Many owners might be tempted to shave or clip their Pomeranian for various reasons.
In fact, we receive almost daily emails about whether it’s safe for the clippers to come out.
This article will simplify everything and explain the reasonings behind what you probably already know is the answer…
Can Pomeranians Be Shaved?
No, please do not shave your Pomeranian.
It can’t be said any clearer: It’s never advised to shave your Pomeranian.
Shaving the coat has a multitude of drawbacks and can cause serious health issues or coat problems.
We’ll explain these just below.
The only time it would be okay to shave a Pomeranian is if they need to undergo a medical procedure. Even then, it would only be a local patch-shave for the area of concern. Never a full body shave.
And if this is the case, your veterinarian would be the one to recommend it and carry it out. Not a groomer.
So, despite how cute owners might consider a shaved Pomeranian, it is never a good idea.
Why Some Owners Shave Their Pomeranian
As so many owners ask about shaving Pomeranians, there must be some good reasons for doing it, right?
Even though none of these are actually true, we will list the usual reasons behind why owners think to shave their Pomie.
Misconceptions about shaving Pomeranians:
- It helps keep them cool
- It makes them more comfortable
- It makes their coat easier to maintain
- It reduces shedding
- It’s more hygienic
- It’s a regular thing that should just happen
After speaking to countless Pomeranian owners (including my own friends) these are the reasons why they think to shave their furry friend.
The truth is, none of those reasons are true. I’ll explain each below.
It makes sense to think that this could benefit the dog, but that’s because we are going by what we think is better. Not what actually is better according to science and the biology of the dog.
Why You Should Never Shave a Pomeranian
Let’s explain each reason why you shouldn’t be shaving your Pomeranian.
1. Shaving makes it hard to regulate body temperature
Shaving does not help a Pomeranian keep cool. It makes it harder to keep cool.
Pomeranians have a double coat. This double coat is specifically designed to help them regulate body temperature in both cold and hot conditions.
Double coats are often misunderstood and many think: well, the double coat must keep them too hot?
Although this makes sense, it’s not what happens.
The double coat, comprised of an undercoat and a topcoat work together to keep your dog both warm and cold when they need to be.
In fact, double coated breeds like the Pomeranian are BETTER at keeping cool in hot weather than single coated breeds! Surprising, but true.
Shaving the coat completely ruins a Pomeranian’s ability to control their own body temperature in either hot or cold conditions. It’s a serious issue and perhaps one of the biggest misconceptions around shaving dogs.
2. Greater exposure to UV
A shaved coat is vulernable to UV rays.
And as it happens, most owners shave their Pomeranian’s coat in the summer, when this is most important.
It’s true that your Pomeranian is at greater risk of skin damage from the sun if their coat is shaved back.
In some extreme situations our resident veterinarian has referenced cases of sunburn on a Pomeranian’s skin due to them having their coat shaved back so much.
3. Greater exposure to bugs, insects and dirt
Something the topcoat does well, is protect against bugs, particularly flying & biting insects like mosquitos, but also general dirt and bacteria.
The topcoat is also referred to as the guard hairs. And that’s what they do, they guard.
This is also the layer than is affected the most with shaving. In fact, it gets completely wiped out.
This leaves a Pomeranian with essentially zero guard hairs, meaning insects and dirt they come into contact with will have easy access to the skin.
This will see an increase in mosquito bites (and therefore scratching) as well things like skin allergies and ticks.
This also coincides with shaving the coat in summer when these kinds of insects are most prolific.
4. Shaving doesn’t stop shedding
Contrary to what most believe, shaving does not help with shedding.
It actually makes no difference in the amount of fur your Pomeranian’s body tries to shed.
The undercoat is the coat the sheds, and this coat will still be left somewhat intact after a shave. So it will literally keep on shedding.
The amount of fur a Pomeranian will drop will still be the same, shave or unshaved.
The only difference will be that the fur shedded, will just be shorter.
5. The coat might not regrow properly
A big problem arises when a shaved coat tries to regrow.
This is because the undercoat often tries to outgrow the topcoat.
Now, this isn’t a problem when the coat is left to grow naturally from birth. But when we intervene and shave BOTH coat layers down to an unnatural level, the undercoat grows quicker.
Due to the undercoat trying to grow through the topcoat, it oftentimes matts and tangles significantly. It can even change the texture of the overall coat.
A tough matted coat will result in shedding issues and body temperature regulation issues.
