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Guide To Australian Shepherd Training & Care

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Shaving an Aussie

by Dorothy
(Dundee, MI)

My Aussie is 3 years old and has never been trimmed/shaved. We live in Michigan and she is an outside dog. I have read conflicting stories—you can shave an Aussie, you shouldn't shave an Aussie.

I have read that if you find a groomer that will shave an Aussie - that groomer is no good because you shouldn't shave them. I ran into a person with a shaved Aussie the other day and he said that his Aussie gets shaved twice a year and the hair grows back.

Your thoughts?

Note from the Editor:
We have written an in-depth article on this topic that we recommend you read for more info about shaving your Aussie. You can find it here:

Shaving an Australian Shepherd: The Great Debate

Comments for Shaving an Aussie

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Trimming an Aussie
by: Kathy

We give our Aussie a good trim a couple of times a year - particularly under the tail (she is full tail), the backs of the legs and the pants. The fur is taken from six inches long to about two inches.

It grows back longer and stronger than ever, no problem!

Shave your Aussie
by: Heidi

HI,

In fact my Aussie, Beemer, is getting a cut tomorrow. She gets a cut 3 times a year. We live in upstate NY. Her fur grows back just fine every time. During the winter I get her feathers trimmed, ears, belly and under tail. Summer and Fall is a full cut. She gets so hot on our hikes. Also I found a tick on her yesterday, which is very hard to find with all that fur. You will find that yours will be more comfortable in the heat. Plus it will remind of that puppy cut. I would NOT shave him down completely like a lab.

-Heidi

shaving
by: Gayle-- Big Run Aussies

Dogs have double coats for a reason: to keep them warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The double coat is an insulator and to remove it, is not a good idea. A good grooming with a trim around the rear is good. Make sure you get out the dead hair to keep your dog cool in the summer.

Shaving
by: TinaMarie

I had an Aussie that a groomer shaved & he then got skin problems-had to go on steroids-died less than 1 year later from complications from steroids-at age 6. I always tell my groomers-NEVER EVER SHAVE!

Shaving an Aussie
by: Dorothy

See, I knew there would be conflicting opinions. I just call the local PetSmart and they said that they would do it but do not recommend it. Said that her hair might grow back, might grow in patchy or not at all. Suggested a deshedding package/trimming around the back area. I'm not going to chance getting her trimmed. Thanks for the feedback.

shaving aussie
by: jcrply

I used to cut my previous Aussie's hair once a year during the hottest part of our south Florida year. This was a really hot and tedious job for me and for her, but I think much less stressful than going to a groomer would have been, and we would take lots of breaks. She was very sweet and very bored by the process of clipping. I had invested in a really good electric clipper and clipped her hair with a long attachment, not shaved close. But I am not cutting my current Aussie's hair, except that I do use the clipper around her heiney, the same as I do my cats. That's just to keep them clean. Her coat is not as thick as my other Aussie's was, plus my philosophy about the cutting of their hair has changed, based on a lot of things that I have read about the cooling properties of their coats.

Go ahead!
by: Nora

My dog Sami lived to the age of 12 (he passed away about a month ago, actually...) and we shaved him once a year. His fur always grew back in just fine BUT know that it will not have as "full" of a look as it did before you shaved it all off. But he was always perfectly comfortable--of course, we live in FL and it's unbearably hot here year round, so he didn't really need his under coat. We never had a breeder give us an issue about it.

shave your Aussie
by: heid

Hi,

I have had mine shave done times. NOT like a lab, keep a little length. Mine is much more comfortable, easier to brush. At least get belly and sanitary trim. Mine tends to get mats from my other dog grooming and playing with her.
Your Aussie will be fine and more comfortable. Coat regrows just fine!

-Heidi and Beemer

no
by: Anonymous

Please don't shave your Aussie. The coat helps them keep cool actually. Their hair will never completely regrow back. If it does it will take years.

shaving
by: Anonymous

Shave early in the season so it will grow back for the winter. It's hair, it will grow back no matter what.
lol...some dogs are actually timid after a shave. Gotta love them.

