Purpose of whiskers for dogs: what breeds can have their whiskers trimmed, why do they fall out?

Can dogs have their whiskers trimmed? This question is sometimes asked by pet owners. Some will answer with a clear “no,” but they will not be able to motivate such an answer. Why do dogs need whiskers at all, how are they used and can they be cut, why do dogs lose their whiskers - all this is discussed in detail in the article.

Many questions are asked about dog whiskers.

Where do whiskers grow?

Vibrissae in dogs grow exclusively on the animal's face. Vibrissae are the same whiskers, this is just their scientific name. The singular form will be called vibrissa.

Antennae grow on the cheeks, above the eyebrow, on the chin, near the lips. Some are clearly visible, others are too short and are not visible against the background of the general fur.

Their main difference from wool is the denser structure of the hair.
In addition, the color of the whiskers is much darker, so they can be easily distinguished on light fur. However, if the dog's hair is dark and long, the whiskers may not be noticed and can be cut off. Therefore, experts recommend contacting haircutting professionals. Important! In short-haired dogs, such as Chihuahuas, Jack Russells, and pugs, the whiskers are much more visible. While it is almost impossible to find them in Spitz, York, and Maltese dogs.

Keep your mustache healthy and don’t let it grow

Use shampoo and conditioner

It's only natural to take care of your mustache with the same care you take for the hair on your head. If you want the hair above your lip to be silky and smooth, buy cleansing and moisturizing products. For convenience, you can purchase shampoo and conditioner in one bottle. Spend a couple of extra minutes in the bathroom and you will be pleasantly surprised.

You don't have to wash your mustache as often as your head. In most cases, 3-5 times a week is enough.

Buy an exfoliating facial scrub

It unclogs pores and removes dry dead skin cells. Your face will become healthier - both in appearance and in feel.

This is especially important if the vegetation is dark: due to the difference in colors, flaky skin becomes more noticeable

Get into the habit of using a scrub after every morning shower or just before you go to bed.

Use a little wax for easy styling

Take just a little bit of wax and apply it to your mustache from root to tip to create the desired shape. Such products do not dry out, so your facial hair will look neat all day long.

You don't need to apply a lot of wax to your mustache, otherwise it will become greasy and unkempt.

Why are vibrissae needed?

Why do dogs need whiskers? To answer this question, you need to understand a little about their structure. First of all, vibrissae are very sensitive hairs with a large number of nerve endings. In contact with surrounding objects, the whiskers send a signal to the animal’s brain and provide information that helps to move. In other words, dogs need vibrissae in order to better navigate in space. In addition, the mustache improves tactile perception and helps the dog in finding food or identifying other animals.

It should be understood that there is no need to trim dogs' whiskers, since this leads to a kind of inferiority of the animal. The pet will be less able to navigate the area.

Important! The same applies to cats, but for them the whiskers are an even more important element than for dogs. If cats' whiskers are cut off, they become completely lost in space.

Helps to navigate in space

Anatomy

Apparently, vibrissae play an important role in the lives of our four-legged friends. A dog's whiskers, as you might guess, are very sensitive in themselves. They subtly sense the direction of air currents and their strength (especially when moving or moving). The animal determines the location of objects, avoids obstacles, etc. Perhaps, in conditions of good daylight, these qualities are not so important: the dog will receive the missing information through vision. However, everything changes in the dark. Now let’s imagine a hunting dog, especially a burrowing one, chasing game through narrow underground tunnels! How do you tell a dog working in bushes, tall grass, etc. to navigate? At the same time, no objective evidence has yet been obtained that dog whiskers help maintain balance. Perhaps in the near future science will provide an answer.

Main functions

The main point of why dogs need mustaches was discussed in the previous paragraph. However, vibrissae also perform other functions. In particular these are:

Helps in identifying odors. The structure of these hairs allows the animal to detect odors at a great distance. Therefore, you can often see your pet standing with its muzzle raised and moving its nose.
Object location recognition. Helps you better navigate in space, including in the dark. This skill is especially useful for hunting dogs.
Estimation of wind strength and direction.

Can dogs have their whiskers trimmed?

As can be understood from all of the above, trimming the mustache is not a good idea, since it negatively affects the nerve endings, in addition, it significantly reduces the dog’s sensitivity and ability to interact with the outside world.

