Exactly Hevver - we try to let Duncan be a proper tear away terrier and a long coat gets in his way. SO we make him more comfortable by clipping him. I don't see why this should be a problem to anyone else though as it's not like we are madly clipping everyones dogs just our own

You'd think wouldn't you
But we live on farmland, and none of my dogs have been bought to show. One of my collies does only need a brush, but poor smooks has not been blessed as Cain has...so he has to be clipped..I trust you've never had to brush a sheep

I have an 11 yr old cocker who i clip right down summer months not as short winter. As she is older i don't want her coat and feet wet all the time. She loves it and rolls and jumps around like puppy after she's been clipped. Cockers must be trimmed regularly anyway, why does it matter how much? How would you feel if someone said you should not cut your hair its your preference, and it doesn't hurt!

One of our dogs is a WHWT cross DDT, and we clip her, she looks a lot neater, and seems to be a lot happier, WHWT and DDT's both have very corse hair which sheds very little, and if the hair is left to grow extremely long then they get more dry skin then usual.
Also something that often seems to be forgotten is the following, dogs rambling through hedges, and along the river bank, in the stables chasing stable rats, digging holes, rumaging in the undergrowth and longgrass, all every day things for both of my dogs (the other is a broken haired JRT), and if we left Florries hair grow long, she would be at high risk of injury, by getting it caught on brambles, or on a thin branch, or on pond weed and reeds, it could be disasterous!
Therefore we clip for he rown good, and safety.
If we do breed her to the WHWT the pups will be even harier then my WHWT cross DDT!
best wishes