretty sure the hair will grow back. Unless you damage the hair follicles, hair should grow back.

Now, my dog is a short hair dog. He has no fur protecting his private areas and doesn't seem to have any problems. What do you feel the fur is protecting his private areas from? A sanitary cut doesn't seem like it would be harmful in any way to me. Maybe not necessary, but probably not harmful. Jmo.


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## taquitos

I prefer my pom-x with a sanitary trim, tbh. He gets icky (pees on himself, gets poop stuck to his fur, etc) if he does not get a sanitary trim.

They don't need hair around those areas to protect themselves, from what I know. Those areas are exposed on short haired dogs as Spazmelda points out.


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## Kayla_Nicole

There is no problem with having the sanitary areas trimmed that I know of. Alannah's gets trimmed, to keep pee and poo out of her hair. It's much easier to keep her clean. And his fur should grow back, although it will be slow. 

Most full grooms include a sanitary trim and trim of the fur/hair between their pads - they are both pretty common. If you don't want them done, you will most likely have to mention that to the groomer next time you go back.


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## Emily1188

mariebowman said:


> Hi my groomer gave my pup a sanitary trim around his anal and penis/lower belly area. I hate it, his genitals are exposed and I feel he needs his hair to protect his private parts. Does anyone have experience with this enough to know whether or not his hair will grow back? Also, groomer shaved down fur around paw pads, without asking me, and I hate that, too, for the same reason I hate the unexpected sanitary trim. *sigh* Experienced advice/information? BTW, my pup is a double coated northern breed, that may effect hair growth, maybe?


This is standard at most reputable grooming shops if the dog being groomed has enough hair to warrant it. I'm sorry you didn't like it but there's really no reason the groomer would have asked you before doing either. Both trims generally benefit the dog/owner. The cleaned paw pads help reduce the amount of mud and (in winter) ice and snow that build up in the pads, and also IME help some breeds keep cooler by allowing greater circulation of air around the pads. (The only place a dog truly sweats is the pads of the feet.)

The sanitary is as the name implies, sanitary, and prevents things like urin burn and feces stuck on the hair near the anus.

While clipping/shaving a northern breed is a huge no, the pawpads and sanitary areas are so minimal that it's hardly going to affect your dog's coat or health. 

If you don't want it done, simply specify that when you drop the dog off for grooming.


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## mariebowman

Spazmelda said:


> Um, I'm pretty sure the hair will grow back. Unless you damage the hair follicles, hair should grow back.
> 
> Now, my dog is a short hair dog. He has no fur protecting his private areas and doesn't seem to have any problems. What do you feel the fur is protecting his private areas from? A sanitary cut doesn't seem like it would be harmful in any way to me. Maybe not necessary, but probably not harmful. Jmo.


Damage to the follicles? Is there away to determine whether or not they were damaged? o_0 I think the groomer shaved the tiniest area closest to the anus, a thin line of skin is exposed. lol Now I'll be worrying about follicle damage (can you tell I'm a huge worrier?)

The point you make about short hair dogs is a good point, though. I am just hyper-worried because my dog is a Samoyed and people say sammies coats are very unique and designed to protect them from the elements and that they need their coat very much


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## mariebowman

Emily1188 said:


> While clipping/shaving a northern breed is a huge no, the pawpads and sanitary areas are so minimal that it's hardly going to affect your dog's coat or health.


Ah, yes, that is why I worried. I know my pup's breeder shaved his mother's stomache down shortly before birthing the puppies...I guess to enable the pups to suckle more easily...so...I guess..I guess everything will be okay o_o


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## Emily1188

mariebowman said:


> Ah, yes, that is why I worried. I know my pup's breeder shaved his mother's stomache down shortly before birthing the puppies...I guess to enable the pups to suckle more easily...so...I guess..I guess everything will be okay o_o


He'll be just fine.  The groomer I work with is extremely conscientious about properly maintaining double coated breeds but has no issue with sanitary trims and cleaning up feet.


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## Spazmelda

There should be no damage to the follicles with a trim. Follicles are down in the skin. Women sometimes have laser hair removal or electrolysis to kill hair follicles. This is a type of permanant hair removal that involves damaging the hair follicles with a laser or electric current so that they don't produce hair anymore (even this is difficult to do, and often has to be repeated several times to completely prevent hair from growing). It wouldn't occur from a trim or a haircut. Burns to the skin might do it (another reason to prevent urine burns? Not sure if they go deep enough, but sounds painful for the dog nevertheless), a deep cut to the skin that forms scar tissue would do it too.


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## BernerMax

Yeah my Berner gets mats underneath near his scrotum for some reason so I trimmed it myself (you cant really tell cause he has plenty of fur camuoflaging around it-- I think its cleaner that way...


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## Kyllobernese

Susie, my Bernese cross, has so much hair on her back end and hates it to be combed, that I clip it right down short every year and she is nine this year and I can promise you it will grow back. (wish it wouldn't sometimes) I am talking about what I call her "leggings". Most people also clip off a females belly when they have pups and it grows back.


