Are you tired of cleaning dog hair from your floors again and again? Does your dog shred too much?

If you think shaving his hair will help you, then hold on. No matter whether you want to make summer bearable for your dog or just done with picking up hair piles each day, shaving your dog is an option as long as you're doing it after taking all safety precautions.

Else, you may end up hurting your canine friend. Yes, that’s true. I’ve learnt from my friend’s mistake. Stay glued; I’m going to share my lessons and let you know how to shave a dog safely.  

My friend, Nia, had a double-coated Siberian Husky. When summer came, she thought the melting temperature is unbearable for her dog, and shaving the hair will help the dog to cope up with the scorching heat.

So, she shaved down her Husky thoroughly. But that's where she made the mistake of her life. You won't probably believe me, but even after 10 years, her Husky couldn't become the cotton ball that once he looked like.

Yeah, her dog's hair never grew back, which left the dog's skin vulnerable to temperature, sunburn, dirt, skin disease, etc.  

There is a no-shave rule for certain double-coated dog breeds. Siberian Husky belongs to this category along with breeds like Malamutes, Golden Retrievers, Border Collies, Shelties, Aussie Shepherds, Bernese Mountains, Newfoundlands, etc.

If your dog belongs to any of these categories, you must drop the idea of shaving your dog. If not, and your pup badly needs a grooming session, then here is what you need to see. I have answered your query- "should I shave my dog," along with the right process of grooming a dog. Have a look.

"Should I Shave My Dog? Will My Dog's Fur Grow Back After a Cut?"

It's a bit tricky to answer this query in "Yes" or "No." You have to stick to the end to understand whether you should save your dog or not.

However, for certain breeds saving is not recommended in anyways. No matter how thick their fur coat is, you must resist shaving the dogs from the breeds mentioned above.

If you wonder why you shouldn't shave your dog, then scroll down and check out the reasons. 

Shaving won't Decrease Shedding

No matter how hard it is to believe, but it's true- shaving your dog won't decrease shedding. Instead, shaving the thick topcoat will expose the underlying one with short hair.

This will increase the amount of hair shedding because the upper coat, which includes the long hair, will be missing to protect the fluffy hair. Eventually, you won't be benefitted at all by shaving your dog's hair.

Shaving Won't Cool Down Your Dog

I know that most of us relate our dogs to humans and think like having thick body hair is unfortunate for our dogs because summer becomes unbearable for them.

During summer, we just put on shorts to beat the heat, but our furry friends can't take their skin off. So, we try to help them by shaving their body. One major thing that we miss is, our dogs and we are different.

Their upper coat provides natural insulation. So, removing that will only expose the skin and increase the risk of sunburn, skin irritation, even skin cancer sometimes. 

Shaving Can Damage Hair Growth Permanently

What do you think, how fast does dog hair grow back? If you don't have a clear idea, let me tell you, there is no guarantee that your dog's hair will grow back again.

Yes, if you're shaving a puppy, still there is a chance that his hair will grow back. But if you are shaving a dog of older age, the upper coat may never become like earlier times.

The reason is, short hair in the lower coat grows faster than the upper coat, so the upper coat never really gets a chance to recover, which results in wild, unruly, frizzy hair all over your pup's body. 

Now you've got answers to your query, "will my dog's fur grow back after a cut?" I understand there are many reasons which clearly say shaving your dog is not a good option.

But what if your pup needs grooming? After all, grooming is a part of a dog's healthy lifestyle, and there is nothing bad about grooming a dog when you're doing it like a professional.

Wondering how to shave a dog like a professional? Scroll down and check the steps below. 

10 Steps to Shave a Dog like a Professional

Now coming to how to shave your dog safely like a professional, the first thing I would mention is that you need the right set of tools, cooperation from your dog, and patience.

If you think previous experience or skills are required, then let me tell you- Don't worry and just follow the below steps religiously. Trust me; I'm not asking you to do anything which will hurt your pup. Let's check out the process now.  

Step 1: Purchase the right equipment like a noise-free clipper with an attached comb, a brush, and some lubricant. Make sure you're buying a clipper that is made for pets only. 

Step 2: Next, you need to check the clipper to understand how much time it takes to become hot. Once you know the duration, you can take breaks while shaving to cool it down so that your dog's skin doesn't get burnt.

Step 3: Now, you have to clean your dog. Give him a shower or just brush his hair to remove clumps or tangles. Else, the clipper won't run smoothly, and your pup will get hurt. 

Step 4: After cleaning, place him on a table or wherever you think he can remain steady. After all, you won't ever want him to move while shaving, isn't it? 

Step 5: At this point, start shaving with slow, gentle strokes. Always run the clipper along with the growth of the hair. Never shave in the opposite direction to avoid harsh lines. 

Step 6: First, shave the sensitive areas because shaving is a time job, and your dog may get impatient as time passes. So, it's always advisable to start with the sensitive areas. 

Step 7: After the sensitive parts, shave the underarms. When your dog is standing, lift his arms gently, and shave the areas. 

Step 8: Now, you should shave the groin. To do so, lift his legs in a position like he is peeing and clean the hair thoroughly. 

Step 9: Shave the rear bottom next. Raise his tail and apply the clipper carefully around the bottom. 

Step 10: Finally, shave the rest of his body and clean the excess hair with a brush. Make sure you cut the edges after leaving 1-inch of length, don’t make it too short. 

Final Thoughts

I have shared every nitty-gritty about shaving a dog’s hair.  Now, it’s your turn to tell me how this guide has helped you. If you have further queries, drop a comment in the below box. I’ll be there to help you. Stay connected for more pet guides. Happy petting!