Do you shave your goldendoodle?

[Noodle]

Our doodle is really hot blooded. The winter is here and we constantly have our heat on so in the middle of the night he pants uncontrollably and drinks a TON of water and tries to find the coldest place in the house to lay down on, usually by a drafty door in the back. So today we cut his hair really short, about an inch left and he is so MAD! He won't even look at us and he's completely hiding out now. I feel like he's not gonna get over it for a long time but hoping for the best. Also, does anyone know if this makes them feel naked or ashamed in a way? 

Oh goodness...

[Bonnie and Kona]

I keep Kona's hair cut pretty short. He doesn't seem to mind at all. Did you laugh at him after the haircut? They can be very sensitive to our opinions. ;o)

[Noodle]

oh goodness no! He's so adorable! He looks like a puppy again :)

[Ginny Nightingale]

I recently spoke to someone who said their dog hates having his haircut and sulks afterward--I found it hard to believe, but maybe it is true! I would think that maybe your pup just needs to adjust and get more comfortable with the new hairdo--my dogs usually run around and act happy when their hair is cut short--so I don't have any advice on this but the less you say about it, the better--he can pick up your body language and tone and somehow it might be making him act like he has done something wrong--for example, if you say "poor Noodle got all his hair shaved off", he does not know the meaning of the words, but the tone may imply that there is something to be upset about.

[Noodle]

that is fantastic advice! thank you! I normally don't pay attention to my tone and I will from now on.

[Ginny Nightingale]

You are very welcome--I hope it helps--before I had doodles I had a terrier that was a bit neurotic--my hubby always said UH-OH in his deepest voice at the slightest thing--one of the kids dropping a napkin or something equally unimportant. Poor Louie (the dog) would run to his crate and hide--it made him crazy to hear his "daddy" say Uh-OH and added to his anxiety.

As I was typing this, my hubby just came into the room and one of my doodles had just finished pulling the stuffing out of a new toy---sure enough, hubby said UH-OH!! LOL!! Luckily, the doodles just ignore him--they are not neurotic!! But I did ask him not to do that with our doodles to avoid that anxiety---he forgets though!

[Noodle]

LOL that is just hilarious! It's funny how dogs keep us in check so often

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I want to believe that a dog has no modesty, fashion sense, or even gives a hoot what the hair LOOKS LIKE.  I do think, the skin sensation feels intense afterwards.  Just like when we humans have gotten our hair cut pretty short, then go out into the wind or cold, take a shower and run our hands through our hair--it FEELS so different.   That's a lot of sensation for your dog to adsorb. It feels really strange.

In a few days, you may find your dog wanting and liking human touch.  Gently rub and pet him. My dog loves this after taking his hair down short--and I do take his hair down several times a year.

[Marianne *OZZY & ZOEY]

I have a black doodle and I have to shave him in the summer.  He gets so hot that he doesn't like being outside.  I let him get a little longer for the winter but, for sure Ozzy does not like being hot.  It never seems to bother him when he gets a hair cut. I guess all are different just like people.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

I do think dogs can be annoyed by something we do and show it. But they get over it,  The panting and heavy drinking worry me a little.  If your dog continues to pant heavily without exercise and drink large amounts of water, this would be unusual.  (Well unusual if you keep your house in the high 60s or low 70s.) I would think a trip to the vet is in order if the panting and drinking continue - he'll get over the haircut before too long.  Treats for tricks is often a way back to their good graces. 

[Noodle]

Thanks for the advice. As you can tell in the picture, he was a little hairy beast :) so I knew he was panting because he was hot but we were not ready to give him his first puppy haircut especially in the heart of a Portland winter. He did stop panting and drinking heavily the night we gave him the haircut, he's fine now..he even crawls into bed w/ us and gets under the blanket when it's especially cold out. I really appreciate this group and how it efficiently calmed down my new puppy paranoia! =)