To shave or not shave a pug has been a million-dollar question indeed. While many find it the easiest way to give their pets some relief from the hot summers, dog experts and professional groomers advise against it. Some justifications that experts have given against not shaving it include:
- The pugs have a double coat – soft and short undercoat and a long, smooth topcoat or the guard hairs. The undercoat functions as insulation, protecting it from overheating in summer and getting too cold in winters. Their guard hairs on the topcoat shield them from the sun’s ultraviolet rays, alongside insect bites. Thus, shaving the coat makes them easily susceptible to heatburns and allergies, also making them highly uncomfortable on chilly days.
- They mostly remain indoors, and parents are advised against taking them out when the temperatures are soaring. Hence, shaving couldn’t be more than a mere expense.
- Constant shaving could cause damage to the coat. The fur that grows back is thin, patchy, uneven, or of a different color. The new undercoat often loses its softness, while the guard hairs get shorter, eventually losing its insulation capacity of protecting it against heat and cold.
- Many parents often shave their pug to get rid of their own allergies. This is a wrong notion, though. The allergies don’t come from the fur, but from the dander and oil—shaving results in the release of more dander and increased allergies thus. Proper grooming by brushing and combing regularly is one way to keep their coat clean and even reduce the risk of your own allergic reactions.
In conclusion, it is better NOT to shave a pug and avoid doing so unless it is the last resort you have. Sometimes it has to be shaven due to any medical condition, in which there isn’t much to do. You should maintain caution at least during the first few weeks after the shave. Avoid exposing it to too much heat. If it is going to be out in the sun for more than 10 minutes, apply sunscreen on its skin well.
