Long Hair Cramps My Style
Sometimes breeds with long hair may not fit in with your lifestyle. If you hunt with your English Setter, you may not want all the excess furnishings on the body and legs because they will gather leaves and debris, but you may want that flag on the tail so you can see your dog point. If you can't keep up with brushing and maintaining a long coat, a shorter style may work better for you. If the long, shedding hair is driving you crazy, you can always cut the hair. This won't make the dog stop shedding, but the hairs he does shed will be less noticeable.
There's Nothing Wrong with Short Hair
Most groomers have some clients that have longhaired breeds, yet want them shaved short because they don't like the long, shedding hairs in their house. Some just prefer the look of a short coat. There are those who have longhaired Dachshunds but like the look and the break in vacuuming, so they have their dog shaved short to resemble the smooth coat.
There are some dogs who won't tolerate brushing, no matter what. In the best interest of both the dog and owner, a short haircut may be best. Long hair is pretty, but so is a nice, smooth short cut. For comfort's sake, it's easier to remove it than keep it up.
Messy, Messy!
Dogs with beards tend to get rather messy when eating and drinking. If combing out a dirty beard annoys you, a short face works well to combat a messy beard.
Long ears are notorious for dragging through the food and water dishes and they end up matted and filthy. Unless you are willing to put a snood on your long-eared dog — a fabric tube that fits over your dog's head and holds her ears close to her neck — to protect the ear hair when she eats or drinks, it may be easier to go with a short-eared style.
There are dog dishes meant for long-eared dogs such as Poodles, Cocker Spaniels, and Bassett Hounds. These dishes are stainless steel and shaped with a smaller opening at the top so the ears tend to lie on the outside of the bowl; they have a wide base for stability. This is a very effective way to keep your long-eared dog's ears clean and dry.
Long hair on the feet tracks in dirt and leaves. Long hair under the tail tends to accumulate feces, and it can go unnoticed until you — or the dog — lifts up her tail. Feces left under the dog's tail can cause sores and reddened, irritated skin. Keeping the area short can help prevent this.
Long hair on the head tends to get into the dogs eyes, causing tearing and eye irritation and impeding the dog's vision.
Long hair is high maintenance. Unless you are willing to devote the time to caring for it properly, a shorter style may work better for you. Matted hair hurts, and untangling long tresses is a chore. Not to mention that if you take your dog to a professional groomer and the dog is matted, your groomer may either demat the dog and charge accordingly or your pet may have to be shaved short whether you like it or not.
