No. You never shave your Australian shepherd. Shaving an Aussie can have some seriously negative outcomes. Shaving your dog's coat can stop or delay the shedding process and cause skin irritation and a number of additional health issues.
Conclusion. You should not shave your Australian Shepherd to keep them cool or to help prevent shedding. Instead, explore some alternative solutions that will be less negative-impacting on your Australian Shepherd. Shaving your Australian Shepherd can cause problems to your furry friend's coat, skin, and more.
Herding breeds like Aussie Shepherds, Border Collies and Shelties are double-coated. So are Golden Retrievers, Labradors, Springer Spaniels, Newfoundlands, Bernese Mountain Dogs and many more. You shouldn't shave any of these breeds in summer.
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.
Double-coated dogs can self regulate heat. The coat actually helps to repel extra heat and shaving makes them hotter. If you shave your double-coated dog, you destroy their temperature regulatory system. This leaves them vulnerable to heatstroke or Hypothermia i.e. a potentially dangerous drop in body temperature.
While Australian Shepherds can be very affectionate, loving, and cuddly dogs with their family members, they may not act the same way at all with someone they don't know. This dog will enjoy snuggling with the people he trusts.
Australian Shepherd hair does grow back should you shave or trim their fur. Remember, Australian shepherds should not be shaved, as it welcomes unnecessary health risks such as sunburn, and removes their ability to regulate heat or cold within their undercoat.
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.
Do NOT shave this breed, as it messes up the delicate balance of the coat, which insulates them from heat and from cold by holding a layer of temperate air close to the body. The coat may never grow back the same if this breed is shaved.
Many vets and groomers believe that shaving a double coated dog can result in shave shock, a phenomenon where your dog's coat grows back patchy, a different texture/color, or maybe even not at all.
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.
Double coats provide a layer of protection against the external environment for the dog. Shaving it away removes that protective layer, resulting in insufficient protection from temperature, parasites, sun damage, and wind. Shaving also damages the coat because it doesn't regrow in the same fashion.
Aussies are remarkably intelligent, quite capable of hoodwinking an unsuspecting novice owner. In short, this isn't the pet for everyone.
Giving an Aussie the stimulation they need
Of course, Aussies need plenty of physical exercise: no less than one hour per day, and preferably upwards of two hours.
Puppies can be bathed as needed. Use a natural, gentle dog shampoo/conditioner that rinses out thoroughly. If you are going to bath your Australian Labradoodle at home, be sure to brush through the coat completely first. If you do it the other way around, any mats will get tighter when you get them wet.
When in the outdoors, your Australian Shepherd will come across new things, hear sounds and smell things along the way. The length of the walk is limited to your energy as this dog can walk all day. Ideally, you should aim for about 45 to 60 minutes once or twice a day.
To reiterate, please don't shave your Aussie, especially all the way to their skin. The topcoat, which prevents grime, might grow back in a year or two, so it's an especially long wait! Want to learn more about dealing with the fur?
Shaving a double coat can also do long-term damage. When it is shaved down to the skin, the undercoat hair will grow back faster, and sometimes will crowd out the slower-growing guard hairs. This can change the texture and color of a dog's coat and make it appear patchy and unattractive.
Of course, vets know that areas they shave (e.g. for surgery) will regrow in time to become indistinguishable from the surrounding coat. Note that shaving in a dog sense means close clipping, not the use of a razor!
Licking is a natural and instinctive behaviour to dogs. For them it's a way of grooming, bonding, and expressing themselves. Your dog may lick you to say they love you, to get your attention, to help soothe themselves if they're stressed, to show empathy or because you taste good to 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.
Letting Your Dog on the Bed is YOUR Choice!
There may be a rare exception, but I can't think of any reason why a dog should have to sleep on your bed. Of course, if he's accustomed to sleeping on his human's bed and you abruptly evict him, he's likely to tell you how he feels about it in no uncertain terms.