The problem is often that some owners deliberately remove whiskers from dogs that participate in exhibitions. At the same time, there is no discussion about the benefits and harm for the animal’s body. Such actions have an extremely negative impact on the pet, especially if they do it regularly.

The dog not only begins to have difficulty navigating, but also becomes nervous and irritable. The animal's hearing and sense of smell are dulled. This is because the brain receives unreliable signals.

There is no need to pay attention to the natural process of hair loss. If a dog's whisker falls out, it's okay; a new one will soon grow in its place.

Important! It is strictly forbidden to touch the whiskers of puppies that are not at least 2 months old. Otherwise, serious harm to the animal's nervous system can be caused.

It is better not to touch the puppy's whiskers.

Ancient magic of women's hair

Thick, long hair has long been one of the symbols of female beauty. In the old days they were treated with special respect. In Slavic culture the expression “braid to the waist” was used. It was proof of the physical health of the future wife and mother.

Women's hair, according to ancient beliefs, is a storehouse of age-old wisdom. It also concentrates the power that protects the hearth and serves as a talisman for her husband. Therefore, in the old days in Rus', in order to demonstrate the defeat of the principality in battle, the victors cut off the braids of the prince’s wife. It was customary among the Slavs to use three strands of hair to braid a braid.

This symbolized three different worlds connecting with each other:

Reality is the world of people and living beings.
Rule - the world of the Gods.
Nav is the world of Spirits and Demons.

The woman styled her hair based on her status. This was given particular importance:

The unmarried girl wore one braid, which she let down her back. This was supposed to fill the young lady with special energy, which prepares her to fulfill her feminine destiny.
A married woman braided two braids for herself: one braid was intended for the Divine energy, and the other for the energy of the husband's Kin. In addition, the hair was necessarily covered with a scarf so that no one except the husband could influence its energies.
During pregnancy, a woman was not allowed to cut her curls. This could deprive the unborn child of energy strength.
It was strictly forbidden to loosen your braid in front of strangers. Loose curls symbolized the Fall - witchcraft or debauchery. A woman unbraided her braids only for her husband or when performing magical rituals, connecting to natural forces and energies.

As you can see, in ancient times people endowed women's curls with special magical properties, considering them the strongest amulet. It is not surprising that there are many different signs and beliefs associated with hair that have come to us from time immemorial.

Use the knowledge of our ancestors for your own benefit:

A haircut when the Moon is waxing accelerates the growth of curls, and when the Moon is waning, it strengthens the roots. You cannot cut your hair on the day of an eclipse (lunar or solar). This threatens big troubles. You should not give your comb to another person - this will damage your biofield

If this happens, wash the comb in salt water. Trim your ends regularly to ensure the free flow of energy. It is advisable to get a haircut on the 6-7 lunar day. The correct length of a woman's hair in energetic terms is the length below the center of the chest. To get rid of heavy thoughts, cut your hair on Monday. When expecting an important event for you, refrain from making any changes in your hairstyle. Don't change your fate

Do this after the event occurs. It is not recommended to cut your hair on Sunday - luck may leave you. You can’t do anything with your hair (cut, dye, curl) during your period - the hair will get tangled and the hairstyle will turn out unsuccessful. Well-groomed, healthy hair brings abundance and good luck to the home. Therefore, it is very important to heal them with the help of herbal decoctions and nourishing masks. Be sure to comb your hair before going to bed, periodically stroking it with your palm. This way you charge your hair with positive energy and get rid of the negativity accumulated throughout the day. According to ancient tradition, by combing his wife's hair, a man receives strong energy from her, as well as powerful protection. In too crowded places (public transport, shops) do not wear your hair down. Gather them into a neat hairstyle. This will protect your vitality. When you can't find an answer to a nagging question, before going to bed, braid your hair and think about what's bothering you. In the morning the right decision will come by itself.

What breeds can have their whiskers trimmed?

It is noteworthy that for some dog breeds this is not only allowed, but even recommended. These include:

poodle;
Pekingese;
Chinese Crested;
Shar Pei;
English Mastiff;
Cocker Spaniel;
retriever

At the same time, the reason why whisker trimming is allowed for these breeds is different. If we talk about Pekingese or poodles, then the fact is that these dogs’ mustaches constantly grow and their length increases all the time. If they are not trimmed, they simply begin to disturb the animal. As a rule, they are aligned to the length of the fur.

