Are you wondering if the Australian Kelpies are low maintenance when it comes to grooming? Well, the good news is that compared to other medium-sized dogs, they are! However, this doesn’t mean that you should ignore their grooming needs altogether. So, what is involved with Kelpie grooming?
For a Kelpie puppy to thrive in its forever home, grooming is key and right next to feeding and exercise in terms of necessities. But how do you keep your Kelpie’s coat, teeth, nails, and ears all clean and healthy?
In this article, we’ll go over every aspect of Kelpie grooming you need to get familiar with to be the best owner possible for a Kelpie pup!
Australian Kelpie dogs feature a short, double coat that sheds moderately. They’re pretty much shedding constantly, and their coats generally remain short, so they do not require regular haircuts as much as other medium-sized dogs. Like other herding dogs, Kelpies should not be taken to the groomers for a haircut as their hair will shed itself.
How often do Kelpies need a haircut?
We wouldn’t recommend ever taking an Australian Kelpie for a haircut. This breed grows a thicker coat in the winter and naturally sheds it in the summer. Getting your Australian Kelpie a haircut could upset the natural balance of things and make them unable to warm themselves in the winter or cool themselves in the summer.
Kelpie haircut styles
Given that it’s not recommended to give Australian Kelpies haircuts, there are no haircut styles we can suggest. Plus, given that they’re a short-haired dog breed, you wouldn’t be able to get very creative in terms of haircut styles.
On top of setting up a grooming program, you should aim to make each time you groom your Kelpie as thorough as possible to reduce the amount of shedding they do around the house.
To successfully groom a Kelpie at home, you should:
Although we recommend against getting your Kelpie a professional haircut, you can clip bits of your Kelpie’s hair that have grown too long. This should only be done as necessary. If the Kelpie’s coat is even all over in length, leave it!
Although washing Australian Kelpies regularly isn’t a requirement, it can help with the grooming process. Being properly bathed loosens up the Australian Kelpie’s hair, making it easier to remove when it comes to brushing and combing. We’d recommend using dog shampoo and conditioner most times that you wash your Kelpie.
A Kelpie doesn’t get smelly when not washed, but properly cleaning the dog’s hair will keep it hygienic and comfortable for them.
However, we wouldn’t recommend washing a Kelpie’s hair every time that you groom. Kelpies require weekly brushing and washing their hair every time could irritate and potentially even cause a skin rash.
We’d recommend bathing a Kelpie once a month with shampoo and conditioner, and the rest of the weeks merely giving them a soak to wash off some of the loose hair.
After giving your Kelpie a dry, you can start grooming. You could use a variety of dog tools to brush the hair of your Australian Kelpie, but specifically, we’d recommend using a brush and a medium-toothed comb. Using a combination of these will ensure you remove all loose hair. You should aim to brush your Kelpies hair at least once a week.
To keep your Australian Kelpie healthy and thriving, be sure to carry out the following regularly:
You can easily clip your Kelpie’s nails using a simple dog nail clipper. Get your Australian Kelpie dog to lie next to you and trim their nails very gently, ensuring that your pup remains comfortable throughout.
Most of the time, you don’t have to worry about clipping a Kelpie’s nails, as they will naturally be filed down. Like several other dog breeds, a Kelpie’s nails will be kept short by merely walking on hard surfaces such as concrete or asphalt. However, you should always check on the dog’s nails to see if they’re worth cutting.
While brushing their teeth, make sure you’re also checking the condition of their gnashers. Things that you should look out for and that you may need to consult a vet about are chipped, loose, cracked, or missing teeth.
To maintain the oral health of your Kelpie dog in the long term, issues regarding teeth need to be fixed or corrected as soon as possible.
Australian Kelpies are known to have good teeth. However, to keep them healthy, experts suggest brushing them once to twice a week.
There’s no set time when you should start grooming an Australian Kelpie. For other dogs, the recommended time to begin grooming is 12 weeks. By this point, Australian kelpies should have developed some loose hair and may even require their nails to be clipped.
You should aim to give an Australian Kelpie a proper wash once every month, as cleaning them too regularly can irritate their skin. If you like to wash them before grooming, only pour water on them to remove the dead and loose hairs – don’t give an Australian Kelpie weekly shampoo and conditioner wash.
No, this dog breed should not be taken to be professionally groomed. Australian Kelpies grow and shed their coats according to the weather around them. They grow and remove as much hair as they need depending on the season. A professional groomer would not be able to cut their hair accurately, and the shedding process should be left to the dog’s natural cycle.
No, Australian Kelpies will naturally remove dead hair in the Spring to prepare themselves for summer. You should not give them a haircut on top of this as it may prevent them from being able to keep themselves cool.
There are several alternative ways to keep your Kelpie family pet cool for summer. These ways include setting up a bed for them in front of a fan, setting up a small paddling pool for them to cool their feet in, or wrapping them in a cool, wet towel. Never use ice when attempting to cool them down, as the temperature change could cause shock.
Although you don’t need to get a Kelpie’s dog hair professionally trimmed, Australian Kelpie owners need to get in the habit of bathing, brushing and meeting other maintenance needs of the Australian Kelpie dog. As much as you need to remember to play dog sports with them every day, an Australian Kelpie dog needs its teeth brushed daily.
This family pet also requires weekly brushes, weekly ear checks, and regular bathing. Luckily, they’re friendly dogs, so they will take to grooming well.
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