Should You Cut Your Pet's Hair in Summer?

In summer, the temperatures start to get hotter, and although for some people it’s no bother, others can’t deal with the heat so easily. As a result, many pet owners decide to cut their pet’s hair in order to make them feel more comfortable in the heat.

However, this can be a terrible mistake with serious consequences for your pet. When it comes to hair care, animals are quite different from us.

For this reason, we’ve decided to talk about whether you should or shouldn’t cut your pet’s hair in summer.

Should you cut your pet’s hair in summer?

Apart from some exceptional circumstances when your vet advises it, it’s never a good idea to cut your pet’s hair in summer. Why? Because your pet’s coat is an excellent protection against the sun.

Though it may surprise you, your pet’s hair doesn’t just protect them from the cold, but from the heat as well. You can see this for yourself when you see dogs enjoying the sun with no problem whatsoever.

This is because their coat works as a thermal insulator, reducing the absorption of heat. Between the hairs are little pockets and currents of air which help them to feel cool even in the summer.

Their coat also has a number of different layers which help to protect them from high temperatures, sunstroke, cancer, and heatstroke.

Given all this, it’s obviously not a good idea to cut your pet’s hair in summer.

How to care for your pet’s hair in summer

Despite the advice we’ve just given you, there are some circumstances when you should cut your pet’s hair. These are usually in cases where the pet’s hair is much longer than normal.

When this happens, the hair can easily get tangled. This can lead to knots which restrict air circulation and make the coat less effective.

Since this can be quite uncomfortable for animals during the summer, you should go to your vet to find out the best way to cut his hair.

This problem is much more common in dogs, and here are the breeds with the longest hair:

• Yorkshire Terrier: these cute little dogs need regular brushing to avoid knots.
• Afghan Hound: known to be one of the least obedient dogs in the world; their hair is so long that it tangles very easily.
• Hungarian Sheepdog: these dogs are not very popular, but its huge amount of hair can cause it great problems during the summer.
• Shih Tzu: this Chinese breed has hair that you should cut during the summer months.

It’s worth mentioning that many vets recommend daily brushing as the best way to prevent knots in your pet’s hair.

How to look after your pets in summer

Bearing in mind that the main issue during the summer months is the heat, you’ll need to make sure you keep them cool and well-hydrated. Below, we’ve listed some tips to help you:

• If your pets live in your home, you should make sure there are areas with air conditioning or a fan.
• Make sure your animals are hydrated and always have fresh water nearby. One handy tip is to put small ice cubes in the water to keep them at the ideal temperature.
• Never leave your dog in the car. Vehicles heat up really quickly and your dog could suffer from heatstroke.

We hope that our advice will help you to keep your pet comfortable during the coming summer months. Enjoy!