Australian Shepherd, a very special breed of dog which has a complicated story of inheritance. They are special because of their smart and loveable nature, their great companionship, wonderful eyes, dazzling coif, and last but not least, their beautifully mottled coat. As an owner, do you know, How To Cut Australian Shepherd Hair?. This article to enrich your knowledge on this. The answer to the question of how to cut an Aussie’s hair is – bring an electric clipper, get yourself and the dog ready for hair cutting, start cutting from the back, then cut along both the sides of your dog, align the direction of your clipper with dog’s hair growth, and don’t make the hair shorted than one inch, cause it will give your dog sunburn and other skin related problems. Continue reading to know in detail when, why, and how you have to cut the hair of your Aussie.
Why Australian Shepherds need haircuts?
The Australian Shepherds is exceptional and hardworking for its double-layered coat. That double-layered coat helps them to cope in adverse environments. The dog sheds averagely.
To get rid of inconveniences out of shedding, there is no other way to ensure regular maintenance of their coat. To be specific, generally, Aussies don’t need a haircut unless their fur or skin gets damaged for any reason. You can easily avoid that situation by the regular arrangement of grooming for the dog’s fur.
Grooming will make your dog free of derbis and dead hair that creates shedding problems. We know that natural oil makes our hair soft and silky. Though the Aussie’s hair is not like human hair, regular natural oil makes the hair soft and silky like human hair. Remember, if you cut the hair and make it too little, there is a risk of not growing the hair back like it was earlier. Moreover, growing hair may take 3 months to be in its earlier position again.
How Do You Cut Aussie’s Hair?
First of all, you will need to follow the important steps that are described below for perfect dog hair cutting with caution.
Step 1: Though Aussies are hard-working dogs so they will face various skin strikes. So inspect your dog carefully. And also measure how long the hair grows.
Step 2: If the dog’s body is good and the hair is long enough for trim then give a fresh bath with oatmeal shampoo to the Aussie. After the bath, the dog is ready for the next step.
Step 3: Dry the body of your dog with a fresh towel and brush his or her fur with a brush. Now your dog is ready for final cutting or trimming.
Step 4: Use an electric clipper to start trimming. The suggested way of trimming is to start from the backside to the front side. After that carefully complete trimming both left and right side along with a leg, ear, and head. While trimming the hair, leave at least 1-inch fur in the body.
Step 5: After completing the haircut, give the dog a fresh bath for cleaning. And also try to keep your dog away from carpets.
How Do You Use Australian Shepherd Clippers?
Clippers are a cost-effective way to groom dogs at home and comfortable for the dog as it doesn’t need to go away from home. If you fear using clippers, calm down, it doesn’t require much effort to learn to operate it. You can follow the below steps, and this will make it easier to use clippers properly.
- First, you will need to give it a proper bath and brush the fur before cutting hair;
- Bring the right tools, clipper, comb, and slicker brush, as per the need of your dog’s hair;
- Choose a clipper that makes the least noise, and a noisy clipper can surprise the dog;
- Make sure you are not pulling dog’s hair while cutting, keep the clipper sharp to avoid pulling;
- Push the clipper slowly. Hard push can leave lines on the skin;
- Cut the hair properly by following the hair-growing lines. It will reduce the chances of going the wrong way.
What is Best for an Australian Shepherd, Short or Long Haircuts?
As we know, Australian Shepherd is unique for their long, thick, and double-layered coats. If an Aussie’s hair is not long enough, it may make its owner worried. In some other cases, the owner may want to make his/her dog’s hair short, as long hair can create some problems.
If you are to answer whether a long or short haircut is best for an Aussie, it will be a bit tricky. You may find many reasons to make your dog’s hair short, but shorter hair causes more damage than good. So you should not do this. But in case of medical need, you have no other option but to cut your dog’s hair.
FAQ
How Often Should I Bathe My Aussie?
Most of the dogs don’t require a bath daily but getting them a bath at a regular interval improves their health and appearance. For Aussies, it depends on the nature of the dog. Some dogs are like kids, and they become dirty more quickly than other dogs.
So, these dogs require more frequent bathing than others, once every 4 to 6 weeks. Of course, if a working dog needs to go outside regularly, the same will apply to it. But dogs that stay most of the time indoors need bathing less frequently, once every 3 to 4 months.
How Often to Cut Australian Shepherd Hair
Hair on the dog’s body keeps them warm and secure from any weather. Unfortunately, if you cut your hair, there will be various kinds of problems. To reduce the inconvenient disturbance, vets recommend leaving the hair.
However, you can cut only if the coat or skin gets damaged somehow. Cutting the fur too short may cause the fur not to grow back. So be careful before taking any action against dogs’ hair.
Can I Cut My Dog’s Tail Hair?
You can cut or trim your dog’s long hair. That will not only give a great look to your dog but also give the dog comfortability. You can regularly take care of, brush, cut, and even shape the tail hair to match with a dog’s typical style or your dog’s personality.
How Short Can You Cut an Australian Shepherd’s Hair?
Leaving a short fur in a dog’s body will bring uncomfortably along with many health issues. That’s why experts advise not to cut Aussie’s hair unless it is medically needed for medical reasons. On the other hand, you can give your Australian shepherd’s a nice haircut, but remember the hair should not be shorter than one inch.
Final Thoughts
Cutting Aussie’s hair can be logical in many ways, but it wouldn’t be a good idea. You can cut the dog’s hair when a vet suggests doing so to treat a dog with skin problems or damaged fur. Also, you can groom regularly and clip dog hair to avoid issues like shedding or hair matting.