The Australian Shepherd requires the right grooming to keep its double coat healthy, shiny, and mat-free. It is important to learn how to groom your Aussie from the moment they come home with you.

The truth is that Australian Shepherds do require daily grooming. This includes brushing and combing everyday or at least 3 times a week. Creating a grooming routine with your dog is vital to keeping their coat mat-free! Matting is the number one grooming problem that Australian Shepherd owners encounter. (Shedding comes in second).

Matted fur does not only look bad, but it is very painful for Australian Shepherds. If not removed, it can also cause other health issues including discomfort, skin disorder, flea infestation, mites, worms, and other parasites. And severe matting usually leads to a shave-down right to the skin. 

Brushing on a regular basis also gets rid of loose fur and debris. Plus, it helps reduce the amount of loose hair around your house specially when they are blowing their coat, which happens twice a year. 

TOP 3 BRUSHES EVERY AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD OWNER SHOULD HAVE

Before brushing and combing your Australian Shepherd, you need the right grooming tools. Using the wrong tool can actually cause a lot of damage to your dog’s coat. These are the top three tools that should be used on an Australian Shepherd’s coat.

1. A High Quality Slicker Brush

The slicker brush is the number one dog brush recommended by grooming professionals for Australian Shepherds. It is actually the type of brush you want to start with when grooming your dog because it helps break up any knots and prevents matting.

We love recommending the Self Cleaning Slicker Brush because it is very easy to use, super effective, and easy to clean and maintain at the same time. It is always important to keep the bristles of a slicker brush from bending or getting damaged as this can cause skin irritation, pain, and discomfort.

What we love about this brush is that you can brush your dog, and then just click and clean the brush. The bristles retract when you click so they are kept from being damaged. And your brush can be stored and ready for your next brushing session.

2. An Undercoat Rake / Deshedding and Dematting Tool

The undercoat rake is perfect for grooming your dog’s undercoat where all the mats and tangles occur. This rake is also great at getting out dead fur specially if your dog has a thicker coat.

The Freshly Bailey Undercoat Rake is a great option. It is designed to remove mats and get deep into the dog’s coat. We love the Freshly Bailey undercoat rake because it effectively gets rid of mats and knots without hurting your dog’s coat or skin. Plus it can also be used to deshed and remove all dead hair that causes bad odor and ends up all around your house. *Quick tip: use short strokes when dematting your fur baby and do one mat at a time ;).

3. A Metal Comb

A metal comb should be used after you have brushed your Aussie thoroughly with the slicker brush and undercoat rake. The end result should be the ability to get the comb from the root to the tip of the hair.

We like the Dual-length Dog Metal Comb. It is the perfect comb to add the finishing touch to your dog’s coat. It has long and short stainless steel teeth to quickly and painlessly remove any remaining tangles or knots. Its rounded head pins keep your Australian Shepherd’s skin from getting scratched. And the anti-slip handle protects your dog from any slippery accidents.

HOW TO PROPERLY BRUSH AN AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD AND PREVENT MATTING

Common Mistake #1: UNBRUSHED HAIR + WATER = MATS

ALWAYS brush your dog’s hair before giving them a bath. If you bathe your dog's matted hair without detangling it, it will just get worse! Brush, bathe, and make sure to use a high quality dog shampoo. We love to recommend the 5-in-1 pet wash. After a bath, wait for the fur to dry, and then brush it again. Do not brush a wet coat.

Brushing Routine:

1. LINE BRUSH YOUR DOG FOR BEST RESULTS: Grab your slicker brush to brush your dog’s hair. Do not just brush the top of the coat as this does not really do anything to prevent matting. Start at the bottom of the coat, grab a handful of hair, and brush a line of fur away. You should be able to see the skin. As you go, brush the hair down making sure that with each line you get right to the skin. Do not drag the brush across the dog’s skin, but do a pull-away type of stroke. Move up as you go along, and make sure you brush your dog’s entire coat. Don’t forget about the tail and armpits.

If you have the self-cleaning slicker brush, just click, clean, and store when finished. Otherwise, make sure the bristles are thoroughly cleaned.

2. USE THE UNDERCOAT RAKE for areas that are really matted or tangled. Use the wider-tooth side and short strokes for mats, and the side with narrow teeth to deshed and remove dead fur. The undercoat rake will save you tons of time when grooming your dog. It also creates a massaging effect that dogs tend to love.

3. FINISH WITH A METAL COMB: After brushing with the slicker brush, take your metal comb, and comb your dog’s coat thoroughly until the comb moves easily through the hair. If the comb gets stuck in any particular section, go back and brush out the tangle with the slicker brush.

4. CONSISTENCY: Create a positive grooming routine and make sure you brush and comb your Australian Shepherd at least 3 times per week.