To groom Australian Shepherds, we recommend using the best brush for Australian Shepherds. Brush your dog at least once a week to prevent matting and remove the loose undercoat.
It's also an agile, obedient, and intelligent breed. Just like any other pup, Australian Shepherds need to be regularly groomed or bathed. Fortunately, Aussies require very little maintenance. You only need to remove the shed fur from the dog twice or thrice a week.
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).
Australian Shepherds are extremely active dogs that require more than 2 hours of exercise a day. They require committed owners who are willing to give them lots of exercise if they are not going to be used as a working dog.
They require plenty of attention. Being left alone for too long may cause the intelligent, energetic Australian Shepherd to create her own fun—often through destructive behaviors or barking. 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.
Your puppy should be taken outside at least every two hours. Once they hit 20 weeks, they may be able to hold it for four hours. Don't plan on leaving them home for much of the day when you first adopt them. It simply won't work.
Your Aussie may require time to adjust to a new life and learn to trust you before he feels comfortable enough to cuddle with you. To cuddle means to be vulnerable, and your dog may just need patience and time to understand that his vulnerability won't put him in a position to be hurt.
Bathe Your Dog 1-2 Times a Month
Regular grooming is good, constant grooming is bad. Try not to bathe your Aussie more than 1-2 times per month because you'll risk removing the natural oils from their coat. Use a deshedding dog shampoo to add vitamin E and fatty acids into their coat to help reduce excess shedding.
This unique type of expression shows pleasure and happiness, and when your dog is especially happy the movement can be so intense as to curl your Australian Shepherd into a U-shape!
Dogs generally find lukewarm water most comfortable. Brush Your Dog First. Brushing helps remove dirt and prevent mats. if you don't brush your dog first, you may spend more time than expected detangling your pet's wet fur.
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.
Most Australian Shepherds enjoy the water and are quite amenable to baths. In hot climates, you may be able to bathe your dog outdoors with a garden hose, provided the water is not too cold. Otherwise, a rubber mat on the bottom of a bathtub or shower stall will provide secure footing and prevent him from slipping.
Do Australian Shepherds like living indoors? Despite their working shepherd dog DNA, Aussie dogs love to cuddle up on the sofa and be part of home and family life. In fact, they are incredibly sociable, family-orientated dogs, and so they should live, eat, and sleep indoors with you.
For the vast majority of Aussies, they can't handle being outside for long periods without shelter. They need to be in a kennel or some type of dog house with an entrance that has been pitched to keep them dry and warm.
Some Australian Shepherds tend to “grin”, not to be mistaken for baring their teeth, when feeling silly or goofy. It's a sign of appeasement! A dog will grin if it senses you his owner needs to be calmed down or when they are excited by greeting people or guests.
Australian Shepherds Coat Characteristics
Australian Shepherd shedding is year-round, too, though you'll notice a surplus of shedding during spring and fall.
This typically occurs when the Australian Shepherd is between 6 months to 1 year of age and will involve your Aussie shedding its soft puppy coat for a more dense adult coat. This typically lasts for a month at most.
Australian Shepherd
Despite their high energy, Aussies are usually quiet. They may bark to alert their owners of a stranger or an unfamiliar situation but other than that, you won't hear much from them.
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.
Canine companions that follow their humans everywhere are often referred to as “velcro dogs” because of their desire to be attached to your side. “Dogs are pack animals, and we are their pack,” says Sally Morgan, author and holistic physical therapist for pets and people.
Laying on their back while getting some shut-eye helps dogs cool off. Unlike people who sweat to control their body temperature, dogs perspire through the pads of their feet.
As a puppy, at least once every hour, maybe every 2 hours in some instances. By the time your Australian Shepherd is all grown up, he should be outside 3 to 5 times every day. Do keep in mind that your Aussie's diet could necessitate more bathroom trips, as can some medical conditions.
The breed is considered highly intelligent and easy to train. Aussies are known for being especially eager to please their owners. True to their herding instincts, Aussies are very protective of their families and territory and will let you know if strangers approach, but they are not considered aggressive.
Adult dogs are generally okay on their own for 4-6 hours a day. But, many dogs are good at adapting to being alone for 8-9 hours while you are at work if they are provided with enough space to comfortably move around.