Can I shave my Sheltie?
Let’s start by saying this is a good question to confirm with your veterinarian, but baring any medical reason, the response would be: You should not remove large amounts of hair from a Sheltie.
The Shetland Sheepdog carries 2 coats. The inner coat is used to keep them warm in the winter and the outer coat is used to protect their skin from the sun. In the summer time the inner coat is shed, leaving mostly the outer coat which helps to insulate them from the heat and protect their skin from the sun.
If you completely shave your Sheltie, you will give them sunburn. What you want to do is keep the coat regularly combed and brushed, paying special attention to the undercoat. (Keep a spray bottle of water available when brushing, as Sheltie coats should be brushed when damp.) In double-coated breeds like the Sheltie, the soft undercoat can mat into a mess that looks and feels very much like felt. It’s essential to strip out the undercoat with frequent brushing – or regular trips to a professional groomer – to keep these mats from forming. Remember, matted fur hurts!
Besides, the long hair is one of the Shetland Sheepdog’s most appealing features. Why would you want to mess with that?
Thanks to Judy, Scott & their Sheltie Shiraz for the great grooming shot!
What is the best kind of shampoo and /or conditioner to use on a Sheltie?
Hi Carla,
I personally use a combination of whitening & an oatmeal shampoo on my Shelties. The whitening shampoo is great for their legs & chests while the oatmeal is very gentle & soothing for our allergy prone dogs. Maybe others will chime in with suggestions on what they use too? Kelly
Well, I must admit I thought I had this all figured out. I thought I was doing such a great job brushing, but apparently I thought wrong. I took Keegan in for his first professional grooming. He was kind of looking like a troll doll. And well, they had to shave him b.c he was matted,and although they could have worked on the mats in two different sessions, he was very upset to the point of having an upset stomach…eeeewww! So I gave them permission for the shave. Needless to stay I cried. I know he was happier not to go through the pain, and I got new grooming tools that will hopefully allow me to be a better mom.
I should try oatmeal shampoo then for my sheltie because he’s got allegie problems and has to go on allegie pills for his two back feet. :( Thanks for that suggestion. :)
Oatmeal shampoo or puppy shampoo works best. I find the other kind just makes my sheltie’s skin itchy. Also, it is good to work out the knots slowly before taking a sheltie to a groomer, most won’t take the time to do a good job and will just cut out the knots or offer to shave the dog.
I also use an oatmeal shampoo along with a whitening conditioner and sometimes I use a medicated shampoo for allergies. Every once in a while I clip out some of my shelties skirt, thinning it out, to prevent bad matting but never much and only 1-2 a year. I also keep the fur on her paws clipped short so it doesn’t carry allergens since she is allergic to grass and reacts to it on her feet. I also use aloe vera juice as a moisturizer for her skin and paws, this helps a lot with itching coased by allergies and keeps her from getting dry skin from grooming.
I live in Arizona .. and my sheltie stays inside most of the day. He is 10 years old and I shave him (down to the bone lol) in the worst of the summer months. No issues and No problems at all!
If you live in 100+ temps, do yourself and your pet a favor and shave off all that hair until it gets down into the 80′s.
Also, it will give you the opportunity to check your dog for any skin issues or trouble spots in older dogs.
I just got a Sheltie & he’s infested with fleas. So much in fact as I was bathing him the water was red from blood from all the flea beds :( I’ve tried baths and dips but nothing seems to help. Afte the dip I noticed he looks like he’s blowing his coat. I don’t know if its from the stress or what. I have frontline + on him right now. Should I shave him just to get rid of the matted hair and make sure all the fleas are gone? PLEASE HELP! I don’t know what else to do. I feel horrible for him..
Jessica,
Please join and post your questions in our forum. There are many knowledgable and friendly people there who can help. It sounds like a serious infestation, so please call your vet.
Kelly,
If you read my post had the same problem. I opted to shave… hesitantly…but was my last resort!
Hello,
I have had a horrible time getting rid of fleas and flea eggs on my Sheltie! I tried every brand on the market, spent a small fortune..even just had my home, which has hard wood floors throughout professionally treated. Even still combing out my dog still fleas. Even undercoat.. I use a special rake. I know you are not supposed to, but I opted to begin shaving him…..ugh…. I know! I believe this is my last resort to make him comfortable as well as keep my home flea free and start over! I also have another dog a Black Mouth Cur, and i’m going to shave him too. I’m just desperate and frustrated with all the products on the market that are deceptive and quite expensive. At the end of the day, I need to tend to the health and safety of my children and my animals. I just pray their hair grows back!….. Ugh!