Is a #10 shave for convenience ok?

@dtrpogod A 10 is okay but keep in mind it's VERY short, honestly I've never shaved a dog completely with a 10, it's very unusual where I work. if you have choices I'd shave him with a 7 or even a 5 or 4 if you do it at home and can shave as often as you want to keep him short, should irritate his skin less too and still be short and easy to brush but not too short
 
@jjwin I should have put this in my post. I did try a 4, but it seemed to just move the hair around for the most part. I think it may have been an issue of technique tho, and not brushing at the same time as clipping. I need octopus arms to manage all the things, haha.
 
@dtrpogod It does that with some kind of fur, you have to press a bit more or pull the skin while shaving. Using it on freshly washed and fully dried fur also helps

You could try with a 5 if you have one, it's one of my favorite tbh, an easy but nice short length
 
@dtrpogod I use to groom my past Portuguese Water Dog down with a # 10 and although it’s super short, it he never had any issues with heat or cold.

If you’re worried about the possibility of that, I would suggest that you try out a # 7 on your pup first. It leaves the fur a little bit longer but still very short.
 
@gg22 Thanks. Did you do that year round? I’m not really sure what’s appropriate for winter time here. We usually just get a couple days of snow, not usually far below freezing. The dogs are mostly couch queens, but of course we’re outside for daily walks.

Hopefully this is all a moot point and I can just go back to our regular groomer for proper haircuts come winter.

ETA I did try going at her a few months back with a… 4? I think it was a 4… it seemed to push the hair around more than actually cut, even though it was brand new. The 10 I used on some elbow mats and it definitely cuts through the hair. Maybe I’ll grab a 7 and give that a try. 😅 I’m sure it’s all just my lack of skill
 
@dtrpogod Hello dog owner! A fellow meager owner here too. I have a standard poodle. We use a 7F blade year-round, every 9 weeks or so. I find that it’s helpful to split his grooming up over two days to make it more manageable (which might also be helpful if you’re doing two dogs). I do a bath (I use Buddy Wash shampoo and conditioner and have had good results) and towel dry/let him air dry and brush him out. We got a high velocity blow dryer but he hated it and it was more trouble than it was worth, but if yours are used to it from their groomer it’s totally worth it. Then the next day I will shave him with a 7F blade. I didn’t always bath him the day before and I can really tell the difference in how smoothly the clippers work through clean hair versus dirty fur (even as little as a week or two post-bath). He loves the snow and doesn’t mind the cold, but I do put a coat on him for our walks on those few bitter cold days, like when it’s below 20 (and I think it’s more for my peace of mind than for him).
 
@dtrpogod Absolutely. It's not the least bit cruel, and your dogs will be comfortable. Keep after the muzzle hair; clean face and clean feet are neat and attractive. Avoid the droopy-hair -over- the -eyes look, too, for their ability to see, cleanliness, and health. If you clip in the direction of hair growth, the #10 blade will leave (several) more millimeters of hair, and this makes a big difference in making the dogs look less naked.
 
@dtrpogod I had many clients that would do this. Had a trucker who’s companion was a bichon and he was in amazing condition but would get a 10 a/o every few months
 
@dtrpogod No issues, it’s not any better or worse than any other length (as long as there’s no matting present), it should be fine. I would just make sure if they’re lighter colored (white dogs, especially) you be careful taking them outside for too long during sunny or overcast days as they can get sunburns.
 
@dtrpogod Do it. We love you for this. I wish more owners thought this way. They deserve to feel good as long as possible! And as a groomer, I charge LESS for shavedowns versus an attachment comb, personally lol. :)
 
@dtrpogod I have a poodle, he is on a farm and gets filthy. He also loves to swim. I have him groomed really short every few weeks. I can even rinse him off without needing to blow dry if I need to. I've never had a problem with mats. I brush him every few days and he's always been fine with this.
 
@dtrpogod General rule of thumb is to not expose the skin. The length that will expose skin varies from dog to dog. Some dogs can’t go shorter than a #4 without exposing skin while others are perfectly fine with a #7. It depends on their coat and how thin it is. A #4 could look just as short as a #7 depending on their coat.

It’s a common misconception to shave dogs completely nude to help them stay cool in summer. However the fur acts as an insulator and actually protects them from the heat. Dogs shaved short enough to expose their skin are at higher risk of heat stroke/frostbite and skin problems.

I think starting at a longer length and working your way shorter would be the best course of action. See what’s the shortest length you can achieve without exposing the skin
 
@david_c My motivation for shaving her is to free up time for school work during the week, not necessarily to keep her cool in the summer. My mention of the temperature was to say I don’t think she will be too cold.
 
@dtrpogod No i’m not saying that was your intention but I did see a couple comments here and a lot of people who do shave their dog right down to the skin believe this is okay because of the idea that it “helps keep them cool” which is why I brought it up.
 
@dtrpogod I own three standard poodles, one is currently in prep for a show so had loads of coat. The other two get 10 stripped every few months because I don’t get paid to groom my own damn dogs. 😹
 
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