Weird, random aspie question about dogs

[Yeshuasdaughter]

When I hear someone say "I need to take my dog to the groomers. He needs his haircut.", I look at the dog and think to myself, "But why? He looks fine to me."

I find the idea of giving a haircut to a dog to be bizarre. I see a dog that has a close shaven body and a shaggy head to look like a rat or a wet cat.

Is there a reason, other than aesthetics, that certain breeds of dog get groomed?

I think they look cute in their natural, shaggy coats. I don't ever say anything, but once the owner gets the dog groomed, I look at the dog and think, "The poor creature. What did they do to you?"

So that's basically my question. Why do they do it? Is it just fashion?

Another thing, unrelated. I think doberman pincers are some of the prettiest dogs, and friendliest pets. I silently judge anyone who docks their tail or pins their ears. So cruel. Dobies are so adorable in their natural state.

 

[Gerontius]

Sometimes it is to bathe the dog. Not everyone washes their dogs at home. Other times it's to neaten up an already ok coat length.

Personally I am glad I don't have a dog. Lot of work and I have nowhere to let it run around.

 

[Rodafina]

Is there a reason, other than aesthetics, that certain breeds of dog get groomed?

Good question. I never took any of my dogs to a groomer. I have gotten help trimming their toenails because you can hurt them if you don’t do it right, but the vet will usually do this task as part of their appointment. Now I wonder if there are some dogs that do need it for some reason.

It’s important to give dogs regular brushings to keep their hair/fur clean. But, you can certainly do this at home.

 

[Judge]

I don't really think that's a weird question. A number of things to consider when it comes to your dog's coat.

The breed, and whether or not is has a single or double coat (undercoat) and the severity of temperatures in all four seasons. You really don't want to have a dog's undercoat messed with, let alone shaved even in warmer weather. I've heard that doing so might interfere with some breeds to naturally regulate their body temperature.

Conversely, dogs like a Yorkshire Terrier have only single coats that are very much like human hair. And living in a very warm micro-climate in California, our Yorkies benefitted very much with what is called a "puppy cut". But forget the cute esthetics. It kept them cooler in severely hot weather. Though much of their ability to remain cool still depends on their ability to pant. Keeping any pet hydrated is essential, especially in warmer weather. Most important as mentioned above is to regularly brush your dog's coat unless it's inherently very short.

Also consider that "grooming" may extend to a dog being properly bathed and pampered. Something pet owners of very large dogs may not be so inclined to do themselves, as well as trim their nails which can be risky business depending on the dog and the pet owner.

Though there are still any number of people out there who think of grooming first and foremost as a matter of esthetics that please them, and not necessarily their dog.

 

[Darkkin]

Depending on breed and coat type, non-shedding breeds (poodle type coats, many spaniel breed, etc..) of dog can develop tangles and matting that can cause pain and trauma to their skin if their coats are not cared for properly.

The weight of their coats can literally twist so tightly it rips the skin allowing for a strong probability of secondary infections. It can also impact their basic day to day quality of life.

e.g.

Wool blindness (vision obstructed by the animal's own pelt).

Mobility (matting impacts basic motor function, walking around with hardened, heavy bundles of fur...)

Pest infestations (a dirty coat is a haven for fleas and ticks and flies and things like mange.)

Rue Dog is a double coated husky/eskimo mix. He gets brushed out x3 per week to keep his coat from looking mothy and control the floof he leaves around the house.

Much like basic hygiene in humans, Rue Dog always feels better after a brushing or a bath. He does the Rue Dance when we're done. No clippers have ever touched his coat.

 

[Judge]

It's always odd to see my cousin's Blue Heeler shed twice a year, where it involves the undercoat, which is a much lighter color. At times it almost looks like she's "going grey", but it's just the undercoat naturally shedding.

 

[Luca]

@Judge and @Darkkin are absolutely correct.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

Thanks everyone, that's very informative.

I wasn't talking about brushing, bathing, or nail clipping. I meant haircuts. You guys had good answers

 

[Misery]

I silently judge anyone who docks their tail or pins their ears. So cruel.

Yeah, I hate this. I dont understand why anyone does this.

I have two dogs, both wheaten terriers, one of which had his tail docked... before we ever saw him, I mean, nobody in THIS family would ever choose to do that... and the other never had it done by the breeder (as that one never did it to any of her dogs, thankfully).

And honestly I look at them and I cant figure out why anyone would ever do that. The big guy has just that... stump... while the smaller one, who didnt have to go through that, has this fluffy tail that curls upward. And it's so expressive. Why would anyone want to get rid of that? And put the dog through that just to make that stupid aesthetic change? I dont understand people sometimes. Though again for some dog owners it will have happened well before they ever get the dog, so that's worth keeping in mind.


On a more positive note, we do send them to the groomer every couple of weeks or so. Wheatens will get hair that covers their eyes if they dont get a cut. Oddly some people seem to think that's the best way to have them? Like when you see Wheatens that are show dogs, they sometimes have that covering. I dont get that. How are they supposed to see?

The grooming days are always an interesting experience, Cooper, the big dog, utterly flips out any time he realizes he's heading there as it's the same place where they do a day-care (they go to that every Thursday) and that means play time with other dogs. It's his favorite place to go. If he realizes that Go Time is imminent, he'll sprint around the house howling at stuff and constantly run up to one of us, crash into us, then run to the door and look back like "I dont know how to make it any more clear, let's leave NOW". Dingle, the smaller one, freaks out simply because Cooper is. She never seems to care about interacting with other dogs (she ignores all of them) but wants to be included in anything Cooper gets to do.

 

[Forest Cat]

I had to trim my dogs fur and spend some time on it, it was just because she had long fur. If I didn't do anything it would grow and cover her face, she would step on it when she walked, it would get tangled and matted.

dogs like a Yorkshire Terrier have only single coats that are very much like human hair.

I used to call it angel hair. My dog didn't have fur, she had angel hair. They have such thin and fine hair strands, amazing fur.

 

[Outdated]

Having a short haired dog makes a huge difference, especially in a hot climate. That's something a lot of people don't stop to consider when they look at what sort of dog they'd like, most are only concerned with what it looks like. Having a border collie in the tropics for example is just plain cruel.

A lot of breeds like spaniels do need the fur trimmed from around their back ends or it can get poo stuck in it.