Shave
by: Heidi

Yes, after yet another shave 3 months ago, her coat and feathers are growing back completely normal for her. We will do one more cut this summer. She also loves a cooling spray from the hose.

It's ok to shave your Aussie
by: Anonymous

I have an Australian Shepard and the comment I saw about shaving their hair is bad is completely false. My dog is shaved (I'm talking buzz cut) every summer twice. We do it at the beginning of the summer and again during the middle because his hair grows back that fast. He seems to feel so much better after getting the buzz cut. It does't hurt them at all, nor is it cruel. I actually believe it is cruel to not do it since their fur makes them real hot in summer.

my 2 cents
by: Rhonda

Just had my aussie shaved after doing "puppy cuts" for years. The hair is growing back disastrously. Poor baby looks dreadful and patchy. I'll NEVER do it again.

Aussie Shave - Bad Idea!!!
by: Anonymous

My Aussie is almost 9 y/o and has had a summer cut for probable 6 or seven years. This year she got her summer cut and almost 4 months later it has not grown back and looks horrendous. I suggest that if you get yours cut, don't let them cut it extremely short. Leave the hair about 2 inches long.

Do it
by: Anonymous

i have had Aussies for 30 years - Scottsdale AZ and LB Ca - I have always shaved them 1/4 inch twice in the summer - ALL of them have LOVED it! They stay so much cooler!!

Would not shave!
by: Linda McMullen

My personal preference is that I would not shave, however, it is a personal thing, I believe their coat is there for a reason. I do trim her toes and hocks, she is a constant shedder and that is annoying, a lot of vacuuming, but she is so beautiful the way she is I just don't think she would appreciate me altering her, weather might be a factor, I live in 3 months of summer, the rest of the year is quite chilly. She comes first.

never had a problem shaving
by: Anonymous

I've had two Aussies and both got summer shaves at least once a year and it always grew back. Like, full force within 2 months. Both loved it and were bouncy like puppies again. It's been done super buzz short and also with a little fuzz left on. Never heard that you shouldn't shave them before and will continue to shave my Aussie, she loves it and so do I!

Ok to shave
by: Anonymous

We have given our 13 yr old aussie a summer cut 2 to 3 times a year since she was 2 yrs old. We usually let her hair grow out in the winter. However she is an inside dog. So we don't have the concerns with her keeping warm or cool like owners would have with outside dogs. We never had a groomer tell us they didn't advise it or make comments about her hair growing back patchy or not at all... honestly that's ridiculous. her hair grows back thick. No problem.

Ok to shave
by: Joe

We live in North Carolina where the summers are brutally hot and humid. I have had two Aussies one of which lived to be 16 years old and my other little female who is currently 10. They have both been shaved every year all of their lives with No ill effect. The coat grows back beautifully and they both seem to be enjoyed being shaved down during these hot summer months. The coat grows back in less than six months and they are ready for winter. I take the coat down to about an eighth of an inch all around.

No, do not shave
by: Anonymous

My toy Aussie got shaved by a "groomer" and her hair has not grown back in places, after a year. She's still a pretty girl but will never look the same, and my vet is concerned about her skin. I say, give your dog a good brushing, get them trimmed, but you could be risking their health by shaving.

Clippers
by: Sweettillycherry@yahoo.com

Hi i have a 5 year old male red tricolor. We live in northern california a part that is usually humid during the summers and if he isnt sitting in a pool of water the entire day he looks like hes dying from heat stroke with how much he pants. Its hard cause keeping him inside makes him go stir crazy but he over heats when outside. I shave him twice a year cause is hair grows back so quickly. My only problem is finding clippers that dont give out and stop cutting after 2-4 trimmings. If anyone has good advice please email me. Im willing to spend around $100 if their worth while clippers

