I have a 3 year old Golden. The first ever for me. I've had him since Thanksgiving 09. We've gone thrrough some things together. My question today is; can a Golden have a summer hair cut. It is getting hot in south Texas. My Golden, keeps getting hot spots and I thought if I give him a cooler summer cut that that could possibly help. Any suggestions?

There are a few recent threads on this...look for a title that included the words "shaved golden".

It can help some dogs, esp older dogs, dogs with super crazy thick coats, and/or dogs with health issues that impact how well they regulate heat and/or coat type.

Many dogs it does not make a difference and can even be not-helpful.

For the hot spots....a short clip could help, air could get to the area better.

I would recommend getting your dog professionally bathed and dried, with you there to watch and see how it's done so you can in the future at home (...or if you just try yourself...wash 2-3 times, scrub REALLY well, rinsing completely between each wash.... and then dry every last hair).

A fake-skirt clip might be a way to go, the hair on the belly is taken off....but only in the center, making her look 'normal' from the side.

Goldens should not be shaved. The double coat insulates them, protecting them from heat and cold, and shaving them exposes them to sunburn and greatly increases their risk of melanoma.

Dogs do not sweat through their skin. They release heat from panting, and through the pads of their feet. Shaving them will not keep them cooler.

Actually I've always understood that hot spots are not heat related but rather are a result of insect bites, allergies, stress related self mutilation like licking or scratching, or an infected wound. I'm not sure why it's called a hot spot, but my impression is that it's not really heat related.
I would suggest that you take her in to see if there isn't anything systemic...

I could be way off base here.....

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You are not at all. They are called "hot spots" because of how inflamed, red, and "hot looking" they are, and because they appear so quickly, and sting/itch.

I wouldn't shave a golden but we use to clip our two a little shorter in the summer, made them easier to dry after swimming and easier to get the burrs out after running in the bush. Mine usually got hot spots from areas that were hard to dry like the neck under the ears (female had a thick curly coat in that area) and clipping her a little shorter in that area really helped avoid or lessen the hot spots.

Hutch, thank you for the input. I have not shaved Tate but he does seems to have a hard time with the heat. After we go to the park for a walk.... now, in the heat of the South Texas Summer, I don't even leave the house till 7:30 or 8 pm, even a quick rump in the doggie park only last a few mins. He hasn't had any more hot spot so I am thinking it was stress related, he had a tough nutering about that time. I didn't know about the total drying effects, I was use to a towel drying with my short haired dogs, Boxers and Bullmastiffs. And I just thought since Golden are bird dogs and, what i thought anyway, good swimmers. Tate does not not seems to favior the water. The park is on a river and there's a spot to walk the dogs down to the water. Buster, my Boxer (past) would get a drink or swim a little but Tate doesn't even like to get his feet wet. All dogs are different and Tate is a really good boy. So Thank you again. All information is good information. Sue and Tate Monster

Long and heavy coated dogs, including goldens of course, coats accually help keep them cooler. Of course they will still be hot but their coat protects them from the sun beating straight down on their back instead of just on their coat.

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hello friends!

I didn't want to drown the forum with another thread and this one seems most appropriate from a short search I did.

ok...question. why do we keep the coat on the breast, back of legs, belly, and tail longer? some of the show dogs have really long hair in these places and I see some that have been groomed a little shorter.

is it ok to groom these parts a tad shorten than usually? It seems like it would be easier to keep clean.

Sorry I have messed this post up - please ignore.