Lhasa Apso hair length question...

[Melissa G]

This summer we acquired a rescue dog. He was shaved because he was found wandering in a field and his hair was all matted. He barely tolerates being brushed and he is terrified of the clippers. I have finally got him to be willing to get brushed, (using treats) but even scissors or the furminator are very difficult to get anywhere near him. It's Burr season in Texas and he has a nice assortment which we would like to get rid of. Any hints welcome.

The groomers we took him too said we needed to take him to a vet and get him sedated before we got him clipped. Another friend of mine said her long haired dog (a spaniel, I think) uses the hair to keep cool. Her groomer leaves it long in the summer. Any advice on hair length for Lhasas?

[GentryDixon]

1. I have my Pekingese shaved about every 6 weeks.

In the Utah winter he wears a sweater on our walks, in the summer I try to walk him in shaded areas. I leave only the ears, crown, and tail. He looks kind of goofy, but he loves it.

I once had a groomer tell me never to shave a Peke because of the way their hair grows back (or doesn't). But, this little guy is now living part time in North Carolina. The fleas and other critters are horrid as we have a place in the "country". I had no choice but to start shaving him.

[Melissa G]

2. Thanks! A groomer finally called me back.

He says there is no problem trimming the hair of a mostly indoor dog, which ours is. (Puppy's idea more than ours. He likes to stay with the people, unless one of our daughters leaves the gate open and then he likes to run free for a couple of hours before scratching at the door to be let back in.) The groomer said to just use a sweater on cold mornings. This groomer also says he has only had to sedate one Lhasa in all his days of grooming, so I think we may have found our hair trimmer!

Our place is semi rural so I think we are going for a shorter cut, as well. Six weeks sounds like a good target. Thanks for the scoop!

[GentryDixon]

3. My Sammy. Taken today.

[Melissa G]

7. Too Cute!! n/t

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

4. If he doesn't tolerate clippers, you or the groomer could try

scissoring him. My Louie (failed foster dog) is probably Lhasa/Peke mix with long hair. I scissored him a bit yesterday.

[Melissa G]

9. Yeah, any trimming tool freaks him out but the groomer can probably get away with scissors since

he knows what he is doing!

[oregonjen]

5. I have read somewhere that their fur does indeed keep them cool in summer

Our Cavalier's fur is black, so it really soaks up the heat. We have him groomed periodically to keep from having the entire backyard brought into our house!

[Neecy]

6. I have one like this

One of my rescues has to be sedated before grooming - fortunately, my vet's office has a groomer on-site a couple of days a week so it's a fairly easy process.

I had a Lhasa Apso - my sweet boy Max, who passed away last year - and I never had him clipped down in the summer. I'd have the groomer take off a little extra hair, but not down to the skin. Then again, we never had to deal with Texas summers.

[Melissa G]

8. I'm gonna go for a shorter style for the summer.

I think we are going to do 1 inch all over with a beard face unless the groomer has a better suggestion.
Texas is hot and we have road work going on so it is also dusty and muddy!