# spinoff - ok has anyone ever CLIPPED a lab??



## Annamarie (Oct 14, 2007)

the lab is starting to shed a bit, and I'm toying with the idea of clipping her. not only for the cleanup factor, but she also seems to overheat quite easily (her extra weight doesn't help either). am i crazy or do other people clip their labs too? (I know our neighbor does due to the shedding, she has a yellow lab).


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## pamperedpups (Dec 7, 2006)

I am a professional groomer and I have clipped Labs, Goldens, Pugs, JRTs, etc., by client request. I would NEVER clip my own short haired dog(s), unless the dog needed it due to health reasons. 

1. Clipped dogs still shed after clipping, only the hair is shorter and sharper (think: hair splinters). 

2. Clipped coats may grow back in very poorly (thick, packed, dull, etc.). Sometimes a clipped coat will never grow in the same and may actually NEED to be kept clipped for the dog's life.

3. The dog's natural insulation is ruined when clipped. Your dog will actually be more sensitive to heat and cold after clipping.

Keeping a short haired dog comfortable and shed out properly takes work. I give my Lab monthly baths and deshed him with special shampoos and conditioners, force drying and back combing, plus lots of going over with the Zoom Groom and some with the Furminator before, after and inbetween bath days. He is also fed a high quality diet supplemented with salmon and coconut oils. THAT is what I recommend to other owners of short haired dogs, never clipping. I only clip after the client has been made aware of the potential for disaster and then only if they in$i$t (because if I don't do it, someone else will).


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## Annamarie (Oct 14, 2007)

thanks, maybe we'll skip the clipping then. actually the groomer i called today advised me to use the furminator instead. she couldn't do it anyway because she doesn't have a tub that old dogs can get into.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

Look around a farm supply store for the shedding blades and combs meant for horses. Try the small size rubber curry comb (meant for foals or mini horses). All those horse brushes tend to be very cheap (under $5) and work as well or better than anything made for dogs. 

Add some fish oil to her diet to help reduce shedding.


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## Love's_Sophie (Sep 23, 2007)

I agree with Pampered Pups... as a groomer I've gotten many labs, and other short haired dogs, who the owners wanted clipped short. Of course, with proper carding, the coats can come back in normally, but it's going to depend on the dog really, and the health of his skin and coat, his diet, and other conditions that can effect coat growth. 

But if an owner wants it done, I won't turn them away, just because of how I might feel about it; it won't hurt the dog, in the long run if they are well cared for, and kept out of heat and cold. But the owner needs to know the implications of stripping a dog of his coat.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

A clipped Lab just looks WEIRD, LOL. 

With Willow I used a rubber horse brush (looks like a Zoom Groom but cheaper) and a shedding blade. Worked great. 

But, of course, Labs "chew 'til they're two and shed 'til they're dead". So you'll never really get rid of the shedding. If you clip her she'll shed shorter hairs, and if you brush her most of the fur will be outside (or in your vacuum or whatever) but there will always be shedding.


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

If I clipped Sassy down even a 1/2" she would turn cream colored then her ears, head, legs would still be shaded red. Not a good look. Get a good deshed treatment instead. Rake out the undercoat, furminate it, shampoo, blow it out with an HV blower/dryer. My feeble efforts help for a couple weeks with pro equipment and skills shedding should be diminished for even longer..


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## Pit_Bull_Lady (Feb 4, 2009)

Believe it or not, I clip a BOXER at the shop I work for.
I have to use a reverse 7F to make it look smooth.
Looks ridiculous, I think.

Supposedly the owner's new wife doesn't like the shedding and insists that the dog be shaved...
I can just tell how long that relationship is going to last....LOL...


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## WashingtonCowgirl (Mar 8, 2010)

Shell said:


> Look around a farm supply store for the shedding blades and combs meant for horses. Try the small size rubber curry comb (meant for foals or mini horses).


This is what I use! They are amazing! Maddie sheds like a pug (only she is 97lbs lol) and I brush her every other day with one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Small-Rubber-Curry/dp/B000R6QQM8

It was about the same price (less then $1) at my feed store. Also has made her coat shinier and softer. It will probably help with the greasy-ness as well because all the oil isn't staying at the base of the hair, it is getting distributed over the whole coat.

Hope it helps!


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## Tankstar (Dec 30, 2006)

I think any one that clips a lab (boxer, pug, golden ret ect) is crazy.

It will NOT help in the least with shedding. what you will end up with is sliver small sized hairs, that will embed in to everything, cloths, chairs, beds, and you. Hair splinters are not fun. Plus it will NOT help with cooling down.


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## tgif (Dec 10, 2009)

I love the curry comb and highly recommend it. It works great on my horses and my dogs especially the three with a double coat. And its helped cut down on the shedding a bit and they look great because it brings out the dirt and oils not to mention the fur. I also have a zoom groom for my BC mix but got it at the local shelter for $2 he loves it. I dont see the point in clipping a lab, I also dont think it would help like the other posters have said.
(you can get a rubber curry at your local feed/tack stores usually for only a couple dollars depending on the brand. I'd recomend you get a simple rubber curry for everday and probably a coarse(or fine) curry (one with rounded spikes) for heavy shedding and during the winter if you can find it. If you want to find one online look at amazon.com or my personal favorite is chicksdiscountsaddlery.com alot of their stuff is pretty cheap but good quality. If all else fails look at craigslist. ) To get the best results from using a curry comb rub it in circles vigorusly all over the body, but not the legs and head, the bone is to close to the skin in those parts but you can do it gently if you have to.


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## Annamarie (Oct 14, 2007)

i haven't gotten the furminator yet but i did find a curry comb for dogs in the grocery store of all places. she's finally starting to shed out all that hair. it helped that i was able to get her in the tub the other day, you wouldn't beleive the massive amounts of hair that started coming out. i've been brushing out a baseball sized amount of hair every day, and she drops about that much on the floors daily as well (lots of vaccuming!!).

her coat is now nice and shiny and soft, and she's starting to look more dog-like and less bear-like


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## Oliver21508 (Jun 3, 2010)

At work (groomers) we clipped a lab once. He looks gorgeous afterwards. I do like the look of clipped dogs (I should do, I clip my cocker spaniel short), but I agree, it doesn't help with shedding.


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