Natural Fallacy
by: Chris

We can all agree that Mother Nature came up with an interesting and relatively effective strategy for creating an outer surface that has functionality in multiple climates, but there's no way fur is going to do a BETTER job of cooling than a haircut. Mother Nature just didn't have access to clippers. First of all, insulation works both ways. Yes, a double-coat may keep the heat of the sun out, but it will also serve to trap body heat. If having down under a coat of straight hair actually worked better than having nothing at all, why hasn't some industrious clothing inventor created the magical cooling jacket to make billions of dollars? I have a 3 year old Aussie who gets a very short (~ .5") cut every couple months through the summer and he definitely lasts longer chasing the Frisbee and balls after the hair cut. Just because something is natural doesn't mean it's better. Bicycles trump horses, tractors beat oxen, and haircuts beat fur-vent system. I don't think any dog that spends a lot of time in the sun should be shaved naked, but a short cut will leave you with a happier dog when it's hot out.

Shave for burrs
by: Corinne

I live in the country and just got an Aussie, who I absolutely adore. BUT, she gets so many burrs stuck in her coat and I spend hours taking them out, and pulling her hair, no matter how gently I try to do this. Should I shave her?

aussie haircut
by: Anonymous

we shaved our 2 aussies down this July in Michigan and their coats have come back in full force. About to shave them down again. It was great not dealing .the shedding.

Shaved!
by: Anonymous

I have a 14 year old Aussie who has been shaved twice a year since he was 2. I have a 4 year old who had been shaved since he was a year. They have amazing coats! And they are so happy when they come home from being cut. They don't want to go outside when it's hot, they take forever to cool down when they do. I think it's cruel to make them go out with a heavy coat when it is 100° and 99% humidity. I agree with whoever said if mother nature had only invented natural clippers we wouldn't have this conversation.

Shaving
by: Anonymous

I have two dogs. An Aussie and a Border Collie. We live in Wyoming and our Border Collie and Aussie get really hot in the summer. Since the border collie is used for ranch work we shave him. His hair grows back by October. Our Aussie is 1.5 years old. He has been shaved once. His hair is so long that it is hard to believe that he was shaved. We usually shave our dogs after they are all done shedding out.

Mini Aussies
by: Norma

I have 2 mini's. They are great dogs. They weigh in at about 25lbs. Their size make traveling a snap. Beautiful, smart and good friends.

Shave Them!!
by: Anonymous

I would like to see the actual scientific paper that says a 15 pound bilayer coat is actually a good insulator in the summer. It's ludicrous. It's common sense that if a dog is hot and it has two layers of fur it CANNOT cool down properly. I live in East Texas where it is humid as well as hot, and my Aussie doesn't even want to go outside with a full coat! They pant even in the 60's. As soon as I shave them they turn into a puppy again and love being outside! People try to make me feel like a bad owner for doing it to which I reply, you shave every other dog why in the world would you make an Aussie or a husky suffer through the summer. To me that is cruel. They are active dogs and they need to be able to play without getting overheated.

Oh man...
by: Anonymous

Please Please! Do not shave your Aussie! Yes, there are instances of people shaving them and everything turns out fine but lots of times that is just luck and just because you may have gotten lucky and not bad has happened to your Aussie please don't tell people to do it like you know some kind of fact. Aussie's like other dogs have double coats and there is a reason for that! If insulates them during summer and winter. In other words it keeps them warm and cool wherever they are. If your dog is panting a lot that's OK. Everybody gets a Lil hot sometimes and that's their way of sweating. They'll be fine don't shave because of that, just give them some water and brush them out often to get the dead fur out. Shaving them can cause serious issues with regrowth, skin issues, and throw off their body temp. Please don't take that risk just because it's been fine once before or u know someone who did. Just trim the legs, butt and tail, and brush regularly and you'll be fine.

Shaving my Ausie
by: Anonymous

Every summer we shave our Ausie. He gets his coat back just as beautiful and nice every fall/winter. He is inside at night and does just fine.

