How to Improve a Collie's Coat

Without frequent brushing to remove dead hair, a Collie's dense coat will form mats. Mat removal often cannot be done without damaging the coat. To avoid such problems and maintain the full beauty of a healthy coat by distributing natural oils through the hair, brush your Collie two or three times a week with a slicker brush. If mats form in the coat despite your care, use a mat comb to remove them. It is important to be sure your collie's coat is mat-free all the way to the skin, and not just on the surface. Skin problems can develop under mats that are allowed to remain in the undercoat. If your Collie is the rough-coated variety, regular appointments with a professional groomer will keep the coat in top condition, remove excessively dense undercoat, and make the brushing work at home easier. Grooming a rough-coated Collie is complicated, and is best left to a professional.

Collies don't require frequent bathing. Brushing the coat several times per week will keep it clean. Too-frequent bathing will remove natural skin oils that are important to the condition and shine of the coat, and can also lead to skin problems. Bathe your collie every two or three months, and more frequently only if your dog needs it because the coat has become dirty.

Brush your Collie and remove excess hair, tangles and mats from the coat before bathing. If you don't, the result will be formation of tight mats that will be difficult or impossible to remove without cutting them out.

Shampoo your Collie with a high-quality dog shampoo, taking care to keep soap out of the ears and eyes. Rinse carefully, ensuring that every bit of shampoo is removed from the coat. Follow with a conditioner, applied according to manufacturer's instructions. Rinse your collie thoroughly, and towel off excess water. Go over the coat carefully with a comb to ensure all mats and tangles are out of the coat.

When your Collie is completely dry, brush the coat again.

A high-quality diet is essential to the health of a Collie's coat. Hair is primarily keratin, a protein, so growing a healthy coat requires adequate intake of usable protein. Growing puppies require higher protein; adult dogs require less. Look for high-quality commercial dog foods that list a meat as the first ingredient, rather than grains, vegetables or meat by-products.

If you decide to feed your Collie a homemade diet, use high-quality ingredients. It is difficult to provide a properly balanced homemade diet for a dog, so it is important to consult your veterinarian or a canine nutrition expert to ensure your efforts will be beneficial.

Whether you feed a homemade diet or a high-quality commercial diet, consult your veterinarian regarding additives intended to improve your Collie's coat, such as Omega-6 fatty acids or extra vitamins. High-quality commercial dog foods include many such additives in amounts needed to ensure optimum skin and coat health.

Fleas, ticks and other parasites can irritate and damage your collie's skin, causing a dry, flaky coat. Some dogs develop an allergic reaction to fleas, causing severe skin and coat problems. Consult your veterinarian on the best monthly flea and tick preventatives to use on your collie, as collies are more sensitive than other breeds to some chemicals.

Food allergies and inhalant allergies, including allergies to house dust and pollens, can wreak havoc on your collie's skin and coat. If you notice frequent scratching or a dull coat, ask your veterinarian to test your Collie for allergies. Some common foods that cause allergies in dogs include meats, corn, soy, wheat, and food additives or supplements.

The health of a properly groomed Collie will be reflected, for better or for worse, in the appearance of the coat. A greasy feel to the coat may indicate a yeast infection. Very dry, flaky coats can indicate endocrine problems such as hormonal imbalances or problems with the thyroid gland. If, despite proper care, brushing and nutrition, your collie's coat looks lifeless, dirty or sparse, consult your veterinarian.

Trimming Hair on a Border Collie

Border collies come with a variety of coat lengths, ranging from short to medium-length to very long. However, all border collies have a thick undercoat, and the fur can easily become matted if left ungroomed. Because grooming your dog can be tricky, you should take the dog to a professional groomer for major haircuts, to remove excessive matting, or about once every three months. However, trimming your border collie's hair can lengthen the time between grooming sessions and prevent matting.

Step 1

Brush your dog's coat completely from head to tail before attempting to groom them. A slicker brush works well for the winter months, when your border collie is not heavily shedding. For the summer months, try brushing with a shedding blade first, which will remove loose and excess hair. Then brush with the slicker brush.

Step 2

Remove mats using the mat splitter. If the mats are very thick, you can use an electric hair trimmer to remove them instead. This method also works well for dogs that are skittish and will not sit still to have mats removed. Simply run the trimmer across the top and sides of the mat until it is gone. If you still can't get the mats out, you'll need to cut the hair using blunt-nosed scissors. Cut immediately above the mat, making sure to separate your dog's hair from skin. Mats are often located in sensitive areas or close to skin, so investigate the area closely before cutting.

Step 3

Trim excess hair around your dog's feet. Border collies are notoriously sensitive about having their feet touched. While scissors will give a neater, cleaner look, you may need to use the electric trimmer, which will work more quickly. Ensure that the hair is not growing over the ends of the toes, and remove any excess hair growing between the pads of your dog's feet.

Step 4

Trim the hair around your dog's ears. A thorough ear cleaning and trimming should only be done by a professional groomer. However, you can gently remove stray hairs with your scissors. Check for mats behind the ears and, if you see any, remove them with the electric trimmer.

Step 5

Trim the hair on your dog's tail. This hair tends to grow fastest and gets dirty easily, making it a prime location for matting. Excessive trimming will result in a bizarre, uneven look, so focus instead on removing hairs that are longer than the rest of your dog's fur and checking for mats. It's generally easiest to do this on the tail with the electric trimmers.

Tips & Warnings

• Give your dog lots of treats and praise when trimming the hair.
• Trimming in an enclosed area, such as a bathroom, can help calm your dog.
• If your dog has any aggressive tendencies, do not attempt to give them a haircut yourself.

Things Needed

• Slicker brush
• Shedding blade
• Mat splitter
• Blunt-nosed scissors
• Electric hair trimmer

More on Grooming

Should You DIY Your Dog's Haircut?
A Dog Brush Buying Guide
Top Products To Stop Dog Shedding

This information is for informational purposes only and is not meant as a substitute for the professional advice of, or diagnosis or treatment by, your veterinarian. Always seek the advice of your veterinarian or other qualified professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard or delay seeking professional advice due to what you may have read on our website.