Pomeranian

Question
I have a Pomeranian who is 26 months old. She's had her hair shaved about 2-3 times, in the summer. I just now found out that shaving a Pomeranian is bad, I did not know this and my groomer never told me! I was wondering why my Pomeranian's hair was laying flat and not puffy. I read online they have an undercoat and a top coat, and I think her undercoat is gone because under her top coat I can see her skin. I will never shave her again! Will her undercoat ever grow back? Is there anything I can do to promote growth?  

Answer
Oh no! I'm sorry to hear about your dilemma. I will say, Pomeranian's are frequently shaved and the reason for not shaving them is not health related, but it will change the texture of the coat. Most people only worry about this if they are showing their pup, but there may be issues with regrowth regardless. If you give it enough time, however, it will grow back full again, though never quite the same texture than if it had never been shaved. Expect to wait a full year before the coat's back to the normal length and density.

Supplementing her diet with Omega 3 and fatty acids (fish oil vitamins are available in capsules and can be broken open and mixed with her food) will help with a full, shiny coat. Also, frequent brushing will help remove dead hair and stimulate new growth.

The top coat grows quicker than the undercoat, so you will see the skinny layer for a while before you see the dense coat grow in underneath, but if you find that it hasn't started to come in for a while, mention it to your vet to make sure there is no thyroid or diabetic issues, which will also affect growth.

Be patient, it will take time! Good luck and don't beat yourself up about it. Double coated dogs are not very comfortable in hot environments and shaving isn't the worst thing you can do for their comfort. While the undercoat helps keep them cool, it won't be as effective until the undercoat growth is back to normal.