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Should Sheepadoodles be Shaved? (All You Need to Know)

Thanks to their mixed lineage sheepadoodle obtained a unique double-coat hair. The double-coated hair helps the dog stay cool in summer and warm in winter but if not properly groomed then gets matted pretty easily.

Let’s have a look at the things you should and shouldn’t do while grooming, caring for their coat, and many more.

Should sheepadoodles be shaved?

Shaving a sheepadoodle and completely exposing its skin will bring more harm than good. A shaved and exposed skin of a sheepadoodle has a high risk of getting sunburn and is vulnerable to various skin diseases and bacterial infections. So a moderate trimming could be highly beneficial than shaving.

Can you shave a sheepadoodle?

In the case of extremely matted hair, you will have no better option but to shave the dog. However, when you are dealing with a regular well-groomed sheepadoodle, It’s better not to shave it.

These breeds have a thick coat of hair in their body that needs grooming from time to time. So a moderate trimming can be an option but completely saving a sheepadoodle can cause a lot of trouble.

The thick coat of hair acts as an insulation for the body, it helps the dog stay cool in the summer and stay warm in the winter.

If you completely remove the hair coating and expose the skin then you are making your dog vulnerable to sunburn, rashes, various skin diseases, and many more. Your dog might feel restless and feel too hot in the summer and might get a heat stroke.

So trimming and cutting the sheepadoodle hair is permissible but shaving should be strongly avoided.

How to shave a sheepadoodle?

Shaving a sheepadoodle only should be seen as a last resort to help a dog with extremely matted hair.

Calm the dog:

A dog with extremely matted hair is an indication that it’s not well-groomed and might be ill-treated or left to suffer on the street.

You have to assure the dog that it’s gonna be safe and you possess no threats towards them. Once it’s fully calm and rested You can proceed to do the shaving.

Be gentle with the hair clipper:

a clipper might be a normal hair cutting machine for us, but for a dog, it might be a completely new experience.

The dog might get spooked by its noise and vibration, so be very careful and gentle while operating that machine. It could be a pretty painful experience for the dog to remove those annoying matted hair, so you have to be patient with your dog.

The dog might not stay still or may become restless but the human with clippers and people assisting should try to handle the situation as gently as possible. 

Treat external wounds:

For a dog with matted hair, it’s highly likely to find wounds, rash, and bacterial infection underneath the thick ungroomed hair. 

After shaving the sheepadoodle you would have sufficient access to treat any external wounds or infections. You can also give it a warm disinfection bath. 

Is it bad to shave your sheepadoodle?

Shaving a sheepadoodle can be bad. It depends on the dog’s condition, if your sheepadoodle is well groomed then you can be at ease and forget about shaving. However, if your dog hair is extremely matted then it’s better to shave it.

Matted hair will lead to skin infection and parasite attack, and shaving that hair will help you treat any kind of external wound pretty effortlessly. Now shaving the hair of a well-groomed and healthy sheepadoodle is totally unnecessary and could bring more harm than good.

The hair works as an isolation coat and helps the dog maintain a balanced temperature to defend against both winter and summer.

As sheepadoodle hair gets long pretty quickly and doesn’t shed that much, it’s up to you to brush and trim that hair otherwise they might turn out matted.

How long does it take for a shaved sheepadoodle to grow back?

When dealing with extremely matted hair, you will have no other option but to shave the sheepadoodle so a new set of healthy hair can grow up. The hair growth of your sheepadoodle will depend on its health and related factors.

For a  healthy sheepadoodle, it’s gonna take 45 to 60 days to have noticeable hair growth. In between 90 to 130 days your sheepadoodle will have a healthy, fluffy, and ample amount of hair on its body.

It might take almost 5 to 6 months for a sheepadoodle’s hair to reach its full length. 

How short should I cut my sheepadoodles hair?

A properly groomed sheepadoodle with beautiful hair resembles that of it’s in good health and well-taken care of.  While cutting a sheepadoodle hair you should always aim for cutting it around 1 to 2 inches long.

The short hair will prevent the sheepadoodle from any risk of matted hair. Dirt, parasites, and other annoying stuff won’t get stuck in the hair that often. So you can easily keep those short hair clean with minimal effort. 

How do you cut a Sheepadoodle face?

Comb down the hair gently:

Combing down the facial hair would give you a proper idea about the cutting length and where to cut and where not to.

You can use a wooden comb as it will be gentler for the hair, a plastic comb might pull the facial hair and may annoy the dog. Face hair is pretty sensitive, so try your best to be as gentle as possible.  

Don’t cut it too short:

Now the most important thing about the facial hair of your sheepadoodle, you shouldn’t cut it too short.

Cutting it too short is sure to expose the lips and jaw, it may look very unappealing. Cut it around a moderate length. Instead of a trimmer use a scissor and comb for a precise cut. 

Brush it and collect the hairs:

Now after getting the hair sorted take a brush and collect all the loose hairs. Those loose hair might go around your dog’s eyes and nose which may lead to an uncomfortable feeling for the dog.

Do sheepadoodles need to be groomed?

Regular brushing and proper grooming will keep the sheepadoodle healthy and happy and thus needed. The sheepadoodle doesn’t shed that much and if not properly groomed the sheepadoodle hair tends to get matted in no time.

You can use a pin brush to groom the hair, it will surely remove all the dirt and debris from the hair effectively. 

How often do sheepadoodles need to be groomed?

A sheepadoodle needs to be groomed 4 or 5 times a week. The hair on sheepadoodle has a high tendency of collecting dirt and debris and if not groomed properly may lead to matted hair, skin infection, and many more.

A regularly groomed sheepadoodle will lead a healthy and happy life but if you ignore the grooming completely then it could turn out pretty bad for the dog’s health.

Your dog’s body will become a party house for bacteria and viruses. So regular grooming should be the top of your to-do list if you own a sheepadoodle.

What dog breeds should not be shaved? 

Any dog breed with double-coated fur or hair should not be shaved. The double coat helps the dog keep a balanced temperature around the body. The undercoat will keep the dog cool around the summer heat and save it from sunburn and heatstroke.

If you shave these breeds then you are sure to bring harm to them. Here is a list so that you could be careful and don’t shave them by accident.

  • Sheepadoodle
  • Huskies
  • Shepherds
  • Pomeranians
  • Retrievers
  • Terries
  • sheepdogs
  • Beagles

These dogs have double-coated hair or fur. It’s their biological cooling mechanism. It’s better not to shave them. Shaving their fur or hair can lead to permanent damage and may bring more harm than good.

Do Sheepadoodles get hot in summer?

For humans, we sweat and that’s the biological cooling mechanism for our body to fight against the heat. But a sheepadoodle won’t sweat as we do, it has a different cooling system in its body and the double-coated hair plays an important role in that. 

The topcoat will reflect the sunlight and the undercoat will act as a great insulator and keep it cool during summer. If properly groomed a sheepadoodle won’t feel hot during the summer.

However, many dog owners shave a sheepadoodle by mistake and unaware of the fact that it will be fatal for the dog and may lose its insulation capability for good.

If you have a sheepadoodle, avoid shaving it. You can cut it and keep the topcoat about 1 to 2-inch in length, it will ease up the cleaning effort. 

Hope you got an overall gist and all the necessary information from the article. The sheepadoodle has a unique way to keep the body heat in balance. As a dog owner, you just need to groom it from time to time and it will surely help the dog stay healthy and happy.

Frequently Asked Questions:

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Are Sheepadoodles Aggressive?

Can a Sheepadoodle Live Outside or in Apartments?

Can Sheepadoodles Be Left Alone?

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