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The cut of the dog’s hair usually follows arguments based on anthropomorphism : “the human cuts his hair, the dog too”, “cutting the animal’s hair allows it to be cooler”, “it is essential to cut the hair to “clean it” …
The haircut in most of the family canid specimens is absolutely unnecessary if the human dedicates due attention to the hair and skin of his dear friend.
The hair of each specimen, of each racial group, is on the animal body to fulfill a series of functions : the short hair of a Chihuahua, an animal native to hot lands, is not the same as the thick mantle of a Saint Bernard, needing of a protective blanket for the low temperatures that it could face.
It is evident that the ancestor of any specimen of dog, his majesty the wolf, did not need to go to any aesthetic center to cut his ends, enjoy a combing, or feel the presumed benefits of a summer cut on his body.
In the evolution of the coexistence of the presumed rational with the familiar canine, routines of dubious utility for the animal have been introduced, but of varying degrees of satisfaction for the human.
A Schnauzer with a pedigree haircut may be visually appealing, but it is an unnecessary procedure if the animal’s coat is properly cared for:
- Nutrition that covers the nutritional requirements of skin and hair.
- Regular brushing, with the right materials, and all under the supervision of a professional.
- Baths with specific products for dogs and as long as they are necessary, not following our anthropomorphic and unnecessary guidelines.
What happens if you cut your hair
The haircut of the animal, if done by a qualified professional , will not have any negative effect since the professional knows very well the specific characteristics of each breed and how it can act on its skin and hair.
The animal’s haircut will provide the receiver with a more “enjoyable” image to human eyes, something that does not contribute anything to the dog at an organic level, and at best can have a positive impact on the expressions of joy of the human before the beauty of your dear companion.
The hair grows, if the animal is healthy and the cut has been made by a professional , it grows, so the cut does not harm, AT ALL, the animal that receives it.
The problem appears when the cut is carried out by presumed professionals or by owners convinced of the benefit of the cut, owners who go out and buy a razor that they consider appropriate and embark on an adventure… poor animal!!
The cuts made by the owners, without receiving any advice, can lead to:
- Excessive cut (shaving) that leaves the skin unprotected (sunburn, parasites…)
- Skin injuries: burns from the peeling machine, wounds… due to improper use of the cutting material and absolute ignorance of the technique.
- Irritations of varying intensity due to scratching, eczema due to licking, all of this due to the discomfort of the animal due to an inadequate and poorly performed cut.
When to cut hair
From everything that has been said so far, we can realize that there are two cases in which the haircut can be beneficial for the animal :
- For purely aesthetic reasons.
- For the relief of knots and other capillary disasters caused by an absent care of the animal’s fur, being the haircut the only way to solve the generated problem.
Because it’s weird after the hairdresser
An issue that we must not forget is the behavior of the animal during and after passing through the hairdresser…
If we do not properly accustom our good friend to his attendance at the beauty supply site, if we do not choose a professional that respects the animal, if we do not behave appropriately when viewing our friend after his change of look, we can generate more problems than we we can imagine.
A dog that is not properly treated at the groomer can present a rejection that makes it unmanageable and the recipient of unnecessary , undesirable and perfectly avoidable anxiety and suffering.
And what about our behavior before his image when leaving the hairdresser (laughs, jokes…), behavior that can cause the animal to try to avoid our absurd ridicule by disappearing from the scene and looking for a place to take refuge from our eyes and from our human stupidity
And if the cut made has been excessive, if the machine was very hot during the cut, if there have been irritations or injuries… Isn’t it logical that they don’t want to know anything about the world?
In short: the haircut, in itself, does not affect the animal, but it is not essential either if its skin and hair are properly cared for.