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## mariebowman

Kyllobernese said:


> Susie, my Bernese cross, has so much hair on her back end and hates it to be combed, that I clip it right down short every year and she is nine this year and I can promise you it will grow back. (wish it wouldn't sometimes) I am talking about what I call her "leggings". Most people also clip off a females belly when they have pups and it grows back.


That's encouraging. So she has a double coat? When the hair grows back,is it different than before? As in texture, length?


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## Fade

My husky gets long hair between his paw pads and I always shave it down. It keep his paws from collecting dirt and irritants. also it helps him "sweat." He does not get long hair on his genitals. but many dogs do. We had a Samoyed in our clinic once that had gotten maggots infesting its penis area because the hair had not been trimmed properly and it became very dirty. ( the dog had not been groomed properly at all in general. ) This happens more then Id like to see. Dogs getting issues with their private areas because of the fur getting dirty. 

It was mentioned above but it is called a "sanitary trim" because its sanitary for a dog. just like washing our hands and bathing. It is a protection for the dog. Nothing to be worried about. Believe me! Your worrying about all the wrong things! Ive seen plenty of dogs have issues with dirty privates needing veterinary care but very few problems with minor complications from sanitary trims. Mostly only razor burn or superficial cuts which can happen anywhere not just during a sany. simply because the groomer was not careful. but its no big deal. An infected vaginal area or penis because of a dirty genital area, that can cost some money for the treatment. Even worse a maggot infested genital area is not something ANYONE should ever have to see. Its disgusting.
Sanitary
1. Of or relating to health or the protection of health.
2. Free from elements, such as filth or pathogens, that endanger health; hygienic:


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## BernerMax

Fade said:


> My husky gets long hair between his paw pads and I always shave it down. It keep his paws from collecting dirt and irritants. also it helps him "sweat." He does not get long hair on his genitals. but many dogs do. We had a Samoyed in oOk so now I am going to worry about my boy getting maggots on his penis. Sigh. I will have to trim that area as well I suppose.
> 
> It was mentioned above but it is called a "sanitary trim" because its sanitary for a dog. just like washing our hands and bathing. It is a protection for the dog. Nothing to be worried about. Believe me! Your worrying about all the wrong things! Ive seen plenty of dogs have issues with dirty privates needing veterinary care but very few problems with minor complications from sanitary trims. Mostly only razor burn or superficial cuts which can happen anywhere not just during a sany. simply because the groomer was not careful. but its no big deal. An infected vaginal area or penis because of a dirty genital area, that can cost some money for the treatment. Even worse a maggot infested genital area is not something ANYONE should ever have to see. Its disgusting.
> Sanitary
> 1. Of or relating to health or the protection of health.
> 2. Free from elements, such as filth or pathogens, that endanger health; hygienic:




SO now I am going to have to worry about my dog getting maggots on his penis area.... Sigh. I will have to get the scizzors out and trim that area as well....


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## Amaryllis

I would continue to get that trim. Pulling poop out of fur is a nightmare and you're not washing urine out of the fur in front of his penis with a baby wipe, trust me. 

As for the fur between the toes, that can become deeply problematic in a number of ways. It collects dirt, oil from the road, seeds, salt, ice, etc. It also makes it hard for the dog to grip slick floors, like tile, hardwood and laminate.


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## deege39

That is standard at just about every grooming salon I have ever been to or heard of. Unless you specifically ask them not to. 

It's just fur. It will grow back... but this is also a learning lesson in knowing to ask what comes included in their bathing process.


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## SydTheSpaniel

Perfectly fine! I actually trimmed my dog's back end and a little bit of her under tail just a little while ago, she has really long fur back there and since she's outside more in the warmer months, it gets dirty pretty fast, and collects debris. It grows back just fine.


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## jfinner1

Another person chiming in to say don't worry! Cthulhu is a Great Pyrenees, so big fluffy double coat. I won't let them shave him down or anything because of exactly what you are worried about, his double coat growing back weird. *However*, He always gets his paw pads shaved down, and the standard sanitary cut. It saves me having to pick poop off of his butt, and I haven't seen any problem with the fur growing back weird in those areas.


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## sassafras

God Pip gets so much toe hair and such wild butt and wiener feathers that I clip them at least a couple of times a year. 

As he gets older he's also getting this completely ridiculous chest mane thing that I trim down, too.


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## 5 s corral

I have a sheltie and a long haired doxie they both get a sanitary trim and there feet are shaved to 
it always grows back


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## hueyeats

Whenever we take Roman to the groomer... he/ she will also trim his butt/ flank hair short (not shaved).
I request for the trim usually... so its neater... less likely to have "dingle berries".

I will also clip his hair on the flank short in between grooming sessions... dunno.. I do that to the cat too.


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