Beyond Brushing: Australian Shepherd Grooming Tips and Tricks

April 6th, 2021 by Laura

Last Updated on February 25, 2024

If you want your Aussie coat to be as gorgeous as it can be, it must be groomed regularly. But what does this mean? Now, let’s dig deeper into grooming Australian Shepherd and find the answer to someAustralian shepherd grooming techniques.

Thankfully, it’s not that difficult! No more complex than many other dog breeds. However, if you don’t know where to start, this guide will help you get started with grooming Australian Shepherd.

Table of Contents

What Is the Australian Shepherd’s Coat Like?

Australian Shepherd dogs have a double coat. That is, they have a top coat and an undercoat. This means that your Aussie dog is going to shed lots. All year round. Forever. Because of this heavy-duty coat, proper grooming Australian Shepherd techniques should be observed to keep your puppy happy and healthy!

Australian shepherd’s unique double coats are helpful in both summer and winter as they keep the Aussie relatively cool and warm in both seasons. However, as mentioned before, the coat comes with its fair share of drawbacks in the form of shedding.

In simple terms, if your Aussie sheds, then you will have to start grooming them. Australian shepherd grooming can be a challenging task when done improperly. Still, it can be refined and fun if done efficiently and quickly.

Tools You Need for Grooming Australian Shepherd

Because your dog technically has two coats, a top coat and an undercoat, there are special brushes for each. Get a regular coat brush as well as an undercoat brush. This will help dislodge all the hair from your dog and stimulate the skin underneath.

For Australian shepherd grooming, a pair of trimming scissors are also necessary. Trimming is another essential part of grooming Australian Shepherds that many pet owners forget. Key trimming areas include ears, tail, and between the paw pads. Trimming these areas ensures your puppy doesn’t slip and rogue hairs don’t irritate any delicate areas. Plus, your Aussie will look cute, to boot.

How Often Should Australian Shepherds Be Groomed?

Australian shepherd grooming can be a challenging task at times. Therefore, knowing about Australian shepherd coat grooming practices and how often to do it can serve well. In general, Australian shepherd grooming can be done once or twice a week as the actual grooming task of Aussie shepherds may be simpler than other dog breeds.

On the other hand, you may even rest your Aussie by skipping their grooming process on alternate weeks, that is, only giving them a grooming session once a week instead of twice if your dog happens to be unwary of grooming.

Generally, grooming Australian shepherds can become stiff or easy depending on the brush you use to detangle or remove matting from their coats. If you are curious about some brushes, you may look at the list of a few brushes below:

All the brushes listed above are found on Amazon. They can be purchased at relatively reasonable prices for Australian shepherd grooming.

Some Pointers for Grooming Australian Shepherd

When starting with the brush, use the regular coat brush first, following the grain of the hair. Then, follow up with the undercoat brush. Ensure not to pull, tug, or rake roughly across your dog’s skin. Start at the head and work your way down to the tail. If you encounter tangles, use the brush and work through them. This is often a difficult task, but be patient! Eventually, the knots come free, and you can continue brushing.

For trimming, make the cuts neat, removing excess fur. Do not cut down to the skin. Otherwise, you risk cutting your dog. Get between your Australian Shepherd’s paw pads and trim a little so that the pads touch the ground.

It should be noted that you should keep your dog’s fur intact while removing excess fur is OK if they have grown too much while grooming Australian shepherd, do ensure that you do not trim more than necessary as loss of hair on an Australian shepherd can result in vulnerability to dust and grime sticking on the body itself. This is one of the most essential parts of Australian shepherd grooming.

How Often Does Your Aussie Need To Be Brushed?

For Australian shepherd grooming, A little brushing daily, or a lot of brushing weekly, will help maintain your Aussie’s coat and keep its skin healthy in the Australian shepherd grooming process. Since they’re such notorious shedders, hair buildup can cause mats and tangles in their fur, which is uncomfortable for your dog!

Bathing and Drying Your Australian Shepherd

A bath once or twice a month should be sufficient to keep your Aussie happy and healthy. Just as with bathing other dog breeds, use a good shampoo and work it into your dog’s coat. Then rinse thoroughly with water. Some dogs are bath-adverse, so getting them used to bathing as a puppy goes a long way!

