Tibetan Mastiffs are large-sized Tibetan Dog breed. They have double-coated fur. This fur is from medium to long, depending on the climate and environment of the species.
They are double-coated, and both of them have different jobs to do. We will discuss if you can shave their fur, if their fur grows back after shaving, if the hair grows back, shave shock in dogs, ways to groom them, and their costs!
Do Tibetan Mastiff have hair or fur? What kind of fur or hair do they have?
Tibetan Mastiffs have fur. Their far is so long and smooth and straight that it makes them look like human hair, but they are fur. Like every other breed of dog, they have fur. But due to the climate conditions and genes, they have gotten this long, thick fur.
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Tibetan Mastiffs are one of the oldest dog breeds in the world. When Europeans first came to Tibet for trade, they named them Tibetan mastiffs. They go about 5,000 years back. The Tibetan mastiffs have two coats. The topcoat is thick, coarse, and straight fur, almost like hair.
The inner coat is soft and heavy, which gets more stagnant during the winter season and thins out as the days go warmer to summertime. The undercoats are soft and wooly, while the outer coat is thicker and course-textured.
Can you shave a Tibetan Mastiff?
It is better not to shave a Tibetan Mastiff. The double-coated hair might be tough to brush through, but shaving will grow the undercoat faster than the guard hair, making them picky and harsh. They will be more prone to sunburn and will create allergic reactions also will damage the coat further.
There are mostly two kinds of Tibetan Mastiffs. They are the Do-khyi and the Tsang-khyi. The word Tsang-khyi means “dog from Tsang,” which means they are the “monastery” type. They are taller and heavier, more structured boned, and also have more wrinkles around their faces.
But both of them have long fur of two coats. The outer layer has thick, coarse-textured fur, which is really long. They are also known as the guard hair. They protect them from the harsh outside environment and keep their bodies safe in the wild.
The inner layer is more soft and woolly, and they get thicker during the winter seasons according to the body temperature to keep them warm and gradually thin out as the weather transitions to summer from winter.
And if this inner layer is shaved off, they grow faster than the outer layer, which ends up damaging their coat, making them harsher.
Why shouldn’t you shave a Tibetan Mastiff?
Tibetan Mastiffs have two layers of coat which are a very essential for them and their survival in the wild. They are a five-thousand-year-old breed of dog that has a lot of history and value to them and their double-layered coat of fur.
We will be mentioning why it is damaging and harmful to shave off the fur of a Tibetan Mastiff below:
Inner layer:
Tibetan has two coats of fur on them. If you shave off the fur, the inner layer that is supposed to be soft and wooly will grow back faster and turn out to be harsher, pick up seeds and twigs, and become more sticky.
Outer layer:
The outer layer is supposed to be the guard layer protecting the inside fur that keeps them warm when needed and thin in the summer to balance the temperature. But if shaved off, the guard layer won’t be able to grow back faster to protect them from the outside.
Skin Problems:
If they are shaved off, they are more prone to getting allergies and won’t help with previous allergies. They will also be more prone to skin burns and other skin issues.
Shedding:
Shaving off still won’t help with shedding. They will still shed when they are supposed to. It is better to leave them with their natural process of shaving.
Damages the coat:
The shaving off their coat really damages their coat further. The newly grown coat will not be as good as the previous one, and before it does, they will be more prone to diseases.
Brushing and Bathing:
Just give them a bath once a week and brush their fur regularly to help them not get tangled, they won’t like it much, but it is the only viable option.
Will Tibetan Mastiff dog’s hair grow back after shaving?
Yes, the hair of Tibetan Mastiffs will grow back. But the fur won’t grow back as nicely as the previous layers of fur. So it is better not to shave the coat at all and just regularly brush them and bathe them.
You can wash them from every week to every six to every eight weeks. Brush them also to get the lesser shedding later on.
When you shave off the fur of Tibetan Mastiffs, the inner layer of the coating grows back faster than the outer layer, making them harsher when shaved off.
What is shave shock in dogs?
Shave shock is basically a sense of trauma for the dogs. Shaving can cause permanent damage to the coating fur, which makes it imbalanced and unable to provide enough insulation and protection to the dogs. This creates a sense of shock for the dogs.
Besides, the new coat may end up growing back with uneven patches all around, have a ragged or unwanted texture, or may end up never growing back at all, which is called the shave shock.
Do Tibetan Mastiffs need haircuts?
They don’t really need haircuts. They will be fine with some brushing and bathing once in a couple of weeks. They have a really thick coat of two-layered fur.
The inner layer is soft and gives them comfort balancing with the temperature, and the upper layer protects them from natural predators.
Twigs, seeds, and others. Cutting their hair down for 1 or 2 inches is acceptable according to how long they grow if they get really unmanageable and all tangly. But otherwise, it is a great alternative to completely shaving them.
How short can you cut a double-coated dog? How long does it take to grow back?
You can cut about 1 or 2 inches of the Tibetan Mastiff’s hair to manage bug bites, get sticks, and pick up twigs and seeds. If they get really tangled to brush them and if it starts to be a nuisance to them as well.
It is okay to cut some inches off but not much because they take a couple of weeks to grow back. We highly recommend not shaving them or cutting them exceptionally small to wait for them to grow back as it can be really hazardous.
Do Tibetan Mastiffs shed a lot?
Tibetan Mastiffs shed a little, but they shed once a year seasonally. When they do, they need to be brushed more frequently, so the shredded fur doesn’t get stuck with their body and create discomfort for them.
They should be brushed weekly when it is the shedding season. They shed predominantly during the time of summer and fall.
How to groom a Tibetan Mastiff?
Tibetan Mastiffs deserve to be groomed correctly with such delicate fur. Their oil glands stimulate and keep their fur shiny. Thus they need regular grooming to keep their skin away from irritations.
We will be mentioning some steps to groom your Tibetan Mastiff nicely to give them the homely love below:
Fleas and Ticks:
Fleas and ticks can be a common problem under such a thick coat of fur. Every time it also does not become possible to get down and repel them. So they should be regularly checked and brushed with the special combs to see if they are somehow infected.
Regular Routine:
A clumped coat is not suitable for your pet. It won’t provide the Tibetan Mastiffs’ warmth and keep them cool when it is warm outside. So they should be regularly brushed and bathed with shampoos.
Tibetan Mastiff Grooming Tools:
The Matbreaker, Oster Pet Grooming Rake-Coarse 18 Teeth, Tibetan Mastiff Trimming Nails, Tibetan Dog Brushes, Knots, and Tangles Brushes are some of the tools available to groom them.
How much does it cost to groom a Tibetan Mastiff?
Tibetan Mastiffs cost about $70 per professional visit. They are a pretty high-maintenance dog with many grooming tools. Their life expectancy averages 10 to 12 years, which leads to medical expenses of about $3,000.
Final Thoughts
Tibetan Mastiffs are a 5,000 years old dog breed that is a great companion to humans now. This double-coated dog breed comes in various colors and names, such as the Do-khyi and the Tsang-khyi. But they need to be groomed nicely with all the tools and avoid shaving them for their better life.