Clipping...
by: Anonymous

I have never shaved my dogs because I think they look stupid but an alternative is clipping with about a 7 blade a path down their but to their underside leaving the natural coat on the back. Working type Aussies and Border collies will naturally adapt by having a very short summer coat. I have seen a seasoned working dog that had worked in the summer heat all day do fine as she was used to it. Access to a tub or place where they can take a dip is better than shaving. Even non water loving dogs will wet their feet when really hot. Dogs only can cool themselves via panting or their paw pads so if you shave, it's for your convenience not the dogs.

Shaving
by: Anonymous

We have two Aussies and we cut their hair two to three times a year short. They have always grown back nicely. Will continue to cut it. They are inside dogs and we cut it to avoid all of the shedding.

Choosing Not to Shave
by: P.T.,& T

#1, I've had both B.C.& now An Aussie who is a. It over 5. I would never shave her for the convince of me. In Calif. the wheather, not bad., so I would never do it. Plus they need both. The look is not Aussie, but poodle. Just my opinion, PT&T

Haircuts for my 2 red merles
by: Chelsea

I live in southern california, hot or mild temps year round. I clip my 2 red merles maybe 3 times a year. I have never shaved them completely. I ask the groomer for 1" all the way around or 3/4" in the summer and they come back looking like perfect little puppies. I love the low maintenance of their short hair cuts. As they have gotten older, my female's hair seemed to just grow and grow and grow constantly and I couldn't stay on top of brushing her. I had always been skeptical about clipping Aussies but when i got my second one, the grooming was just a lot to take on and maintain at home for both. Both of their hair has grown back fine. My female's hair seemed to grow back curlier... she always had more of a wavy coat... My male's hair seemed to do the opposite and is super straight and has the drier texture like the under coat...But just recently, looking back on pictures, their red patches are MUCH lighter now. Like a faded orange instead of a pretty deep red. I suppose this could be due to age but I have a feeling it is due to the haircuts. I plan on continuing getting their hair cut in the future but would recommend NOT to go shorter than 3/4" all the way around and know that their hair will probably be permanently different than if never clipped.

Aussie
by: Anonymous

I have a 4 yr old Aussie, He goes to the Groomers every three months, and they cut his Backside, trim the legs, and around the ears, also his underbelly, and his Fur grows back just fine every time, I had thought about having him trimmed a little shorter all over for the Summer but not to sure on that one. But the Fur he does have trimmed always grows back.

My experience having my aussie shaved
by: Anonymous

We have our aussie shaved one every two months. If we don't, she turns into an absolute furball! Her hair grows back thick and fast, and she is miserable with a long coat. She won't play with our other dog, won't go on long walks, won't curl up in her favorite chair, etc... The day we come back from the groomers, all this changes and she acts like a puppy again (she's over 10 years old)! Her hair does take on a "dull" appearance, but she is so much more comfortable with shaved hair that I don't have a problem with a dull looking coat.

Shearing your Aussie
by: Anonymous

I wouldn't shave it mine is a little shorter than a puppy cut because it gets over a 100 degrees here. His coat is beautiful and it has always grown back just as beautiful. I've heard because they have a dbl coat if you shear them it may grow back.

Shaving troubles
by: Kels S.

We had our 2 1/2 year old Aussie "shaved" by a terrible groomer. We didn't want it as short as they went. They went down to his skin in most places. We're hoping that it grows back but I wouldn't ever recommend it to any Aussie owner. He was extremely cut up and abused from the groomer. And I'm sure he is now traumatized about grooming. We put a shirt on him at first to prevent sunburn and what not. I've had young children ask me 'what kind of dog is that..' or worse off I had a little boy tell his dad, 'that poor dog, they cut his tail off when they shaved him bald' ☹️. Just hoping it grows back. But please don't do it.

