# Does Anyone shave the belly?



## gale leslie (Aug 12, 2011)

I am almost 3 months into grooming my 1 year old Havi Rescue. The groomer finally has the eyes the way I like them and we are working on the whiskers and beard. I have noticed his belly hair is getting longer and wondering if most owners keep it long or shaved. Would appreciate some input on it. Thanks.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

I shave Jack's belly maybe 2-3 times a year and let it get a little shaggy between trims. Jack is so good, I use a little shaver and he rolls on his back. Most of the time, I just shave around the privates to keep the urine off. Rectal area, just trim hair a little shorter so poo does not get caught dropping. If knots occur, it is shave time again. If I have to do any butt baths, the back areas get trimmed more.

Dexter on the other hand...I am lucky to get him 2x year and when I do, I had better do it all at one time! The belly hair grows slow....Dexter is so fussy!


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## Lizzie'sMom (Oct 13, 2010)

Welcome!! We need pictures of your little guy! Lizzie is about 19 months and she had her belly shaved for her spay. The hair is finally growing out and yesterday when I bathed her she had a bunch of tiny mats. She will not easily let me comb it out. I was wondering the same thing about shaving. I hesitate to shave because many times when I shave myself I get very itchy when the hair grows back. I would hate for her to be itchy all the time because I shaved her.


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## Rita Nelson (Jul 13, 2009)

We keep Tucker's belly area clipped very short. It stays cleaner that way. Tucker's skin is sensitive and shaving causes a rash.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Kodi's belly gets clipped very short (not shaved to the skin, for the same reason Rita doesn't shave Tucker's belly, but still short enough that we can see pink skin) in late spring. Then we keep it short through the warm weather and let it grow again over the winter. Kodi is, otherwise, in full coat, and this was a way to give him some room to cool off, especially when running agility in the summer. You can tell he really appreciates it, because when he starts to get hot, he will go and stretch his whole belly out on the grass in the shade, or on his cooling mat in his crate.

We clip a strip as far forward as we can go without it showing when he is sitting or standing, and the same thing on the sides... as far to the sides as we can go without cutting into his "skirt".


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## Momo means Peach (Jun 7, 2011)

Momo has shaved hair on her belly and short of her lying on her back, you really can't tell.


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

I don't shave Rosie's belly hair, but do clip with scissors sometimes. Now as she has aged, it doesn't mat anymore. but, it will pick up grass, etc. I mostly just snip around her private parts and since she raises one little foot to tinkle, it gets on her leg there, so I trim that also so that it is easier to wash. Nothing that can be seen unless you pick her up and look.


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

Yes, both of them get their bellies shaved. Not totally to the skin but close.


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

I always think about doing this, but I haven't yet. Gucci tends to mat pretty bad on her belly chest area, not sure why, super fine hair in that area. I trim around her private and trim sporadically, but I wonder if shave down would be better than dealing with the matting.


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## Carefulove (Mar 20, 2009)

No. I only trim around his privates (and about 4 inches forward from there). Bumi doesn't lift his leg, therefore he wets the hair in the area when he pees or is raining.


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## gale leslie (Aug 12, 2011)

Thanks for all the replys - that definitely helps


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## narci (Sep 6, 2011)

Good question, I was going to ask the same thing. Oreo is a squatter when it comes to peeing. I'm going to have to cut short some hair on his belly.


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## Ricolove (Aug 28, 2011)

Rico squatted initially, but he did eventually start lifting his leg when peeing, it probably wasn't until he was about a year though


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Well, Oreo is so young they almost all squat at that age. (or at least don't lift their leg)

Kodi has never squatted OR lifted his leg. He stands like a little horse, with his hind legs slightly out behind him. The only way you know for sure that he's peeing is that he turns his head to see what he's doing back there.ound:

Kodi is 2 1/2 and still doesn't lift his leg, but I've always been very careful not to let him inspect vertical surfaces and get the idea. He uses a litter box in the house, and the idea of lifting his leg... well, let's just say that I don't think the results would be pretty. :biggrin1:


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## DonnaC (Jul 31, 2011)

Baxter used to squat, but, I have noticed in the past few weeks that he pees much like this. I remembered you had said this before when I was watching him the other day and realized that he was peeing, and I couldn't tell until he looked over to get my approval.


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## misstray (Feb 6, 2011)

krandall said:


> Kodi has never squatted OR lifted his leg. He stands like a little horse, with his hind legs slightly out behind him. The only way you know for sure that he's peeing is that he turns his head to see what he's doing back there.ound:


That's how Brody does it too. I hope it keeps it that way.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

DonnaC said:


> Baxter used to squat, but, I have noticed in the past few weeks that he pees much like this. I remembered you had said this before when I was watching him the other day and realized that he was peeing, and I couldn't tell until he looked over to get my approval.


It was kind of tough when he was a little puppy, because you just couldn't TELL if he was peeing... he'd just walk off and there would be a puddle!<g>


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## StarrLhasa (Jun 6, 2010)

Shaving to the skin can cause a rash, so I trim with scissors because they both get matted hair on the bellies and under their arms.

Someone in the past advised to leave a "wick" at the end of a male's penis to help direct the pee, and that seems to help in Buster's case. 

Until the past few months, he always would lean forward to pee, and it was really difficult to tell when he was starting to go. Now, more often than not, he lifts a rear leg. It was really funny, though, to watch him the first time he peed against a big tree in the neighborhood. He stood on his rear legs and faced the tree with his front paws on the tree trunk and peed against the tree. I wish I had a photo of that.


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

All ours get their undersides clipped short, even the ones showing. Judges don't look under there anyway. Our dogs showing don't live in crates like a lot of them do, but all have free access to running in the yard. Long hair under there is more trouble than it's worth, especially when they go out running around in the morning when there is still a heavy dew on the grass.


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## Trixie (Oct 9, 2010)

yes, I shave Trixie's belly. Mind you, she's short haired so it is not a lot of shaving on her belly. lol. It keeps her cleaner, and as a bonus, I can easily see if she's got a flea on her belly and can immediately remove it. I shave her rectal & urinary area completely. It keeps her super clean. She doesn't mind shaving at all. I think she actually loves all the primping and grooming, as she totally lies down, is fully relaxed, and generally, falls asleep. I think she finds it really relaxing, (lol, for whatever reason.) I use a special mens beard trimmer to tidy up her bottom areas. It's a small tool and thus is easy to use in tiny areas.


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## WanderingRay (Jun 24, 2011)

Rudy gets a "long" shave on his belly and under his arms every 6 weeks. This has really cut down on matting. You can only tell if you flip him over on his back.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

I scissor trim Tillies belly hair!


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

Well I got my DH a trimmer at the Wal-Mart the other day. He just uses it for sideburns., etc. So it has all these attachments and I decided that Rosie could have one of the blades and I could trim her foot pads. Shame I didn't quit there. I shaved between her legs and down the upper thigh and under her tail. Poor thing, she got a bath afterwards and the rest of the day, she was licking and jumping like something was biting her. I couldn't find anything. Then yesterday she was still doing that and I looked again and she has razor burn all over the tender places. Poor thing. Don't guess I will be doing that again.


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

That little razor probably got too hot being used for so long. Sometimes they need to cool down periodically. My sweet Ginger, a poodle who died about six years ago, got a really bad razor burn at the groomer's once. This was done at a vet's office and I called them and he had me bring her in and he gave me some pain medication for her. She could hardly walk and was holding her tail down - I could have cried - in fact I think I did!!!


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