HEATWAVE: HOLISTIC DOG GROOMER LAURA THORPE’S GUIDE TO OPTIMAL GROOMING DURING THE HEATWAVE
The heatwave is in full bloom and I know many of you are panicking to find the best solutions for your dog, and most groomers are fully booked. I have spoken to founder of ‘Our Dog’s Choice’ and Certified Holistic and Cooperative Care Dog Groomer, Laura Thorpe and asked for her guidance on this.
Good news is, you do not need to panic, Laura has provided the best guide for you below and best thing is that you can do it all by yourself.
DO I REALLY NEED TO SHAVE MY DOG TO KEEM THEM COOL?
When we hear of a heatwave heading our way, most dog guardians panic about their long haired dogs and desperately try to book or move their appointment at their local dog groomers for a complete shave down.
What if I told you shaving your dog, won’t necessarily make them any cooler?
Our Canine companions have 3 skin layers; the ‘Epidermis’, the ‘Dermis’ and the ‘Subcutis’, each having their own important functions. The middle layer; the ‘Dermis’ contain blood vessels that help to regulate skin and body temperature along with many other important functions.
A dogs hair follicles flow from the Dermis layer of skin and the blood vessels that help to regulate your dogs temperature. During colder temperatures your dogs hair follicles contract, trapping air and acting as insulation, keeping them warm during those harsh winter months. During warmer temperatures, the hair follicles relax, aiding air flow and helping them stay cool.
Shaving your dogs coat therefore is not necessary to keeping them cool during our summer months, it is more for convenience and easier management.
As dog guardians, we must take note of the type of coat our dogs have and its role in keeping our dogs healthy. Different breeds will have different coat types and characteristics, for example our double coated/ short coated friends, such as; Husky, Retriever’s, Labradors, Shepherds, Pomeranians, Border Collies, Pugs, French & English Bulldogs etc have natural shedding that removes dead hair, making way for new, which aid in temperature regulation. Shaving these types of coats can be detrimental to their health (unless veterinary permission is provided), preventing them from regulating their own temperatures and can even increase the risk of sunburn.
As dog guardians, we must also recognise the risks of matting and how this can impact your dogs health. If your dog’s coat is deeply matted, the hair follicles won’t be able to relax and air flow will be impacted, preventing your dog in regulating their own temperature. It is important that you regularly bathe and brush/comb your dogs coat at home to avoid matting between their professional grooming appointments.
Here are some grooming tips you can do that will help your dog regulate their temperature and keep them cool during hotter temperatures, without the pressure and panic of a shave down!
1. Daily brushing and combing your dogs coat to allow those hair follicles to relax and aid in air flow. If your dog is deeply matted, they will need to see a professional groomer for a short shave down, but daily brushing and combing can help avoid matting all together and aid in keeping your dog cool.
2. Bathing your dog at home between professional grooms can also help your dog regulate their body temperature by keeping the skin and fur clean and healthy.
3. Taking overall precautions during hotter temperatures such as; avoid walking, provide them with a cool, shaded home, access to fresh water, frozen enrichment etc will all aid in keeping your dog cool.
Its as simple as that! So when the heatwave strikes, don’t panic about getting your dog booked in for a shave down. Bathe, Brush and take all necessary precautions.
ABOUT LAURA THORPE
Laura specialise in providing your dog; Choice, Compassion, Comfort and Cooperation when groomed. She work to alleviate; Fear, Anxiety and Stress through a number of bespoke grooming programmes, using Force-Free, Positive based techniques to desensitise your dog to all aspects of grooming and is based in Wigan.
She is a Tutor with The Holistic Grooming Academy, helping educate fellow groomers on up to date, science backed, ethical grooming and she is also a student of Applied Zoopharmacognosy with Caroline Ingraham, giving animals choice and helping them heal themselves.
Laura Thorpe
Certified Holistic Dog Groomer
Founder of ‘Our Dog’s Choice
Tutor at The Holistic Grooming Academy