If we talk about retrievers, the presence of long mustaches negatively affects their appearance. When a pet participates in exhibitions, this can have a bad effect on the voting results. As already mentioned, haircuts are allowed for retrievers.

Interesting! What’s remarkable is that if you trim a poodle’s mustache, the dog will not experience any discomfort. However, the right approach to cutting is necessary. It is best if this is done by a dog groomer.

Poodles are allowed to have their whiskers trimmed.

How to choose?

The choice of haircut for a miniature schnauzer largely depends on whether the pet plans to participate in exhibitions or whether the dog belongs exclusively to the category of pets. In addition, the type of coat matters. Normally, it is tough and not prone to forming tangles. But in some dogs, the hair is either completely resistant to plucking or changes slightly. In this case, you have to remove the excess volume with a clipper, losing the breed's awns (the growing hairs will be soft).

A short haircut is also a solution for owners of dogs with defective coats. Additionally, if you have allergies or other skin problems, using a machine to treat your body can help make treatment easier. In this case, there is no choice. If the owner of a miniature schnauzer has a choice between trimming and rolling, the need to maintain show condition is of great importance. If you pinch twice a year, this condition will not be achieved; after some time, the dog will still look disheveled.

Consequences of whisker trimming in animals

To understand why you shouldn’t resort to trimming your mustache (except for these cases), you should look at the consequences that occur for the animal:

One or more of the senses disappears. The perception of the world around us completely changes. The pet begins to navigate worse.
The dog begins to receive significantly less information about the world around him. Because of this, behavior also changes. The pet becomes nervous, irritable and even aggressive.
Older dogs suffer the most. For older dogs, the sudden loss of whiskers results in a strong blow to the nervous system. This can also affect the physical condition of the pet. Diseases, of course, do not develop, but the dog may refuse food for some time and be lethargic.

How to cut your hair correctly

It is advisable to accustom your dog to trimming the fur between the paw pads from childhood, starting the procedure in a salon or veterinary clinic. Then the pet will behave calmly and without panic, and over time it will be possible to transfer it to home trimming. At the same time, the owner must know how to properly trim the fur in such sensitive areas. To perform this haircut, use well-sharpened regular hairdressing scissors (preferably with rounded ends) or special thinning scissors and a comb. The paws are first thoroughly washed, wiped dry and the fur combed. After this, they proceed directly to the haircut, during which the so-called “cat’s paw” is formed. The algorithm of actions should be as follows:

trim the hair along the edges of the pad and each finger so as not to completely expose the claws;
lift the fur with one hand in the milled spaces on the upper surface of the paw and cut it off with scissors;
on the front paws, comb the hair from the heel to the fifth toe against the growth of hairs and also trim the inside against the hair;
on the hind legs, along the outer edge, the hair is cut in the same way from the heel to the corner.

Cut the fur as short as possible, using scissors between the pads, fingers and around the claws. Then the hair is trimmed along the edge of the foot just above floor level. It is most convenient to cut between the paw pads of dogs, placing the pet on its back. But each animal has its own attitude to such a procedure, so it is better to choose the position individually.

Important! A haircut should be done in a calm environment, without resorting to violence, shouting, or intimidation. The owner's behavior should be such as not to lose the dog's trust and not to frighten him with this procedure

Upon completion, you need to praise your pet and treat him with his favorite treat.

Subsequent haircuts are carried out as the coat grows, usually 2 times a month. If performed correctly, this hygiene procedure will quickly become a simple and fun activity.

How to properly trim a dog's nails at home
How to clean a dog's ears?
Dog trimming: which dogs are trimmed

What to do if your dog's whiskers fall out

As already mentioned, if a dog's whiskers fall out, in most cases this is normal. If this happens once a season, this is a natural process; if more often, then it’s worth looking for the reasons. Hair loss can be caused by:

Dry air in the apartment. Most often this can be encountered in winter, when the heating is on.
The room is too hot and stuffy.
The pet takes baths with shampoo too often. An incorrectly chosen product can also have a negative impact.
Hormonal levels have changed. Most common in pregnant women.

