My dog has long hair. Is it okay not to cut it in summer heat?

No, it is not necessary to shave her. The coats are specially designed to keep them cool in the summer and warm in the winter and it offers protection in both instances. You can refer to this article for more information. https://www.vettedpetcare.com/vetted-blog/should-i-shave-my-cat-for-summer/

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Bobby. His hair can be trimmed, but should be left about 1-2" in length. This should be enough to help keep him cool, but still offer some protection from the sun. I hope this information helps!

A dog's coats is designed to capture air and use it as an insulator. In the winter, this keeps the cold out and holds the heat in. During the summer, this system holds the heat at bay and helps your dog regulate his body temperature. Without this insulating layer of hair, he is susceptible to heat stroke. So, shaving is not a good idea.

You could take him to a groomer and have just his underwool removed, that will thin out the fur and make him cooler. The only other way to keep him cool is to keep him inside with air condition. However wool insulates, so it should also insulate against heat a little bit. I suggest you play it by ear.

If he develops mats in his fur because he won't tolerate brushing I think it would be better to give him a shorter haircut and use a sweater to keep him warm. The skin beneath matted fur can become infected. If he does not have any mats it's fine to keep his coat a little longer.

Actually, double coated breeds have natural mechanisms for keeping warm and cool. I would not recommend clipping him as this interferes with their natural temperature management. His best bet would be to be provided a cool area to rest and lots of access to water. If it's too hot, make accomodations for him where you can control the temperature or bring him into the garage.

For days where it is very hot, you do want to avoid taking your dog for a walk at the hottest parts of the day (mid-day) especially on paved areas as your dog's feet can get burned. They do sell dog booties that you can put on your dog's feet to help protect them. There are many different companies that make these, one example is https://www.amazon.com/HiPaw-Breathable-Dual-Boots-Protector/dp/B01HS2M7FI/ref=sr_1_7?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1496836452&sr=1-7&keywords=dog+boots. If she has no skin/coat issues, just a gentle oatmeal shampoo is fine for bathing when needed. Most dogs do not need frequent bathing unless they are getting very dirty and bathing too often can dry their skin out. I wouldn't bathe more than every other week unless needed. You can follow this with a creme rinse. I like https://www.amazon.com/Virbac-Epi-Soothe-Shampoo-8-oz/dp/B002CZHYPA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496836697&sr=8-1&keywords=virbac+episoothe+shampoo and https://www.amazon.com/Epi-Soothe-Cream-Rinse-Conditioner-Relief/dp/B0056EAJZQ/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496836716&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=virbac+episoothe+creme+rinse. Toys could include filling a kong with wet food and freezing it before giving to your dog, or offering ice cubes or chicken broth/beef broth frozen into cubes, as well as frozen baby carrots. For parasite prevention, if flies are a concern then I would consider products such as K9 Advantix II, Vectra 3D if these products are available where you live. If they are not, I would ask your vet what products are available where you live for these issues.