Clipping a Border Collie... is there a reason why not?

[Southdowners]

Its been absolutely baking hot here lately. Our neighbour has a Spaniel who is clipped and I wondered why it doesn't seem to be something Border Collies have. Is there a reason why they're not clipped?

 

[irnbru]

Probably by the amount of hairs they cast they don't need clipped, just a good brush every day. I would be a billionaire by now if dog hairs were worth even a 1/2p

 

[Ridgeway]

Yes it will ruin his/her coat, well only if you keep doing it. Anyone that clips a Spaniel isn't really a reference TBH.

If it needs doing then it needs stripping. Collies have a double coat and whilst I don't know the breed well I know that any double coat needs stripping rather than clipping unless you want a curly coated collie in a few months time.

Honestly I would just strip back the TOP coat and avoid the under coat but please avoid clippers...

 

[tacr2man]

@Southdowners discussion and pics
Friend of mine used to part clip his BC

 

[Steve and Pam]

Yes you can, have you not seen the specsavers advert

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[bellabee]

Anyone that clips a Spaniel isn't really a reference TBH.

If it needs doing then it needs stripping.

I agree, entirely. We bred English Springers for many years. If you want them to have a good coat, don't clip them (apart from the feathers), just strip them. I imagine Border Collies have a similar type of dense, waterproof coat.

 

[Tea Bag]

billionaire by now if dog hairs were worth even a 1/2p

Hi.
Lost Sassy ( Border Collie) 18 months ago 'ish....... We have had this van now 7 months....... How come,we are still hoovering up her fur. She loved the stripping and brushing,i think she was a secret " Old Tart"...Come to think about it,so is................................................
You and i BOTH would be Billionaires now Never clipped her
Tea Bag

 

[Basildog]

Probably by the amount of hairs they cast they don't need clipped, just a good brush every day. I would be a billionaire by now if dog hairs were worth even a 1/2p

We have got 2 Border Collies and yes they are a nuisance
I'll ask quietly as the other half might hear
Can you make curry with Collies ?

 

[chaser]

traditionaly around here the collies were sheared when the sheep were.

 

[mfw]

Collies are intelligent enough to go in shade when it is hot probably due to being working dogs on farms so they probably fare better than some other breeds in this heat

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[Southdowners]

Thanks for your replies.

To be honest I wasn't really thinking of doing it (unless folk said it was a good idea). I just wondered why its not something folk tend to do... usually when this is the case I find that there's a reason for them not doing it!

Our Collie doesn't seem to moult. He has the same thick long coat no matter what the season. He does lie in the shade and if he's really hot I shower him. One year I did trim his trousers but he looked odd.

 

[Ridgeway]

the other point here is that collies are typically very fit active dogs that can cope well with hot weather, vs fat and unfit many other dogs we see around a lot these days.

anyone ever seen a fat collie

 

[Phileas Dog]

Hi now retired but 30yrs grooming
I have clipped a border collie very short
Would clip her about 3 times a year as she had an overheating condition
The coat grew back fine
I don’t think it’s a good idea to clip the coat , and you may find it difficult to find a groomer willing to do this for you
If the coat is well brushed and all the dead undercoat removed the dog should be able to regulate its body temperature unless it is very old
You could try clipping the coat from under the belly and inside the thighs to offer some help with the heat
Also wet the dog’s feet , if you can get it to stand in some cool water that would help

 

[Basildog]

the other point here is that collies are typically very fit active dogs that can cope well with hot weather, vs fat and unfit many other dogs we see around a lot these days.

anyone ever seen a fat collie

Yes my mate rescued a severely overweight Collie
Dog is now fit and healthy as my mate can walk

 

[ambulancekidd]

If you really need to clip a collie there's no real reason why not, I wouldn't recommend it though, but how about clipping the dogs tummy?
That'd help to keep the dog cool. We also have a paddling pool in the back garden to get them wet & cool but still allows them to play whilst avoiding heat stroke.

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[Basildog]

Brits are funny
These temperatures are Spanish spring
They have dogs in Spain

 

[DavidG58]

We have effectively an oversized version in our Bernese Lola

She had to have both cruciate ligaments bionically repaired, this involved fully shaving both rear legs

The fur never did grow back properly, like an ungroomed teenage John MacEnroe, very wavy / curly as suggested above

 

[Jim]

My experiences of clipping working dogs in hot countries, dogs that are not ordinarily regularly clipped, is that you cannot guarantee the outer hair will grow back with the original lustre, if at all!

 

[Spriddler]

Brits are funny
These temperatures are Spanish spring
They have dogs in Spain

I think it's more to do with acclimatisation. It arrives so suddenly here.
I've just replied to a U.K. pal's email which he sent to me on June14th. I'd mentioned that I was going away but having a prob with my fridge and his reply included: "... and with the weather we're having I don't think you need to worry about the fridge!" A couple of days later we were into 23, then 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 degrees and it's still as hot now.

 

[Mrsambulancekidd]

Any double coated breed self regulates it's own body temperature, if you clip them they will actually heat up even more.
Both ours have the double coat, but not their tummies, so in theory we could clip those.

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[sonny]

I thought their hair protected them from the sun.

 

[pappajohn]

Thinking of saving time with our labradoodle.... I'm gonna skin her.

 

[Mrsambulancekidd]

Brits are funny
These temperatures are Spanish spring
They have dogs in Spain

They are used to it, we are not...…..

 

[DavidG58]

interestingly though, well I thought so

we have hand held thermometers at work that you point at objects to measure temp

Bev and another girl in office are 34C on their arms but Lola is 29C on her back, but 34C on nose and paws

 

[Burgo]

Our Rosie has a double coat having a bit of Lab in her as well as Podenco. We just use a Furminator "comb" on her to help with the constant shedding, but in all honesty its a labour of love and we are constantly sweeping up fur. We've been told, and it makes sense to me, that the coat is an insulator from both the cold and the heat, and if you clip them too fine in the sun they can also get sun burnt. She's lying out side now and its 33C today here, but when she gets too hot she just wanders back indoors until she's cooled down again.
That said, I do clip our little terrier / toilet brush one outside of summer as her fur picks up burs and grass seeds when we walk her out in the campo, but not too short.

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[Burgo]

Bev and another girl in office are 34C on their arms but Lola is 29C on her back, but 34C on nose and paws

Must be great fun working in your office!!!

 

[stewartwebr]

If you clipper him he will need a good covering of SP50 every day, could get expensive
We have had BCs’ all our lives and never clippered them. They all seemed to have the intelligence to seek shelter. We had one with epilepsy who needed to be kept cool as the heat sometimes induced a seizure.
We sadly don’t have a dog at the moment but I have seen a few searches being done recently on a few dog rescue centres so watch this space, it would certainly be another Collie for sure.

 

[Mrsambulancekidd]

I have seen a few searches being done recently on a few dog rescue centres so watch this space, it would certainly be another Collie for sure.

 

[sdc77]

We have 2 border Collies.
I use a furminator on both of them ... keeps on top of their coats.
In addition they go in the beck/stream on most walks... have shady areas in the garden and if all else fails they go in here....

 

[Paul1958]

I had a Newfoundland for 12 yrs. I used to have him WELL clipped/shaved every summer. He loved it. He was not designed for S France.
I have always got my next dogs, a springer ( for 13 yrs) and my still alive working cocker done the same. I think inmo it is cruel to make them suffer. I also have a cool coat. Anyway, I am not a vet.

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