No, there's generally no need to give your Australian Shepherd a haircut. The only exception is trimming the hair around the feet, legs, and ears, which can get long. You will also have to cut out matts if your dog's hair gets tangled.
Professionally groomed Aussies should easily be able to be maintained with only monthly grooming, even if you choose to never brush your dog between grooming.
Australian Shepherds are active and intelligent dogs that make great companions. They require regular brushing, tick and flea checks, ear cleaning, and nail trimming. They also require regular veterinary care and should be groomed regularly.
The quick answer is, no, you shouldn't shave your dog in summer. And this doesn't just apply to super-furry Northern breeds, but to other double-coated breeds as well. Herding breeds like Aussie Shepherds, Border Collies and Shelties are double-coated.
Most Mini Aussies usually have medium-length coats with fur that can be straight or wavy. There are some short-coated Mini Aussies that have shorter, flatter, less feathery fur, but they are less common than long-haired Aussies.
Keeping your pup well-groomed can help them look and feel their best. Miniature Australian Shepherds will need to be brushed multiple times a week. This not only helps keep their coat healthy, but it can additionally help catch the loose hair before it is shed throughout your home.
Interestingly, while small dogs typically have longer life expectancies, mini Australian shepherds, which the AKC recognizes as the miniature American shepherd, have a life expectancy of just 12-13 years.
Give your pup a bath every 2-3 months, but don't overdo it or you may risk irritating and drying out their skin. Use a dog-safe blow dryer to fully dry their fur and leave them feeling spiffy. Don't forget the nails—keep them comfy by trimming the nails regularly. Long nails can cause foot pain in dogs.
Dogs such as golden retrievers, German shepherds, Siberian huskies and any dog that seasonally sheds huge clumps of fur (part of its undercoat) should never be shaved. It is a misconception that shaving will help keep a dog cool on hot days.
Shaving your Australian shepherd's coat could expose its skin and increase its risk for getting a sunburn. Always leave about 1⁄4–1⁄2 inch (0.64–1.27 cm) of your dog's coat when you're trimming it to protect its skin.
This gets them ready for the tools used during a grooming session. Once you've successfully acclimated your pup to all-around handling, at or around the 10-12 week mark, you can take her in for the first grooming session (often after the second round of shots).
This thick wooly coarse coat will trap heat and will not protect from the sun, thus exposing your pet to warmer climates and making them warmer and increasing their body temperature in the heat. Shaving can damage a dog's ability to regulate its temperature or protect their skin.
Nail trimming is a necessary part of dog ownership. Few Australian Shepherds, especially those who spend the majority of their time indoors or on grass when outdoors, will wear down their nails naturally. If your dog makes an unmistakable click as he walks on hard floors – his nails are too long.
The Aussie's desire to cuddle
Some breeds are, by nature, more affectionate than others. While the Aussie will typically reserve cuddling for one person or a group of trusted people, sometimes he won't want to cuddle at all. Let's take a look at some reasons this might be the case. Their age.
Australian Shepherds are known for their fierce loyalty with one person, that doesn't mean every Shepherd will act like that. Some Shepherds might not build a particularly strong bond with any one family member. Others might like one of you more than another, but they don't sit on you to show it.
At 2-3 years of age, Mini Aussies are considered mentally developed and will be better at regulating their energy levels. In other words, they will start to calm down! That said, Aussies are naturally active dogs and will remain so into old age.
Your dog is likely depressed after being groomed because they feel fearful, submissive, or painful after the grooming process. They may also be responding to any negative feelings of those around them or they may just not like feeling different now that they have been groomed.
Dogs are happier after grooming due to the many health benefits and overall cleanliness that it provides. Grooming also provides an opportunity to be social with other dogs and groomers. Although some dogs may feel down after grooming, this quickly goes away and they truly appreciate the benefits of grooming.
Giving your pet a smoothie shave can also be traumatizing for your pet as they no longer have the coat of armour on and can suddenly feel very insecure and afraid. Your pet may hide in various places, be more shy and submissive, or appear to be very uncomfortable.
In the case of the Australian Shepherd pup, tail docking is a procedure that benefits the life of the dog. A shorter tail prevents potential breaking later in life and ensures a cleaner and more sanitary lifestyle for the dog and its owner.
Because the undercoat is primarily needed in the winter and summer, Aussies will lose their undercoat every spring and fall. This is a heavy shedding period that's common among all dog breeds with a double coat. It's also known as blowing their coat.
Aussies are cotton ball fluffy when they're tiny and then they loose all that fluff and have this thin, soft, wispy chicken feather coat for a while during their adolescent phase. As they get closer to being 1 year old they finally get a long, slightly more dense and coarse adult coat (see pics below).
While an Aussie may be left home alone for four to six hours at a time, crate training may be necessary for the dog's safety.
When your dog licks you, he may be showing his affection, or simply because your lotion or skin tastes good. A compulsive licker may have unintentionally been taught this behavior by his owner: He learns that licking gets him attention, even if it's negative.
Strong guardian instincts Aussies are protective watchdogs. Reserved with strangers Aussies are closely attached to their family but do not tend to seek contact with strangers, or easily accept strangers as “friends.” This does not mean they are shy or aggressive.