Grooming

[TERRY COMSTOCK]

We live in Wisconsin, and it's really cold this year. Will it be too cold for our dog Terry to be groomed? He really doesn't like to have long hair, and loves to be groomed, but we're afraid he'll freeze when we take him out to do his business. How short is too short in the winter?

[Lupinegirl]

By grooming, do you mean cutting his hair or stripping it with a brush?

If he has a thick undercoat, the length shouldn't affect his insulation much, but if I'm visualizing this correctly, I'd say leaving his hair an inch to two inches long might be good? I don't know.

Two to three inches seems to be the norm for cairn owners, but I'm not one to speak as I have a long-haired cairn. Nikki's fur is seven inches long and he has a very thin undercoat (or maybe he has a thin top coat? I'm not sure. I'm still learning about grooming and cairns in general.) My boy doesn't mind walking in the snow and twenty degree weather without a sweater on and his belly is almost naked, but I don't let him stay outside any longer than what's comfortable for me.

[Hillscreek]

Angus is about ready to strip but I am leaving that till spring. He has a soft thick undercoat and coarse outer coat which protect him from the weather. Extra cold in northern PA this year like in many places!

I brush and comb him. Some dead hair from undercoat and top coat comes out in the process.