Australian Shepherd Grooming: Care and Grooming Tips

Australian Shepherds have a long coat that requires extensive grooming. However, it’s not as high-maintenance as that of other longhaired breeds. In fact, Aussies are easy to take care of if you groom them correctly.

In this article, we’ll provide some essential tips on grooming your Australian Shepherd properly. The primary grooming problem associated with this breed is shedding, so much of our focus will be on that area.

Top 3 Tips on How to Groom an Australian Shepherd

1. Daily Brushing

When you adopt an Australian Shepherd, you can do nothing to avoid daily brushing. If you aren’t brushing your dog regularly, dirt, debris, oils, and loose fur can all build up and cause problems.

Aussies are heavy shedders but don’t shed heavily year-round. Instead, they have “shedding seasons.” They may shed moderately during much of the year but then shed heavily for a few months when the seasons change.

During these heavier shedding periods, brushing them becomes more important. Daily brushing sessions remove much of the dead coat before it ends up all over your house. Plus, brushing also stimulates the new coat growth, helping their coat stay healthy and protecting the dog from the elements.

We recommend brushing your canine with a quality slicker brush. You’ll also need a long-tooth undercoat rake to help you remove mats and debris that get lodged. Plus, the comb is useful when parting hair to check for debris, wounds, and other issues. Using the slicker brush, you should brush in the direction of the coat.

Brushing in the opposite direction is painful for the dog and should be avoided. Next, you can use the comb to ensure that the dog’s coat is brushed all the way to the skin. If necessary, use the comb to get hard-to-reach spots as well.

If you need to reach deeper into the coat, use the undercoat rake. Be careful not to scrape your dog’s skin with the undercoat rake. Of course, you should also use this time to check for parasites and skin irritation. Along with brushing, the occasional bath to remove dirt and debris is also recommended.

2. No Shaving

When properly cared for, an Australian Shepherd’s coat protects them from the cold and hot. It holds a layer of heated air near their skin. As necessary, their undercoat will hold their body heat closer or let it escape, depending on the weather outside.

Therefore, an Australian Shepherd’s coat isn’t similar to a jacket in the traditional sense. It doesn’t just keep them warm—it keeps them cool as well. At the same time, shaving a double-coated breed does not reduce shedding. Instead, they will only shed smaller hairs.

Furthermore, shaving may permanently disrupt the coat. It may not grow back normally, leaving the dog more vulnerable to the elements. Continued shaving is highly likely to ruin the coat eventually.

3. Trimming

There is little need to trim your Australian Shepherd, except along their feet and occasionally their face. You can do this with a simple pair of shears. However, many owners prefer to have their dogs professionally groomed. Often, professionals know how to give the dog a more natural look.

The most crucial part to have trimmed is your dog’s feet. Feet trimming should be a regular part of your dog’s routine. You should trim the hair around your dog’s feet and paw pads. Clippers are often utilized for this step, as they are smaller and much easier to use in the grooves of the feet. The fur on your dog’s paws is not actually necessary. Instead, it gets dirty very easily. In some cases, it can trap debris and dirt. In the wintertime, tiny bits of snow can get trapped in the dog’s paw pads, leading to sores and pain.

Your dog’s ears will often need to be trimmed as well. Leaving the fur in the ears long makes dirt, debris, and moisture more likely to become trapped. Some dog owners also prefer to trim their dog’s tails and legs. However, this is unnecessary.

When to Use a Professional

For the most part, you can get away with daily brushing, which is easy for most dog owners to perform. However, it is also essential that you devote extra monthly grooming time to your dog. Their fur must be trimmed around their paws and ears, and their nails will need to be clipped.

Many owners perform these tasks themselves. Trimming an Australian Shepherd is pretty easy to learn, after all. However, some use a professional once monthly for this purpose. If you don’t feel comfortable trimming your dog or don’t have the time, utilizing professional grooming can be quite helpful.

Plus, professional groomers often have access to tools that the average dog owner doesn’t. In many cases, the mane of Australian Shepherds can be maintained with a monthly, professional grooming session, even if they aren’t brushed regularly between sessions.

Conclusion

Grooming an Australian Shepherd is not difficult, but it can be rather time-consuming. Most of your grooming routine will involve brushing out their coat. This process is relatively simple but can take a while to complete.

Brushing an Australian Shepherd daily ensures that they don’t require vast amounts of brushing at one time. Just ten minutes a day is often all a dog needs. But, if you miss a day, you usually need to brush your dog longer than 10 minutes to “catch up.” On top of regular brushing, you need to trim your dog’s ears and paws. You can do this at home or visit a professional.

Of course, don’t forget all the “normal” dog grooming. Teeth brushing and nail clipping are required for the Australian Shepherd, just like they are for any breed.

Related Reads:

• How Big Do Australian Shepherds Get? The Surprising Answer!
• Do Australian Shepherds Shed? How Much & How to Manage
• Are Australian Shepherds Born with Tails? Info, Facts, & Pictures

Featured Image Credit: Eve Photography, Shutterstock