Important! If loss occurs too often, you should take a closer look at the dog. When the hairs become brittle and dry, this indicates that the dog does not have enough fluid.

The reasons seem frivolous, but sometimes frequent loss of vibrissae indicates the presence of pathological diseases (this happens quite rarely). To protect the animal, it is recommended to contact a veterinarian if this symptom is detected.

As you can understand, whiskers are very important for dogs. Therefore, there is no need to cut them. An exception is made only for certain breeds that do not suffer from whisker loss. In other cases, you should not torture or injure the animal.

Excessive tear production

Dogs with shortened facial bones, such as Pekingese and bulldogs, are especially affected by this problem. Tears flowing down the fur not only create favorable conditions for the growth of bacteria, but also give the face a sloppy and unattractive appearance. The streaks under the eyes gradually acquire a yellow tint, and the fur clumps together.

The solution to the problem is the right choice of care product. It should not only be effective, but also safe so as not to harm the eyes. You should not wash your eyes with tea leaves, a strong solution of potassium permanganate and other products not intended for this purpose. Special lotions will do a much better job of cleaning and will not cause irritation. If lotion is not on hand, you can use sterile wipes or cotton pads moistened with boiled water. If the lacrimation is too strong, then the reason is most likely not in the breed, but in the disease. The owner and his pet should visit a doctor. To prevent eye diseases, you can use special drops, for example “Diamond Eyes”.

Necessary tools

Table. The most important thing is to have somewhere to put the dog, secure the leash and collar. The table should preferably be a groomer's table.
Scissors. Regular hair salons will do.
Comb. It will be most convenient to have a flat one.
A hair clipper is very necessary in this difficult task.
Trimmer.
Spray bottle or spray bottle with water.

Grooming Yorkies at home is not an easy task. It’s better if you visit a pet salon a couple of times and watch a master class from groomers.

First-hand: Archpriest Alexander Verbilo answers

When it comes to questions about what can be done on Sundays and holidays in general, clergy are of the opinion that there are no categorical prohibitions. The Church and the Bible do not prescribe clear rules, because the meaning of any holiday, including Palm Sunday, is a joyful, open heart, and not the performance of a ritual in which a person does not believe.

Therefore, it is logical to ask why you can’t get a haircut or generally take care of your body on such days. Here is the answer of Archpriest Alexander Verbilo to a similar question. He can completely dispel your doubts.

Thus, there are no strict prohibitions on this holiday. Of course, it’s better not to pay too much attention to your appearance on Palm Sunday, because you see, that’s not the essence of the holiday.

Palm Sunday, like all church holidays, appeals to the moral side of a person’s life, to his thoughts, soul, perhaps, experiences and joys. And there will always be time for everyday pleasures.

How does a machine for animals differ from devices for humans?

These devices are different, and a clipper for people is not at all suitable for cutting animals. You can try it, and you will even be able to cut the dog’s hair. But the service life of the model will be close to the minimum mark, and after just a few uses you will need to contact a service center to repair the equipment.

In addition, the amount of work should be taken into account. After all, an animal has much more hair than hair on a human head. Some pets have very long hair, which is unlikely to be cut with a human clipper. As a result, the blade will become dull, the pet will be in pain and the grooming process will turn into real torture for both him and the owner.

Warning

Trimming or removing whiskers is permissible only as prescribed by a veterinarian, but even in this case, the risks must be sensibly assessed. It just so happens that many dogs have their whiskers shortened during grooming, but this is not normal. Most groomers do not see anything wrong with affecting the whiskers, especially if we are talking about a non-working dog. However, orientation in space is important not only in work, but also in everyday life, isn’t it?

How would you react if someone told you that looking with both eyes is ugly? Or would it be prohibited to smell food before consuming it? You think you won't lose anything, but you try and everything will fall into place. Food without flavor seems bland; an incomplete review will drive you to neurosis in 2-3 days. Now imagine how a dog feels when it is almost deprived of tactile sensations.

The first and most harmful consequence is nervousness, a constant feeling of fear and self-doubt. The pet is nervous and stressed for any reason, and stress is the cause of all diseases.

Important! Never cut, pluck or manipulate your dog's whiskers unless these actions are justified! Be sure to consult a doctor, or better yet, several specialists, if the muzzle area is affected by fungi (or other parasites), then try to preserve the whiskers by all available methods