Pugs have a difficult time tolerating the summer heat. While shaving your dog’s fur may seem like giving them a new lease of life, it’s best if you don’t do it. This coating protects your furry friend from different skin problems and acts as a protective layer against UV radiation.
If you’re a pug owner and keep asking yourself, can you shave a pug? Well, we will help you understand if it’s the right choice to make.
Is It Necessary to Shave Your Pug?
It’s highly recommended not to shave your pug and the only time you can do it is if you have a medical emergency or are advised by a veterinarian. Such circumstances are rare.
Your dog’s fur coat has different functions on its body. By shaving it, you’re exposing them to various health complications. Before you think of shaving your dog, you need to understand why they have double-layer coats.
What You Should Know About Your Dog’s Coat
Pugs have a smooth, short single or double-layer coating. The dog’s inner coat of fur closest to the skin acts as an insulating layer, keeping your dog cool when it’s hot and warm when it’s cold.
During the summer, your pug will shed the unnecessary fur coating and what remains helps capture air between the two coast layers ensuring your pug keeps the heat at bay for optimal body temperature.
Your dog’s guard or outer layer features long hair, giving them their color. It’s also responsible for repelling water and protecting your dog against ultraviolet light.
Why You Should Not Shave Your Pug’s Hair
Your pug relies on its hair to perform its bodily functions even if it stays most of the time indoors. Besides protecting them against ultraviolet light, the coating helps to prevent infection and allergies.
If you’re wondering, “Can you shave a pug dog?” Here’s an in-depth look at why shaving your dog isn’t the best idea.
You’ll Damage Your Pug’s Coat When You Shave
If you choose to shave your dog’s hair, it may take time to grow back and likely won’t grow back like it was. Your pug’s undercoat hair is short and dense, while the outer layer is long. If your dog has a single coat, you’ll leave them vulnerable to the hot or cold weather.
For pugs with a double coat, shaving removes their natural insulation, and when the new coat re-grows, it will comprise a thick undercoat and short guard hairs. Likewise, this won’t effectively protect your dog against hot or cold weather.
Shaving Your Dog Will Not Keep Them Cool
Most people who choose to shave their pugs do it with the best intention. This dog breed struggles with heat, especially in the summer months. While this is the case, shaving pugs doesn’t mean that you’ll be keeping them cool.
That said, if you’re struggling to keep your dog comfortable during the hot season, this is the time to learn ways to take care of your pug. Remember that you’re inhibiting its defense against heat when you shave your dog.
Your dog’s fur undergoes different cycles.
For instance, if your pug has double coat fur, it will shed the undercoat during the summer months. This ensures that cool air can circulate your dog’s skin, keeping the body cool. If your dog doesn’t shed for whatever reason, don’t shave it as you’re exposing it to overheating.
You’re Putting Your Dog at Risk of Skin Cancer and Sunburn
The top coating of your pug helps to prevent your dog from harmful ultraviolet light. That said, if you shave it and expose your dog to direct sunlight for a long time without adequate protection, you’re putting them at risk of sunburn.
Like humans, pugs can also develop actinic keratosis (AK), a skin lesion that can cause cancer. This dog breed is susceptible to sunburn, but the fawn pugs are at high risk.
Your Dog Will Have Stunted Re-Growth
After shaving your pug’s hair, there’s no guarantee that it will grow back like before. Your dog will likely have sub-par hair, patchy regrowth, or they could lose their protective undercoat. After shaving your dog, the undercoat will be the first to grow then the guard will grow slowly.
This being the case, your dog’s guard and undercoat coat may grow intertwined, leaving your dog with a coarse texture. Besides the texture, your re-growth won’t be as protective as your dog’s natural fur. This is because it doesn’t allow proper airflow to ensure your dog adequately manages the heat.
You’ll Not Stop Your Pug from Shedding Hair
Some pug owners don’t like it when their dogs shed fur, especially during spring and summer. So, they may decide to shave their fur to stop the shedding. You should know that shaving your dog’s hair doesn’t impact shedding.
The problem with shaving your dog’s fur is that it will grow short, blunt hair that can easily stick to carpet, clothing, and furniture.
Remember that shedding is a natural process in pugs, and instead of shaving them, it is advisable to seek the help of a professional groomer. With regular grooming, you’ll get rid of dead undercoat, leaving your dog shiny and healthy.
Additionally, your dog’s fur protects them against parasites, insects, and bugs, and shaving them leaves them susceptible to infection by parasites or bug bites.
Final Thoughts – Can You Shave A Pug?
Unlike most dog breeds, pugs love to spend most of their time indoors, and there’s no reason why you should shave pugs. If you’re advised by a medical professional to shave your dog’s hair for medical purposes, this is a task you should leave to a professional groomer.
Additionally, ensure that you don’t leave shaved pugs outside in the sun for more than ten minutes and use sunscreen designed for dogs to prevent sunburn and skin lesions.
If you’ve been looking forward to being a dog owner, pugs are among the best breed to own. To ensure that they live a healthy and happy life, you should learn why it’s not advisable to shave their fur, and this guide has explored this area in detail.
Check out more of our articles to learn more ways to keep your pug friend healthy and happy.
About the author
Rachael is the co-founder and editor at Pug Facts. Owner of one elderly Pug, she’s dedicated to helping other Pug owners create healthy, happy, lives with their furry best friends.
