🦴 Updated on July 13th, 2023
Has your Australian Shepherd puppy begun growing up into an adult dog? Is its hair a total mess? Are you lost with how to take care of your canine’s fur? Then, you’ve come to the right place! Here, you will learn everything you need to know about Australian Shepherd grooming.
If you don’t spend time caring for your dog’s fur, it may become a tangled mess and even start falling out. The shedding could potentially get worse. Read on to find out the best hairstyles for your Aussie and how to properly groom their hair.
Do You Need to Groom an Australian Shepherd Dog?
Every dog needs to have its fur groomed and brushed. However, some breeds are more high-maintenance than others.
The Australian Shepherd dog has a double-layered coat, which means you will have to spend more time grooming and brushing its fur. Essentially, you will need to brush its hair at least once a week or possibly more.
How to Groom an Australian Shepherd Breed
First, make sure to brush your Aussie’s hair every week. Remove loose, dead hair from its coat every time you brush.
However, if it is shedding season and your Aussie is constantly shedding, you will need to up the game and groom the dog every day. That will keep your dog’s coat from getting matted and keep it clean from dirt and debris.
You will need to use a high-quality slicker brush and a long-toothed rake to brush through the undercoat. Start brushing the dog with the slicker brush, going in the direction of coat growth.
You can start at the nose and go backward. Brush your pup until you reach the tail’s end. Use your hands to remove matting and tangles.
What Is the Best Australian Shepherd Haircut?
To find out the best Aussie haircut for your pup, you may need to compare before and after Australian Shepherd haircut styles. In the guide below, we cover several popular Australian Shepherd haircut styles, which include:
- The Australian Shepherd summer cut
- The Australian Shepherd teddy cut
- The Australian Shepherd lion cut
- The Australian Shepherd puppy cut
Mini Aussie Haircuts
The miniature Aussie pup can have one of two popular haircuts. The two typical cuts used for a miniature Aussie are the puppy cut and the teddy bear cut. You can also consider letting your miniature dog have a more natural look.
The puppy cut involves cutting the hair to the same length all over the dog’s body. However, you can leave the hair longer on the head, tail, and legs. The teddy bear cut involves trimming the hair around the head to a round shape, which makes the dog look like a cute teddy bear.
The Australian Shepherd Summer Cut
During the summer, the Australian Shepherd can get relatively hot, so you’ll want to keep their hair trimmed to reduce the chance of overheating. Trimming will keep your dog cool. Use a set of clippers to trim your pup’s face, stomach area, and legs.
Make sure not to cut the hair too close to your dog’s skin or it will irritate the skin. If you’re not comfortable doing it yourself, you can take your canine to a professional dog groomer.
The Australian Shepherd Teddy Cut
If you’re not sure how to cut your dog’s fur to resemble that of a teddy bear, you may want to seek professional assistance from a dog groomer. The Australian Shepherd teddy cut or teddy bear cut has a soft and fluffy look.
Instead of having sharp angles in the haircut, the canine will display rounded corners. Also, the fur on the legs has a slimmer appearance while the face and head will have a rounded hairstyle.
The Australian Shepherd Lion Cut
The Aussie lion cut keeps the hair around the neck and head longer, which resembles the look of a lion. The tail and paws have a few tufts of hair left behind. The rest of the dog’s coat is completely trimmed to keep it neat.
The canine with a lion cut has a fluffy and regal look, making the pup look just like Simba. While this isn’t the most popular hairstyle for an Australian Shepherd, a dog with a lion cut will stand out the most.
The Australian Shepherd Puppy Cut
Puppies may get too antsy and move around, which makes it difficult to cut their fur. It may not be an easy feat to give an Aussie puppy a haircut, so you may want to take the dog to a professional groomer.
The puppy haircut involves trimming the Aussie’s coat to the same length across the entire body. You should leave the legs, tail, and head fur longer. The style is easy to maintain and your canine will have a nice puppy look.
The Numerous Australian Shepherd Grooming Styles to Use
The hairstyles above are only a few of the options available. Australian Shepherd grooming styles also include a rounded cut, a minimal cut, and more. You can ask for help from a professional dog groomer to figure out which hairstyle is best for your pup.
The most important part is to keep the hair neat and trimmed. With a dog groomer, your canine can get a bath, a nail trim, and a haircut.
How Is the Australian Shepherd Fur Different From Other Dogs?
Not all dogs have a double coat and shed excessively. However, the Australian Shepherd does shed plenty during the shedding season and has a double coat. The typical Aussie has a medium-length coat with straight or somewhat wavy fur.
The coat colors of an Australian Shepherd range from blue merle, red merle, and black tricolor to white and tan markings or a red tricolor.
Australian Shepherd Shedding and How It Impacts Grooming
An Australian Shepherd has a double coat and the undercoat tends to get thicker in the winter to keep them warm. In the summer, the Aussie’s undercoat sheds plenty to keep the pup from overheating or panting all day.
You do not need to cut the undercoat of your Aussie, especially if you live in a cooler climate. However, you will want to trim the overcoat and the feet, legs, and ears of your Aussie. Make sure to brush your dog regularly during shedding season to get rid of loose hair.
Should You Use a Professional?
If you have a young and active puppy or want a complicated haircut for your dog, you may want to seek the help of a professional dog groomer. Also, if you have a truly hyper and overactive canine, you can benefit from professional dog grooming services.
Besides the training, professional groomers have the right equipment to take care of your dog’s hair. This means that they will do it quicker while using the right products.
It might be more comfortable for you and your dog. You won’t have to worry about a messy bathroom, and your dog will be ready in less time.
FAQs About Australian Shepherd Grooming
Looking to learn the answers to some common questions about Aussie grooming? Then keep reading!
What kind of grooming does an Australian Shepherd need?
The best type of grooming that your Aussie will need includes brushing. You will need to brush the coat of your dog daily to get rid of dead and loose hair.
You will need a slicker brush and a long tooth undercoat rake. Also, make sure your dog gets a bath every month or two. Too much bathing will make the canine’s skin very dry.
What is the best way to groom an Australian Shepherd?
You will need to brush the hair in the direction of the coat growth using a slicker brush. Avoid irritating the dog’s skin but do brush through the hair fully.
Most importantly, avoid shaving the dog’s coat. An Aussie’s coat only needs a trimming. Lastly, bathe your dog every month to keep him smelling good and looking clean.
Do Australian Shepherds need to be trimmed?
You will need to trim the coat of an Australian Shepherd. That can help keep your dog cool in the summer. In addition, trimming the fur will help keep the dog’s coat looking clean and neat.
In particular, make sure to trim the hair around the dog’s face, legs, and belly area. There are numerous hairstyles you can choose like the lion cut, the teddy bear cut, or the puppy cut.
Before You Go
Australian Shepherd grooming is an important part of taking care of your pup. It’s no different than taking your pet to the veterinarian or buying him the right dog food.
Sometimes, you may want to take your dog to the groomer for a nice-looking cut. With the right hairstyle, your Aussie is sure to jump around and show off.
