Dog Grooming Style Guide
The question of whether to shave your dog is one of the most debated topics in pet care, and the answer depends entirely on your dog coat type. Dogs fall into two categories: single-coated breeds (Poodles, Maltese, Yorkies, Bichons, and most Doodles) have one layer of continuously growing hair that can be safely clipped to any length without permanent damage. Double-coated breeds (Huskies, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Samoyeds, Corgis, and many more) have a soft, insulating undercoat beneath a protective outer coat — and shaving this coat type can cause lasting damage. When a double coat is shaved, the undercoat often grows back faster than the guard hairs, resulting in a fuzzy, patchy texture that lacks the original protective qualities. The coat may never fully recover its proper layered structure. Additionally, a double coat provides insulation against both cold AND heat — shaving does not make a double-coated dog cooler; it actually removes their built-in temperature regulation and exposes them to sunburn. Instead of shaving, manage double-coated breeds with regular deshedding treatments, undercoat raking, and thorough blow-outs. For single-coated breeds, any clip length is safe.
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