There's no doubt that Shetland Sheepdogs have beautiful, thick fur--but unfortunately, their coats need regular maintenance to keep them looking great. Below are details on how to care for a Sheltie's fur, along with info on other maintenance and optional hairstyles.
Because of its long, dense coat, a Shetland Sheepdog needs grooming 2-3 times per week. A Sheltie's fur tangles, mats, and collects dirt/debris rather easily, so its coat needs regular upkeep to keep it looking clean and healthy, and to prevent skin irritation.
Sheltie grooming, though a bit time-consuming, can easily be done at home. It's best to spray the fur with water from a mist bottle prior to brushing. Then use a "line brushing" technique: with a pin brush, comb the dog's fur towards its tail, starting on the lower portions of the body. Pay special attention to the thick fur on the ears, legs, mane, and hindquarters, and remove stubborn tangles/mats with scissors. Your Sheltie should be bathed once every 2-3 months.
During shedding season, it's probably a good idea to brush a Sheltie daily to minimize the dead hair from collecting in the fur.
A Sheltie's long, thick coat will need brushing at least twice per week to minimize the development of tangles and mats, and to keep the coat looking neat and healthy. Dogs of this breed shed seasonally, so daily brushing will be necessary during the spring and fall shedding seasons. Some owners like to also use a de-shedding tool (weekly for most of the year, and every day or two during shedding season) to reduce the shedding and make brushing easier.
The best brush for Shelties is a pin brush, as this type glides through the long, thick hairs the most smoothly.
How to brush a Sheltie: first wet the coat with water mist from a spray bottle, then starting at the shoulders, use your Sheltie brush to go through the entire coat section by section, moving in the direction of hair growth. If you encounter a tangle or mat, use the steps described in the Getting Out Tangles section below.
The Sheltie has quite a lot of hair--and unfortunately, all that hair can tangle up (which if left unchecked, can turn into mats) if not brushed regularly. This means the first defense against tangles is to brush your Sheltie often!
The tangles often develop when dead hairs from the undercoat snarl with longer hairs on the outer coat. To minimize this tendency, many owners use de-shedding tools on a weekly basis. The tool's fine sharp teeth "grab" hairs from the undercoat. When using a de-shedding tool like a Furminator, Sheltie coats are less likely to develop tangles in the first place.
The problem with de-shedding tools is that they tend to remove healthy hairs along with the dead ones. If your Sheltie does develop a tangle or mat, the best way to remove it is with your fingers. While it's more difficult, the finger method is best because it's less damaging to the coat. Simply use your thumbs and forefingers to separate the hairs, going strand by strand if necessary. For stubborn tangles or mats, use scissors to cut them in half (or even fourths) to start the untangling process. And if your Sheltie has a tangle that's impossible to separate, the only remedy left is to cut it out entirely.
Shelties will only need baths about every three months--unless, of course, the dog gets especially dirty or stinky and an "emergency bath" is called for.
It's important when bathing a Sheltie to use canine shampoo and conditioner, as the kind made for humans has a different pH and can irritate a dog's skin. The best shampoo for Shelties includes brands like Earthbath, Isle of Dogs, and 4-Legger, most which also carry several types of canine conditioner.
How to bathe a Sheltie: make sure to give the dog's coat a good brushing. You can bathe your Sheltie in a bathtub (hopefully with a spray nozzle attachment), or in an outdoor plastic pool using a garden hose. Wet the coat thoroughly, then apply a generous amount of Sheltie shampoo to the dog's back. Lather well, moving downward and outward as you go. (And don't forget the legs, underbelly, and tail!) Clean the dog's face, head, and ears with a washcloth, then rinse the coat until the water runs clear. Repeat the above-described process with conditioner.
Towel-dry the coat, then continue with a hair dryer, brushing the hair out with your pin brush as you go. Finish by giving the coat another quick brush-through to make it look neat and clean.
Many consider a Sheltie's thick fur to be its best attribute, and are thus reluctant to cut it. Even so, The fur can be difficult to maintain; what's more, Shelties can suffer from the heat during the warmer months. So some owners give their Sheltie a haircut known as a "summer cut" (similar to a "puppy cut" in other breeds). The fur is trimmed to half its length all over the body, allowing the dog to stay cool in hot weather.
And while a shaved Sheltie may sound sacrilegious to some, a few owners have their Shelties shaved to about an inch in length; this assures that the dog will stay cool, and removes the need for regular coat care--though the short fur will need regular trimming.
Regardless of the cut, it's probably best to have a professional groomer maintain a Sheltie's beautiful coat.
In addition to its coat care, it's a good idea to maintain your Sheltie in these areas:
See the complete guide on how to care for Shelties.
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