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Many of our different breeds of dogs have hair that continues to grow. This is something artificial that we have bred into these breeds for special purposes and are not as healthy for the dog.
Hair length that is longer than short puts the dog at increased risk of heat injury. Just as we would not go for a walk on a summer day in a ski parka, we should not ask the dog to either. In addition, remember, we could still sweat in that parka to help cool ourselves. Dogs do not sweat.
Hair that grows in front of the eyes limits visibility and throws off the dog's depth perception. Also, other dogs that look at this dog with the eyes covered may become aggressive, as the dog is perceived as being abnormal.
Ears that flop over are bred into the dog to drag and kick up scent as the dog is sniffing the ground. But these floppy ears are unhealthy in that they trap moisture and debris. They also inhibit the dog's ability to hear and determine the direction of sounds. We exacerbate these problems when we allow the hair to grow longer which weights down the ear even more.
When we allow hair to grow over the lip line, not only do we make doggie kisses less pleasing, more importantly, we increase the chance of bacterial infection along the gum line which can then travel to the heart and kidneys. Also, most dogs with their lips covered become dog aggressive in that they cannot properly communicate warning signs to other dogs without escalating to growling.
If nature has her way, within just a few generations, all feral dogs would have short to medium length course coats with short hair on the face exposing the ears, eyes, and lips of the mouth. We should do the same for our dogs by clipping long hair appropriately.
Coat length: Cute vs Still Cute but Healthier
| Cockapoo, Onyx 
Shih Tzu, Olivia (another Olivia is on the other page) 
Labradoodle, April 
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Poodle, Coty (aka Coquette) 
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