Re: [PyrNet-L] Shaving Pyrs - working dogs

[Judy Gustafson <judy@halcyon.com>]

>>  I can only walk Jean Luc
>> for a short period of time and he becomes a major drool factory,
>>lathargic, and unwilling.  That to me means overheated.  Would not
shaving (real
>>short clip) help this?   Let some of the heat off the body? 

Sorry to be so late coming into this.  The coat actually protects against
heat; on another list a scientist type discussed the dynamics of this; but
you could actually make the dog hotter by taking away the insulating coat. 

Be sure the undercoat is free of mats and all dead hair brushed out, take
along a misting bottle to spray cool water on his face, paws and mouth, and
as others suggested walk in the coolest periods.    If you do clip, be sure
it isn't very short so the dog doesn't get sunburned.

>Please tell me if I'm wrong, but I get the feeling the people who are
>suggesting shaving their Pyrs do NOT use these dogs as LGDs? Those long,
>thick coats are an integral part of their protection (armor) from
>predators. I've never heard of a working Pyr being clipped down for
>"comfort". 

Now, having defended those lush coats, I'll tell you about my working dogs.

I have a very different problem - too much rain and mud.  In the winters
here my clay turns into heavy thick mud that dries into pottery ringlets on
Drew's feathers and belly.  I now clip his belly hair down to the skin in
late fall, and if our new, improved volume of rain (we have been way ahead
of the average annual rainfall [60"] for 3 years now) continues, I'll start
cliping his back, too.

I have two working dogs, one keeps herself dry, but Drew likes to lie in
the rain, and rolls in the mud.  He'll get sticks and other garbage in his
neuter-thickened coat on his back.  I've been clipping them out; everything
gets wet and matted and muddy, and then green.  By clipping the area, it
can all dry out again.

Next winter I may actually clip most of the dog, shortest on the back and
belly.  He'll look funny, but should be more comfortable.

It doesn't get very cold here, so that isn't an issue.  As far as predator
protection goes, I'll leave the ruff, but in the 3 years I've had these
dogs they haven't had to fight a predator yet.  Now we don't even hear
coyotes from the house.  The way LGDs work, they spend most of their time
warning predators not to come near, and that warning seems to work very
well.  Since I have pastures and fences, I'm no longer so worried - as I
was when I first got the dogs - that they will actually tangle with a
predator.

Judy Gustafson
judy@halcyon.com
Chehalis, WA