There is a tried and true towel method for drying, but you can also use a hair dryer. Work through the hair in patches, using low heat and blowing it where you want it to lay.

Get too close, and the hairs will curl; too far away, and you’ll be there for several hours waiting for your dog to dry. Make sure that bathing is a fun and rewarding experience for all parties involved. You get a clean Aussie, and your Aussie gets a treat!

This is how you should be grooming Australian Shepherd

Is Grooming Australian Shepherd That Easy?

Yes! grooming Australian Shepherd is easy to care for as long as you know how, and it shouldn’t put a massive dent in your routine. A good brush through the top and undercoats and a nice little trim occasionally will do your Aussie wonders. Don’t forget to trim the nails too! All in all, a very easy-to-maintain breed.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Often To Brush an Australian Shepherd?

Generally, Australian shepherd grooming involves giving your Aussie shepherd a good brushing twice a week or once if they are not too dirty is recommended. It is recommended to ensure you have an undercoat rake and a good-quality brush for this task.

Grooming Australian Shepherds regularly helps prevent hairballs and keeps them looking great. Brushing your dog regularly helps remove dead hair and dirt from its coat. This keeps the skin clean and prevents infections. Brushing also stimulates blood flow, which promotes good health.

Brushing also reduces shedding and makes him look healthier; it also helps them stay warm in the winter months. On the contrary, teeth brushing, on the other hand, should be given three times once a week to ensure good jaw hygiene.

How To Trim an Australian Shepherd?

Generally, Australian shepherd coats don’t need much trimming; trying them isn’t recommended. However, for proper Australian shepherd grooming, you can still purchase a good pair of thinning shears to ensure the fur is free from mats and slight tangles.

Australian Shepherds are known for their long, thick coats. They shed their fur twice a year, usually in spring and fall. Trimming your dog’s hair is essential to maintaining its health and appearance. Overgrown or matted hair can cause skin irritation and even infection. It also makes your Australian Shepherds look unkempt and unattractive.

Australian Shepherds have a double coat, meaning they have two layers of fur. The outer layer is called the guard hair, and the inner layer is called the undercoat. Both types of hair are very dense, and removing them takes a lot of time and effort.

For Australian shepherd grooming, you may follow these steps: To trim your dog’s coat, you’ll first need to identify where the hair growth is. This is usually done by gently pulling at the skin around the area. Once you’ve identified the spot, you can use scissors or clippers to cut off the hair. You should always wash your dog before trimming its hair.

How Often Should You Bathe an Australian Shepherd?

Thanks to its water-repellent coat, an Australian shepherd may only need to bathe every few months rather than a week. You may also bathe them every 2-3 weeks if they are far too smelly or dirty due to their outdoor activities. Aside from that, too much bathing may cause more harm than good.

Bathing helps remove dirt and debris from his coat. Also, bathing him regularly keeps his skin clean and prevents infections. Bathing your dog twice a month is recommended because it helps prevent skin infections and keeps the coat clean and shiny.

How To Groom Australian Shepherd?

It would be best to have a slicker brush, an undercoat rake, a toothcomb, and good-quality dog shampoo for Australian shepherd grooming. You may refer to the article above for more details on some brushes for grooming Australian shepherds on Amazon.

Australian shepherds are naturally beautiful by themselves and therefore do not need to be groomed as much as other dog breeds, but you may still groom them with the mentioned items to give them a neater look. You may, however, need to cut off a bit of your Aussie’s fur if it becomes matted.

How To Cut Australian Shepherd Hair?

To cut an Australian shepherd’s hair, you may use trimming shears and a tooth comb to maintain a certain length to ensure that not too much of the Aussie’s fur is trimmed. Otherwise, there isn’t a need to cut an Aussie’s hair unless it becomes tangled and matted in places.

Is it OK to shave an Australian Shepherd?

No, while Australian shepherd grooming, you should ensure not to shave them entirely. Doing so will result in various health issues and future grooming problems as the two furs may eventually become fused. Hence, it is recommended to only trim your Aussie shepherd fur instead of shaving it completely.

Does your Australian Shepherd have a tail? Did you know some dogs don’t have tails? Find out why!

Australian Shepherd Dogs