Dogs are lovable and amazing creatures that brighten your day just by wagging their tails when they see you, or yapping and jumping about for joy when you come home from work as if they haven’t seen you in days when it was actually just five hours ago. However, dogs can be a bit high maintenance, depending on what hair breed it is. Hair breed meaning long-haired dogs, short haired dogs, and hairless dogs. You may be wondering: is there any difference between long haired dogs and short haired dogs?
Choosing to have a long haired or a short haired dog mainly depends on your dog experience. Some people just love looking at the long, luxurious, sleek coat of an Afghan hound, and they don’t mind taking care of it; while others prefer the short, smooth coat of a spotted dalmatian. For people living in Singapore, which one would be better: is it a long haired or a short haired dog, and would caring for them be any different?
Shedding Hair
The first thing you should know is that all dogs shed (except the hairless breed, of course). Dogs’ fur sheds and grows with the weather, so as to better protect them and their skins. When it is cold, does grow heavier protective fur to protect against the cold weather, keeping them insulated and warm. When the weather becomes hot, they get the protective fur and grow a shorter, lighter coat that will keep them cool and less irritated in the warm climate.
There are two types of dogs based on the way they shed fur: there are dogs the shed all year round, and there are dogs that shed seasonally. Dogs that shed throughout the year don’t just dump clumps of fur all day every day, but they shed by dropping small hairs that you hardly notice. The dogs that shed seasonally shed in the cold weather and in the hot weather. This does not mean that they wait till it is hot or cold before they shed off all their fur. Dogs that shed seasonally are typically dogs the have a double coat: an inner coat and an outer coat. Depending on the weather, they shed a lot of furs, but they obviously don’t shed all of it.
The only dogs that do not shed are the hairless dogs. These dogs are usually of the terrier breed, and since they have no fur, they can’t shed. Otherwise, even the seasonal shedding dogs shed all year, only that it is more noticeable when the seasons change.
The dogs considered to be all year-round shedders are usually the short haired dogs. Long haired dogs tend to shed more seasonally. This does not mean that long haired dogs shed more than short haired dogs: though it may seem like it, this is not so.
Shedding cannot be stopped or reduced, as it is a natural process, just as humans sweat or shed dead skin cells. Shedding can be controlled, though, by regularly brushing their fur or removing dead hairs before they can all off. This will reduce the amount of hair that they shed over your furniture, carpets, and clothes.
Matted Hair
Long haired and short haired dogs both can have matted hair if their fur isn’t brushed, clipped, and groomed properly. However, long haired dogs are more prone to matting and tangled hair than short haired dogs, and they require more grooming than short-haired dogs. Though it may not look like it, short haired dogs can also have matted hair if their hair isn’t brushed frequently.
Weather in Singapore
The weather in Singapore is mostly humid and hot. Dogs do not favour heat and humidity, especially humidity, as this can easily give them skin disease caused by fungi. Short-haired dogs would be easier to take care of in this kind of climate because it would be easier to protect their skin and treat them whenever they get sick. Long-haired dogs are much more high maintenance than their short-haired counterparts, and their hair may make them more susceptible to the negative effects of the heat and humidity in Singapore. However, with proper professional dog groomer, it is still possible to keep a long-haired dog in Singapore.
High Maintenance Grooming
Whether grooming is done by professional dog groomer or personally by you, the dog owner, long-haired dogs require more high maintenance grooming than short-haired dogs. Both breeds are prone to tangling and matted fur, but it is worse in long-haired dogs because their fur is long. Both breeds need to have their underarm hair, hair on their paws and hair between their toes trimmed regularly to avoid any complications with their health or gait. Untrimmed toe or pan hair can make it highly possible for them to pick up burrs, shavings and other tiny objects that can affect their health. Long-haired dogs need to have their facial hair trimmed regularly to prevent it from falling into their eyes.
It is recommended that you bathe your dogs once every three months to remove irritants from their skin, using warm water and a gentle dog shampoo, and a dog conditioner to help with the tangles in their fur. It is important to thoroughly rinse their fur after washing and to completely dry them off using a towel or a blow dryer on low heat. Do not use human shampoos or conditioners on your dogs, as these will just increase skin irritations for them.
It is important to take your dogs to professional groomers at least four times in a year. In Singapore, dog grooming can be on the expensive side, and the longer the hair, the more attention that is required. But professional grooming is important, to make sure that they get everything you missed during your daily and weekly grooming of your dogs.
So, long-haired versus short-haired: is there a difference? Yes, there is. Long-haired dogs require more maintenance than short-haired dogs, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t keep them and care for them in Singapore. You will love those dogs and enjoy their company, regardless of the length of their hair. If, however, all that maintenance looks like too much work, the hairless dogs are a cute alternative to go for. For more information on grooming your pet please check HOME.