Clipping

I have a small non moulting dog. Half Bichon Frise so gets a thick curly coat. I have him clipped every six weeks in the summer. He is only two, so this is his second winter. I have had him clipped but not quite so short. It has been suggested by friends that I should not have him clipped at all in the winter. If it is raining or really cold he does have a coat. What is the general consensus on clipping during the winter months.

I had a Shih Tzu, he was clipped during the winter just the same. With that type of dog its the coat length that is the problem and why they are clipped, but to keep them warm its a combination of undercoat and top coat. eg a Border Collie can stay warm in sub zero temps but has a fairly short outer coat. So I suggest keeping him clipped and if he hasn't got a proper undercoat then put a coat on him when he goes out. If he has an undercoat then he will be fine.

Nanny71 said:

I have a small non moulting dog. Half Bichon Frise so gets a thick curly coat. I have him clipped every six weeks in the summer. He is only two, so this is his second winter. I have had him clipped but not quite so short. It has been suggested by friends that I should not have him clipped at all in the winter. If it is raining or really cold he does have a coat. What is the general consensus on clipping during the winter months.

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Hi,Nanny. I too have a Bichon/Maltese bitch (Luna....short for Lunatic) we live in southern Spain in a very warm area. Having said that and contrary to general opinion, it does get very cold here in winter. We can get such variations, 3 or 4 degrees in the morning at this time of year and up to 25 in the afternoon. So, it's difficult to know what to do. First of all, I never clip the coat. I have seen dogs with most of the coat clipped because people think it's too hot. You can see the skin! The sun will burn just like it burns us!
I keep the coat shorter in the hot summer by scissoring her myself (it takes practice but it grows quick if you mess it up) in winter, she has a longer coat. We get some rain but not enough to worry about. Of course, if you are in a wet, muddy area it's easier to buy a good waterproof coat for your dog. Hope this helps but at the end of the day it all depends on your climate but please don't clip too short in the hot summer. X