如何修剪狗的肚子毛 | How To Trim Your Dog’s Belly Hair

Have you ever wondered why certain dog breeds need to have their belly hair shaved while others don’t?

Generally, dog breeds with short muzzle hair do not need their belly hair shaved because they tend to have shorter and less belly hair, so a simple trim would be enough. Examples would include Huskies, Pomeranians, Chow Chows, Beagles, and Jack Russells. If you shave these dogs’ belly hair, their inner thighs will be itchy and irritated because their belly hair are usually rougher in texture.

For dog breeds with long muzzle hair, they need to have their belly hair shaved because they tend to have longer belly hair that’s also soft in texture, such as Schnauzers, Shih Tzus, and Poodles.

This rule of thumb is similar to our previous article where we explain how to trim or shave your dog’s paw hair safely.

Why do I need to trim my dog’s belly hair?

You’d probably notice that dogs sleep with their belly touching the ground. If they have long belly hair, it’s very common for the hairs at the bottom to get tangled easily. Once the hair is tangled, the skin is more prone to problems because that mass of hair will block regular air circulation to the skin. This could lead to bacterial infections, especially in our hot weather and humid climate in Malaysia.

Besides that, long belly hair is more likely to be splashed by urine when they do their peeing business, and this further affects your dog’s hygiene.

How often do I need to trim my dog’s belly hair?

For dog breeds with long belly hair, a regular trim every 2 -3 weeks is recommended. Of course this depends on each dog owner’s personal preference, since some owners request for regular hair-trimming for their dogs with short belly hair too.

What are some safety tips when trimming my dog’s belly hair?

A good clipper is important for the trimming. Remember to occasionally touch the clipper blade during the trimming to make sure it’s not overheating. Also, use coolant spray to cool down and disinfect the blade.

When you shave your dog’s belly, be extra careful of the folding sides of the belly, their private parts, and nipples. Please take note that when female dogs are on heat, pregnant, and nursing puppies, their nipples tend to be more swollen. So you also need to be extra careful when shaving or trimming that area.

Why does my dog lick their belly after shaving?

If your dog has sensitive skin or its belly hair hasn’t been trimmed or shaved for a long time, they may lick their belly after shaving because of irritation. Excessive licking can cause redness, swollen and bacterial infections.

Similar with the article about paw care mentioned earlier, if you notice your dog behaving strangely about their belly after trimming, you can use wet tissues or a wet pet towel to wipe the belly gently, blow it dry with a hair dryer, then apply some grooming power to sooth the irritation. If it’s very bad, you can also put a cone on your dog to prevent any licking and bacterial infections via the saliva for the first 1 – 3 days.

Can my dog’s belly hair be trimmed if it has sensitive skin?

If your dog has sensitive skin, it’s advised to tell the groomer in advance. We will then avoid trimming too much of the hair and keep some remaining length to avoid any sensitive reactions.

Fun facts!

#1 Dog’s nipples may not be perfectly aligned and that’s common and normal, don’t worry!

#2 Some dogs are diagnosed with skin problems when they always have redness and itchiness on their belly area. However, if you notice that the skin issues are only concentrated at the belly and the rest of their body is perfectly fine, then this might be just an allergic reaction to the floor detergent you’re using. There’s less hair at most dogs’ belly and since they sleep with the belly in contact with the floor, it’s common for that area to be irritated by any chemicals or products used on the floor. In this case, all you have to do is rinse and mop the floor with water one more time after using detergent! This is an easy and quick solution ;)

Hope these little tips help, especially for new pawparents!

Stay cheerful, stay beautiful, stay grooming with us!