DO NOT SHAVE THEM!!
by: AUSSIE MOM

My girls were never shaved, then I met a man who complained about their fur all the time. So one day I shaved them down to almost skin.... 1 year later, my 10 year old still barely has fur, except around her face. My 8 year old has a little more, but not much. I totally ruined a beautiful silky curly coat on both my dogs, and now feel very guilty. I know they both hate it, you can just tell. They are much more timid acting. I regret it!!!

Hair regrowth
by: Candace

My Aussie Boy just got a shave today due to Matted up fur from previous owners not caring for it. How long will it take for his fur to grow back?

Do Not Shave Your Aussie or other dogs with double coated
by: Anonymous

First it will not keep them cooler, it actually makes it hard for them to cool down. I recommend looking up more information on double coats because I'm not going into extreme detail as to the why.

Second, their fur will never be the same again. Say good bye to sleek and shiny coat and hello to patches.

Shaving should only be done in extreme cases of matting and certain skin conditions. Call a vet or certified groomer to get the best information and think of your dog and not yourself. If you are worried about shedding, then brush your dog like its your religion or try different methods or better yet look for other for a different breed of dog.

Shaved
by: Dean

We have two Australian shepherds, one is 16 maybe 17 years old he has trouble standing for longer periods of time so we've had him shaved down once last summer 17 and again today the old guy had lumps and bums but he still getting around pretty good he gets 3 to 4 walks a day. Now our other Aussie is 6.5 years old and she has never like being groomed she will claw us all up so we have decided to have her shaved, it brakes my heart, she is a red and white Aussie with long flowy hair she is beautiful but we're getting older and it's a constant fight to brush her, she is so very sweet till it comes time to brush her and the Matt's just get so bad, along with if she gets into the bures.

Every dog is different!!
by: Julie

I have seen first-hand experience with fur growing back totally normal and also NOT normal. Unfortunately my Australian Shepherd’s fur did NOT grow back normal after getting him shaved :( buuuut my parents Australian Shepherd gets clipped regularly and sometimes VERY short and her fur grows back completely normal! So here’s my advice...you can take the risk that your dog’s fur will grow back totally normal or you will be taking the risk that your pups fur will NEVER be the same. I wish I could go back in time and never get him shaved because his fur is all messed, it looks REALLY bad!!! And I’m sad every single day about it. We will probably always have an Aussie and I’ve learned the hard way to not take that risk! I will not be shaving my next Aussie!!!!

Don't Shave!
by: Anonymous

They actually lose their protective coat, yes hair grows back but it's not the protective coat that grows back, it's the coat that offers no protection from the sun, and makes them hotter. You don't shave an Aussie, they are not better off when you do this, comb out or blow out or brush out the under coat. No furminator either, it cuts the armor coat.

DON"T
by: Anonymous

My vet had to shave my aussie's head because of a wound but Im super worried that his stripe on his head won't come back.

Please never shave your Aussie. Aussies have a woolly undercoat as well as a finer longer top coat. The undercoat serves as an insulation to keep heat out
in the summer and heat in at colder times. We advise ONLY shaving their belly in summer so they may transfer heat from their bodies to a cool surface.

Summer cutting an Aussie
by: Mark

We summer cut ours on a regular basis and they love it and the coat comes back just the same. Besides how many here chain their dog outside in the summer or winter where they would need to use the coats protection on a day to day basis.

Furminate and shave
by: Anonymous

We spent ten grand on medical bills trying to figure out our Aussie. In the end we just xanaxed him. Next Aussie same thing. Bugeyed panting. I would brush him daily. First if anybody tells you not to shave an aussie. Ask the dog. We keep ours about 3/4 and furminate daily. Fans on 24 seven. I think he would love going shorter. But haven't yet. If I don't furminate he is miserable. If he is bugeyed and pants. He is going nuts from heat.

Australian Shepherd
by: Anonymous

Australian Shepherd. I shave mine And she’s making very shy and timid. I started reading about it and seeing that might not have been a good idea. How long will it take my hair?

