We have to clip Smookey(collie), as after a while his fur goes like a sheep's After he has it done he gets all puppyish (he's 9) and runs around like a mad thing
We do leave his coat longer in the winter though

People have the coat clipped for ease and convenience (plus it's cheaper to pay a groomer for this then to have the dog hand stripped). I find it very strange that in the time of year of worst weather, mud, rain, leaves and seed cases on the ground that peole think this is the ideal time to grow the dogs coat. Is the central heating not hot enough in the house? Can't they afford a dog coat in neccesary for walks? No it's just to keep the dog warm and then leave the coat to get filthy and matted then leave the dog with a groomer to sort out. Is this really in the best interests of the dog? No wonder the dogs leap about like new born lambs, once the manky coat has been clipped off and it often does need to be clipped right down to the skin, bet the dog feels a bit chilly with such a dramatic haircut.

Guess what my job is!!

My BCs get nothing other than a good brush/comb out - and even that attracts comment from the farming folk round here - "How do you keep your dogs so clean?" and "Why bother?"

If I were to clip them, or have them clipped, they'd lose what little "street-cred" they have! I've even been told that "a pet Border Collie is an abomination" :smt075 :smt075

The BC is also "double coated", and they moult like crazy in summer, and I don't see the point of clipping them (it never gets phenomenally hot here, anyway ). I feel also that a flowing coat is part and parcel of the dog as it bounds over the tussocks!

As long as it's clean and unmatted, it's fine.

Snorri

I see absolutely nothing wrong with clipping dogs. We had a Springer for 15 years and when she reached the age of 8 decided that for her to cope with the summer heat it would be better for her to be clipped in the summer. It did eventually ruin her coat, but as she was nothing more than a pet dog it didn't matter! As long as she was happy that's all that mattered! I've got it easy at the moment with a Lab and a non shedding terrier but even they struggle with the heat sometimes!
One thing I'd like to ask with regards to hand stripping. Pickles (the non shedding terrier) is getting on in years (12!) and this year I was thinking of having him hand stripped for the summer to make it easier on him and his dodgy heart! Do you think it would be too much for him being this old, should I get him clipped instead??

A friend of ours, just down the road, has a Komondor (bet you haven't seen too many of those - there are only about 80 in the whole UK!) and she managed to get Storm (female) qualified for Crufts - quite an achievement if you live in Orkney!

Anyway, a Komondor's coat takes YEARS to reach the best condition (like a white-haired Rastafarian ); all it gets is thorough washing, taking hours and a LOT of shampoo. Storm got to Crufts, don't think she was placed though , came back to Orkney (to fanfares in the local paper!) and promptly caught a skin disease. All the coat had to go - almost completely bald - which ended any chance of more Crufts appearances. She has just about recovered now, but she's too old to have a reasonable chance now

She attracts a lot of Komondor-owning pals to Orkney (a tight-knit bunch if ever there was ) and it's fine to go to Kirkwall and see three or more of these amazing dogs out shopping (I believe that the plural of Komondor is "Komondorok" ?) - a hefty proportion of the UK population!

An example of when NOT to cut/clip/shave!

P.S. Will try to get a pic of her for the DW breed list

Snorri

They're dead cute those Komondorok (sp??). If I had one I'd just have to call it Marley!

Oh poor thing Snorri

I have to say I clip my own dog
And we only leave it slightly longer in the winter
And I think the reason for his mad running is that he's had to stand still for a while His coat is definately NOT manky

I wouldn't expect any of the breeds you have listed to need clipping, only a good brush.

And what happens when the coat gets too long to be 'practical' for a pet dog?

I certainly don't want my Yorkie walking through the fields, and swimming in the water with a long coat, touching the ground