Although most of this can be avoided with constant brushing and detangling, this is not ideal and can be uncomfortable for your Pomeranian.
In some rare cases, a Pomeranians coat might not even regrow at all. This is another potential outcome after shaving.
6. Pomeranians have fur, not hair
Nature knows best… Some dogs have hair, and some have fur.
The main difference? Hair keeps on growing while fur stops at a certain length.
Pomeranians have fur, not hair.
This means that the Pomeranian’s coat knows what it’s doing.
It has it’s own length that it should be, and when it reaches it, it will stop growing.
Many owners think shaving a Pomeranian is actually a standard grooming procedure. But it really isn’t.
Whatever length your Pomeranian’s coat grows to, that’s the right length for them.
Shaving Vs Light Clipping
There is a big difference between shaving the coat with a shaving tool vs using scissors to manually spot clip excessive fur.
Let’s explain this, and highlight why clipping is OKAY and perhaps even beneficial for some Pomeranians.
While shaving is a big no-no. Clipping isn’t so bad.
This is because we can carefully pick and choose only specific parts of the coat to cut back, and when we do, we do not cut it back very far.
The goal of clipping is to only shorten the topcoat in troublesome areas.
These areas include:
- Around the ears
- Around the tail and bum area
- Around the underbelly
If your Pomeranian has a excessively long fur around these areas it doesn’t hurt to use a pair of scissors to lightly trim it back 1-3 Inches, or wherever is appropriate.
Doing this around the ears can help prevent ear infections, and doing this around the tail/bum area can help prevent poop from clinging to surrounding hairs.
These are examples of when it’s okay to cut your Pomeranians hair, using scissors.
Light trims should not disrupt the two coat layers, and you can carefully pick and choose exactly where you cut.
Will all Pomeranians need regular clipping? Nope. Some will be just fine without trimming at all.
Important note: Be very clear with professional groomers what you want. If you opt to take your Pom to a groomer then ensure they only use scissors.
Photo Examples
Better Ways To Keep Your Pomeranian Comfortable & Cool
We all just want the best for our Pomeranians, that’s what is at the heart of wanting to shave them.
However, let’s run through better ways to keep your furry friend cool and comfortable without getting out the shaver.
Regular brushing with the right brushes
Keep your Pomeranian comfortable with their coat regardless of it’s length by keeping consistent with brushing.
Brush their coat daily for 5 minutes or so. This is far better than brushing once a week for an hour plus.
Little and often is the key to managing shedding, and to keep your Pomeranian’s coat healthy.
Use an undercoat rake for fur removal, and a slicker brush for the topcoat. Use the rake first, then the slicker brush to finish off.
Keep your Pomeranian out of the midday heat
Prioritize keeping your Pomeranian inside in a cool shaded room from the hours of 12-4pm.
This alone will greatly improve your Pomeranians day during the hot summer.
After all, it’s mostly during these hours alone that Pomeranians start to get uncomfortable.
This also means timing your walks accordingly to when the sun isn’t so high, and the temperatures are lower.
Bathing at the right frequency
To help keep your Pom’s coat clean and healthy, bathe her at the correct frequency.
Once a month is the simple rule to remember. This is more than enough to keep them clean, without stripping their coat from oils or drying out their skin.
Correct bathing will help owners keep on top of shedding, reduce smell, and keep their coat more maintainable. Even if it’s long!
Keep Omega 3’s high
Your Pomeranian will benefit from a healthy dosage of Omega 3 in their diet.
While some premium foods will have this, others won’t. So if the kibble you provide doesn’t seem to mention Omega 3 anywhere, then it could be appropriate to supplement this in.
Omega 3 will help keep the skin and coat super healthy. It’ll be stronger, better moisturized and therefore reduce shedding.
Get a cooling bed for summer
If there’s one thing Pomeranians love, it’s having their own little space to lay or perch.
A cooling bed is ideal for Poms and will keep them cool during hot days.
The slightly elevated bed with perforated, trampoline-like material will allow your Pomeranian to lay and even sleep while expelling body heat from their underbelly.
Cool air whisps underneath and really does a good job of keeping dogs cool.
This is something I use with my dogs, and have been recommended for many years.
Ending Thoughts
Pomeranians should never be shaved unless your veterinarian recommends to do so for a medical reason.
Other than that, shaving will only result in negative outcomes, not positive ones.
Many of the reasons why owners still shave their Poms today aren’t actually legitimate. And in many cases are misconceptions.
Keep your Pomeranian happy, by keeping their coat intact. Have a great day!