Shaving an Australian Shepherd and Overheating
by: Sammy

My Aussie Boomer is coming up on 13 years old. I had never shaved him until I got married. My now Ex wife took him in while i was at work and had it done. Now there was absolutely no problem with his fur growing back. We continued to do so For 6 or 7 years. About 2 to 3 times a year. Now.. Heres something interesting that I have noticed. I cannot confirm this is the reason, and I did not put the pieces together in the beginning. It may be coincidence. He started drinking too much water. We had to monitor his intake or he would drink until he made himself sick or until he couldnt control his bladder in the house. (he is potty trained.) We had him tested for diabetes and I talked to the vet. They dismissed it and I just accepted that my dog was a weirdo. Fast Forward to six months after my divorce. I stopped having him shaved and am letting his fur grow back and now I am having less and less issue with his water bowl. I can fill it and he drinks moderately for the most part. He hasn't gotten sick nor has he had an accident in quite a few months.

I cannot confirm that they are connected, but I am wondering if he was in a constant state of overheating and trying to cool his core with water.. ? Anybody have any incite on this? Or you think just a coincidence?

Thanks!

Don't shave your Aussie, keep him natural.
by: Anonymous

My Aussie got cut by a groomer and it ruined his hair. It changed color and texture. She shaved his belly and privates and not one hair has ever grown back (almost a year ago. She clipped his hips again no growth. He was so beautiful it makes me sick. I love him the same and he is still pretty but I would never have cut it and I told her not to. He has a cooling blanket and lives indoors so this was totally not to keep him cool. Please don't chance it.

Always
by: Roe

I always have both my Aussies shaved in the summer... by a groomer, except their mane. Those who say "the coat keeps them cool" does not jive with what I see in them. They are so miserable in summer if I do not shave! They go on the pool so much more with their shaved coat! They run more outside and play with their shaved coat! When I don’t shave they lay by the air conditioner vent all day and all night! As far as the hair growing back... it has always grown back for ours!

My experience - DO NOT SHAVE
by: Sam

We shaved our mini bc he was always panting in the Texas heat, also all of his hair looked dead and I wanted it to grow back shiny like it had been before. It didn't grow back right at all! He looks even worse now! The back half of his body only grew to a short length and it appears to me growing all different directions as well. I really wish I hadn't shaved him but tons of stuff I read online said it would be okay. Now I'm trying to figure out how to fix his coat!

Rufus feels much better after haircuts!
by: Anonymous

We live in south central NC where the heat and humidity is very oppressive from late May until the first few days of October——we usually take Rufus to the groomer three times a year every couple of months in March/April to cut his tremendous winter hair growth from eating a diet very high in protein:)——and summer haircuts in June and August so that when it finally cools off in October his hair has started growing out nicely again for the winter. I think he would be miserable in the summer in the Southeast without these three haircuts every year although I have had some bitter criticism from others who disagree with me—-I think Rufus is the best judge of what feels better to him! I keep him out of the midday sun so we stick to early morning and late evening walks.

Dog groomer
by: Kat

Hi I’m a dog groomer and I can tell you right now you should never shave your Australian Shepherd. I’ve definitely shaved a couple Aussies down because the parents wanted that and would not budge but every dog is different with their hair, one Aussie may get shaved down and grow it’s hair back normal but another may grow it back in patches or it may grow back a different texture.

I would suggest a light trim all over to clean your Aussie up and and FURminator bath (FURminator shampoo and FURminator conditioner) to help get that under coat out.

Note from Anton: You can find more info about FURminator here.

Good luck
by: Anonymous

We have 2 14 yr old Aussies that get shaved down To an inch every spring. They love how we can scratch them and act like puppies after and their hair grows back by September. They get trimmed again in the fall but not as short. We live in upstate NY and they get full of burdock otherwise. They spend a lot of time in the river and pond and won’t dry out, so get matted and mildewy. We have a 1 yr who has sleeker fur and dries quickly and is easier to keep clean, so he won’t get shaved until it becomes a problem.

