May is the last call. In four weeks, Dubai's pavements will be registering above 60°C and your groomer's diary will be full. The pet owners who get this right in May spend their summer stress-free. The ones who get it wrong — or skip it entirely — spend it dealing with matting, skin infections, overheating, and a dog that refuses to go outside.

Here are the five mistakes that UAE vets and groomers see every single year, and exactly what to do instead.

Mistake 1: Shaving Your Double-Coated Dog

This is the single most common grooming error in the UAE, and it is completely understandable. Dubai is 45°C in July. Your Husky, Golden Retriever, or German Shepherd looks uncomfortably hot. You ask the groomer to shave them down. It feels logical.

It is the wrong call.

Double-coated breeds have two distinct layers: a dense undercoat and a longer topcoat. Together, these layers act as insulation in both directions — keeping cold out in winter and, critically, keeping heat away from your dog's skin in summer. The undercoat traps cool air near the body. The topcoat blocks direct solar radiation.

When you shave a double-coated dog:

The insulation system collapses
The dog is directly exposed to solar heat on the skin
Sunburn risk increases sharply
Coat regrowth is often irregular and permanently damaged — a condition groomers call "post-clip alopecia"

What to do instead: Book a deshedding session. A professional groomer uses a high-velocity blower and deshedding tools to strip out the dead undercoat — up to 70-80% of the bulk in one session — while preserving the topcoat. The result is dramatically better airflow without destroying the insulation structure.

Breeds that should never be shaved include: Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds, Huskies, Malamutes, Samoyeds, Bernese Mountain Dogs, and Border Collies. If your groomer is recommending a shave on any of these, find a different groomer.

⚕️ Medical disclaimer: Always consult a licensed UAE veterinarian before making grooming decisions for a pet with a skin condition, recent surgery, or underlying health issue.

Mistake 2: Skipping the Paw Pad Check

The paws take the most punishment in a UAE summer. Pavement in direct sunlight reaches 62-65°C by late morning — hot enough to cause burns in under 30 seconds on sensitive skin.

Most owners focus on walk timing (which matters too — see our heat safety guide). What they miss is the paw pad condition check that should happen before summer starts.

Healthy paw pads are firm, slightly rough, and crack-free. Damaged pads going into summer will crack further, bleed, and become entry points for infection. May is the time to:

Inspect each pad for existing cracks or rough patches
Apply a vet-approved paw balm weekly leading into summer
Ask your groomer to trim the fur between the pads (this fur traps heat and debris)
Consider paw boots for midday emergencies, sized properly so they don't cut circulation

Mistake 3: Using Human Shampoo (or the Wrong Dog Shampoo)

This spikes in summer because pets need more frequent bathing — the heat, the humidity from air conditioning cycling, and increased outdoor sweating from any activity all accelerate skin oil buildup.

Human shampoos are formulated for a skin pH of around 5.5. Dog skin sits between 6.2 and 7.4. Using human shampoo, even gentle baby shampoo, strips the protective acid mantle and leaves the skin vulnerable to bacterial and fungal infections — which thrive in Dubai's heat.

What to use: pH-balanced dog shampoo (usually labelled 6.5–7.5 pH), bathing no more than 2-3 times per month unless your vet advises otherwise. For cats, bathing is rarely needed — brushing handles most coat hygiene, and over-bathing stresses them significantly.

If your pet develops flaky skin, hot spots, or persistent scratching after bathing, consult a UAE vet before continuing.

Mistake 4: Ignoring Ear and Dental Hygiene Before Summer

Summer is peak season for ear infections in dogs — particularly floppy-eared breeds like Spaniels, Basset Hounds, and Doodles. The combination of heat, humidity from air conditioning, and water from swimming or bathing creates the perfect environment for yeast and bacteria in the ear canal.

A pre-summer ear check should be on every owner's list:

Ears should smell neutral and have minimal dark discharge
Redness, odour, or head-shaking = vet visit before summer, not after
Ask your groomer to trim the hair around (not inside) the ear opening to improve airflow

On the dental side: bad breath, yellow tartar buildup, and reluctance to chew are all signs that need addressing with a vet, not just a grooming session. Dental disease affects over 80% of dogs over three years old, and heat stress can accelerate gum inflammation.

Mistake 5: Leaving It Until June (When Every Groomer Is Full)

This is not a grooming technique mistake — it is a logistics mistake that makes every other mistake worse.

Dubai's premium grooming salons — Bath & Bubbles, The Barking Lot, Miss Meow, Nin9tails — fill their May and early June slots weeks in advance. Owners who wait until the first genuinely hot week discover their preferred groomer is fully booked, and they end up rushing to a cheaper, less experienced option.

Book your last-chance pre-summer grooming session now. A proper pre-summer appointment covers:

Full deshedding and coat trim (not shave)
Paw pad inspection and trim
Ear clean and inspection
Nail trim (overgrown nails affect gait and joint health on hot pavement)
Anal gland check if your groomer offers it

The May Grooming Checklist

Here is what a well-prepared UAE pet owner ticks off before June:

Deshedding session booked (double-coat breeds: mandatory)
Paw pads inspected and balm applied
Ears checked — no odour or redness
pH-balanced shampoo in the house
Nail trim done
Vet appointment booked if any skin or coat concern spotted

Track It All in One Place

The best way to stay on top of this is to log your grooming appointments and vet checks somewhere you can actually refer back to. Pawssible's health timeline keeps every appointment, observation, and reminder in one place — so next May you know exactly what was done, what worked, and what needs changing.

Join the Pawssible waitlist — launching June 2026 for UAE pet owners.

Always consult a licensed UAE veterinarian for skin conditions, infections, or any health concern identified during grooming. This article is informational and does not constitute veterinary advice.

Pet Grooming in Dubai Before Summer: 5 Mistakes UAE Owners Make Every Year