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Clipping in summer

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Question

My six year old Border Terrier really feels the heat. I would love to be able to cut his fur during the summer but have been advised that their coats shouldn’t be clipped. What should I do?

— Johnanna

Answer

On those hot days at the end of summer, there is nothing your Border Terrier would like to do more than to remove that thick jumper he’s been hauling around. So do it for him and give him a clip! The idea that his hair will never grow back, is in my opinion a bit of a myth. Sure it will take a few months to get back to how it looked before, however it’s a small price to pay for how your dog will feel now.

I promise you’ll almost be able to see the smile on his face. Removing that extra fur allows him to lose more body heat through radiating that heat away from his skin. And considering the fact that dogs can’t sweat and have to rely solely on panting to cool down, every bit of help counts. With a shorter coat, he will also be at a smaller risk of ‘hot-spots’ that in my experience occur when warmth and moisture are trapped close to the skin, allowing bacteria to breed.

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