Miniature Aussie
by: Joe

I have a Miniature Australian Shepherd and she really seems no different coat-wise than the large shepherds I’ve had. Although I never cut other than trim on the large ones I have had her taken down to a summer cut with no issues. She is a climate-friendly dog who can come in the house anytime she likes. I too only get her two cuts a year for the hot season. You can genuinely see how much happier she is when she’s cooler and her coat grows back just fine. Never had allergy issues or skin issues from the dog grooming cut. She’s not a working dog, she’s a pet. If I had a working dog out in the climate all the time I don’t know I’d probably just stick to trimming.

Shave or not to shave
by: Anonymous

I have a 3 year old rescue Australian Shepard with a mix of Samoyed. We live in rural NC where it’s brutally hot and humid most of the year. My sweet female named Piper was attacked when she was under a year old by a roaming pack of 6 dogs. She spend months through 4 surgeries before coming to us. She has nerve damage and her ear was reattached. We try to brush her but she can only stand light brushing so raking and undercoat maintenance is an issue. I just shaved her last week for the second start of summer. She is so much more comfortable, less hot and much happier and loves me to stroke her more now. It gives us a look at her scar healing and skin condition as well. This has been a huge success to remove that thick undercoat and she is even less than half the size now! Given she has a mix in her DNA of Samoyed, it was necessary for us. If her hair comes back again as beautifully as it did last year, I will do this once a year from now on. No harm and all positivity.

Mini Aussie
by: Anonymous

I have a Mini Aussie 11 years old. Last year we had him shaved. He enjoyed the summer much better. Seemed to be a lot more comfortable. His coat grew back in full no issues. We did it again this summer.

Shaving / water consumption update
by: Sammy

Update by Sammy

My Aussie did well with shaving and you could physically tell he felt better. He also had no problem regrowing his coat. He was also a primarily indoor dog in his late years.

The over consumption of water ended up being a cancerous tumor in his stomach/and spleen. He lived to be almost 16 years old, but I had to make the decision to let him go. I miss him terribly. If you have an Aussie that has problems with UTI/bladder infections and consumes a lot of water (to the point of throwing it up at times) don't take anything less than to have his/her stomach and spleen checked. Multiple vets just said it was anxiety or he just had some weird drinking g disorder. It wasn't till he couldn't stand up on his own that they actually ran the tests and then it was too late. He was a good boy and had an awesome life. Maybe one day I'll get another one but not for awhile. Will be hard to fill his shoes.

Shaving my aussie
by: Anonymous

I shaved my Mini Aussie and I did it because she was constantly getting covered in those green sticky things. I would spend 2 to 3 hrs combing them out of her hair and finally said enough because she was miserable sitting all that time while I got them out. I was even using a conditioning cream to help and it still took forever. I didn't look up whether or not it was ok to shave her because I just thought you could shave/cut any dogs hair. If I had to base it off how my dog acts after the fact, I would say she is 100% happier shaved. We live in Florida and it is extremely hot and humid out. Since I shaved her she is more energetic and wants to play way more even in the heat. She no long comes in and plops down on our cold tile floor in front of a fan after going outside. Instead she now comes and and wants to continue her play inside. Washing her is much easier and doesn't need to be done nearly as often. She use to hate sitting to be brushed and now she loves it. I left around her butt longer but, trimmed back and her tail long. Her hair seems to be growing back perfectly and should be full by the time we get our small stent of cold weather. I would say shaving her made her feel better not worse based on her actions. She had much longer thicker hair then any of her siblings so I am not sure if that is a factor or not but, I can say I wouldn't not shave her again because of how she seems so much more comfortable and happy with the shorter hair.

Not Recommended
by: Geri

I have had my Aussie shaved about twice a year in the Summer for the last 3-4 years as we live in Arizona and he loves getting in the pool. His fur has always grown back without any issue in the past but this last time it did not grow back evenly and in some spots it has not grown back at all. I recently had him groomed and cut to even out his coat all over and I am hoping it will eventually grow back to the soft luscious coat he used to have.

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