Question about dog whiskers

Ok, so I am addicted to watching Showdogs moms &dads. It is so incredibly stupid, i can't stop watching. I just want someone to slap these dummies!
Anyway, so there is a husband wife duo, who show Whippets (they seem so weird, always wiping off their dogs butts and expressing anal glands). and another girl who is showing her first dog ever, a weimereiner. So those she wants to get her dog into the hunting showing stuff. But she went to show the dog at some regular dog show, where the couple was. The first thing they (the couple) say is "there is something definitely wrong here," in a sort of mean way. They were talking about the dogs bandana. I am sure the lady would take it off when she went in the ring. So then they start saying how that dog stinks so bad and is need of a bath. The lady doesn't think the dog is so bad smelling. Then they say that the dog looks fat, and the dog looks bad bc it has its whiskers and show dogs shouldn't have whiskers bc it gives them it dirty mouth. The lady was like it is a dog, it has whiskers naturally I am not going to shave them. Then the couple says, oh when you aren't looking we are going to shave them off for you. She is like no, I'll think about shaving them but I want to do research on it before I shave them.
So my questions is, do dogs need their whiskers? Which is preferred in show, or does it depend on the breed? what are whiskers' use? (like cats need them for feeling)

 

No they don't need whiskers their typically just anouther form of hair on a dog. Back in Canada i grew up showing English Cockers and the whiskers always came off and it never effected them in a bad way. Everyone does it for the most part in the showing world.

 

Dogs use their whiskers to explore their environment and to locate things, just like cats. But they don't use them to judge how large a hole is before attempting to go through, like cats do. So I guess it's not as vital for dogs to have whiskers, although it's pretty obvious when you shave them off that the dogs don't find it very comfortable.

Many, many breeds routinely remove whiskers for showing. The closely shaved face of a poodle is sans whiskers, of course, while the fully bearded schnauzer still wears his. In smooth coated dogs, like beagles and Dobermans, removing whiskers is optional. I've never known a judge to alter his or her decision based on whiskers.

Some breeds of dogs, particularly wire coated terriers, are never bathed before a show. It softens the coat. Again, I've never known a judge to withhold ribbons based on if the dog was recently bathed. A dirty coat, while distatefull at times, has no bearing whatsoever on the quality of the structure, soundness and type of the dog being shown. These dogs are breeding stock; the potential future of the breed. They should be judged on the qualities they have to offer future generations, not on if their whiskers are clipped of if they could use a bath.

 

Neither have a Shine good points to be made. We raised and handled our own dogs and obviousely with English Cocker Spaniels theres grooming that has to go into it. Im not in that business anymore but still own my ECS Georgie whom I still groom like I would for a show he actually enjoys it because its all he knows and he actually tends to nod off while on the table being trimmed and primped lol. Its true they don't like having their whiskers removed some dogs get over it and some don't all depends on the dog.

 

Did a bit of research on this....just to find out that not much research has actually been done. Its obvious to me, and Ive never really looked into it before, that there are nerves attached to the 'whiskers' (vibrissae) that in the very least its painful to rip whiskers out, and Ive wondered if when dogs have had them continuously ripped out if over time it 'deadens' the nerves so they no longer react.
Anyway I did find an interesting bit of info. Its from.....

International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems. Vol. 1. Nov-Dec 1980. Pp. 359361. It is reprinted by permission of the Editor. Dr. Michael W. Fox.

and heres a paragraph from it.

"From anatomical data on dogs themselves. and from behavioral and neurophysiological data on other mammalian species which may apply to dogs. one can hypothesize that the vibrissae are sense organs of some importance to the animal. With this possibility in mind. we may question the moral legitimacy of vibrissal amputation. Why is it done? The answer is simply for cosmetic purposes in order to compete. to have one's dog placed above others in terms of conformation. But since the practice is so common, in effect it is peformed to avoid losing an advantage rather than in hopes of gaining one. Many owners and handlers would be happy not to use this particular procedure if others abstained. No one claims that vibrissal amputation helps the dog in any way. It is simply viewed as a harmless technique that is thought to improve the animal's appearance. But the research literature suggests that it may not be harmless: instead it may be damaging. At best it is unnecessary. and at worst it may be a form of sensory deprivation, the effects of which are beyond the current state of our knowledge."

It also goes on to suggest that amputation of the vibrissae at a very young age (studies done on mice and rats) have an effect on the brain resulting in undevelopement and reduced metabolic activity.

Makes me think that its not good to rip the whiskers out, just because we dont actually know what damage it can cause doesnt mean there is no damage done.

(Heres the link for the entire report.....http://www.bernese.org/vibrissa.htm)

 

I havent ever seen anyone rip the whiskers out that would be too painful. We used to just clip them off or shorten them. I havent ever seen anyone ever rip them out.

 

I've never seen anyone rip them out either...except my 4 year old daughter, who thought it would be ok to pluck the dogs eyebrows just like Mommy plucks hers. But that's another story.

However, I've noticed my own dogs using their whiskers to feel things. Things like bristling them forward to locate the level of the water in their bowls. The first time I clipped my bull terrier's whiskers prior to a show, she plunged half her head into the bowl before she figured out where the water was. Once her whiskers grew back, she didn't have that problem.

So, after that, I never again clipped her whiskers prior to showing. I also never had a judge notice, one way or the other, and she still managed to take the points most days.

I also stewarded for a lot of judges over the years. I think a lot of handler/owners would be surprised at how insignificant some matters are to the judge. Like whiskers.

 

sorry...figure of speech :wink:

The actual term used in the paragraph I posted calls it 'amputation' when they are shaved off.

 

I have also asked this question, I like my dog with whiskers and would not shave them off. I don't show and there is no need to.
A friend of mine showed me something I thought was interesting though..if you quickly move your open hand straight at the end of your dogs nose (don't touch), just in front of it..the dogs whiskers come forward, even when the rst of them does not move.

 

Well I have a poodle and take her to get groomed. I have then shave her face and feet since she has such thick fur I like her face to be clean of fur. Is that a bad thing since they shave the whiskers. I feel bad if that hurts her. All poodles I've seen get their faces shaved so is it different for the poodles then for other dogs?