When the weather heats up, longhaired dogs get hot. Sometimes it's best to give a shorter style in the warmer months to help keep him comfortable. One way to keep a dog cooler without sacrificing the look of a breed trim is by shelling out the dog by shaving the belly and chest up to the armpits; you can leave long hair on the sides of the dog to hide it. Nobody will know unless your dog rolls over on his back. This makes it easier for your dog to get cool by lying on a cool floor.

If your dog is active outdoors and tends to get into dirt, mud, weeds or brambles, trim that hair short so she won't have to endure dematting — or possibly sitting on a cocklebur you overlooked because it was hidden underneath her long hair — Ouch!