The sun might not be beating down here in Greater London but it's still really very muggy. The humans in the house are fighting over fans and the garden hammock while the dogs just look miserable. The puppy hasn't got much of a coat at all but our old man is half golden retriever, and last summer spent most of his life upstairs, under our bed. This year, I presented him to our groomer and told her to 'take it all off'. So she did. He's got what looks like a Westie Clip to me and he's so much happier. He's short on the top and sides with some feathers and the hair on his belly and tail is pretty much untouched. It doesn't look as silly as I feared either; no one has laughed at us yet- unlike the summer when I attempted to do the clipping myself. The poor dog looked like he was being treated for mange *blush*.
When I spoke to the groomer about summer clips for dogs, she confirmed they have become a very common request among owners of older hounds. One of Wilfie's doggie friends has her hair clipped short all over and acts and looks like a new dog.
So if you have an old dog ( or even a not-so-old dog) who is suffering in the heat, then consider a haircut- even if they are a breed that is not usually clipped short. You may be surprised at what a change there is in their general happiness and activity level.
