Most Australian Shepherds enjoy the water and are quite amenable to baths. In hot climates, you may be able to bathe your dog outdoors with a garden hose, provided the water is not too cold. Otherwise, a rubber mat on the bottom of a bathtub or shower stall will provide secure footing and prevent him from slipping.
Dogs that have double or water-repellant coats, like Australian Shepherds, Siberian Huskies, Akitas, Labrador Retrievers, and Newfoundlands, may only need baths every few months. Bathing them more often than necessary can cause dry skin.
If your puppy is properly introduced to the water, many of them do end up liking to swim. This breed wasn't particularly bred to be around water, however. They are herding dogs, which means that they traditionally spent much of their life on land. They don't have the innate love of water that some other breeds have.
Your puppy should be taken outside at least every two hours. Once they hit 20 weeks, they may be able to hold it for four hours. Don't plan on leaving them home for much of the day when you first adopt them. It simply won't work.
Do Australian Shepherds like living indoors? Despite their working shepherd dog DNA, Aussie dogs love to cuddle up on the sofa and be part of home and family life. In fact, they are incredibly sociable, family-orientated dogs, and so they should live, eat, and sleep indoors with you.
While some pet owners are content to let their dogs air dry, you shouldn't be. When you let your dog air dry, they'll be at risk for fungus growing between their paw pads and in locations where their legs attach to their torso. If your dog has long hair, their fur may become matted if you let them air dry after a bath.
Traditional methods for eliminating wet dog smell after baths include regular bathing and grooming. Regular bathing helps to remove dirt, oils, and bacteria from the skin that can further contribute to a wet dog smell after a bath.
Don't pour water over your dog's head because lots of dogs develop secondary ear infections from moisture getting into the ear canal. 3. Don't get your dirty dog a “little bit” wet – If you don't have a hose or sprayer, just fill up the bath and slowly pour the water over your dog, saturating the coat and skin.
It is enough to bathe your Australian Shepherd once a month or as needed. The right care product is important when washing your dog! If the fur feels very greasy or dull after several uses with a product, this product should be replaced. Buy shampoo and conditioner individually - and not 2-in-1 products.
Aussies are cotton ball fluffy when they're tiny and then they loose all that fluff and have this thin, soft, wispy chicken feather coat for a while during their adolescent phase. As they get closer to being 1 year old they finally get a long, slightly more dense and coarse adult coat (see pics below).
Should you ever cut the fur off this breed? No, there's generally no need to give your Australian Shepherd a haircut. The only exception is trimming the hair around the feet, legs, and ears, which can get long.
Even though Australian Shepherds have self-cleaning coats, you'll still need to give them a hand with removing dirt and tangles. Luckily, a slicker brush and undercoat rake are all you'll need to keep your pup's skin and fur feeling supple and smooth.
Try using vinegar (diluted with a bit of water) in a spray bottle and spray on carpets or floors. Or use in combination with baking soda on cushions or bedding for an extra powerful, odor-eliminating punch.
Groomers also use conditioners like our Plush Puppy T.L.C Leave-in or Rinse out conditioner to give your dog's coat a shine, as well as a fresh fragrance. This conditioner comes in a spray that can be left in your dog's coat, or rinsed out, whichever works best for your pet.
Launder your dog's bed weekly.
You can use a variety of odor-neutralizing laundry detergents or additives, such as apple cider vinegar. Add ¼ cup during the detergent cycle (and even another one during the rinse cycle, if it's really bad!).
Dogs go crazy after a bath for a range of reasons from relief, to happiness, to an instinctual desire to return to a more familiar scent.
Different dogs react to the prospect of having a bath in very different ways. For some splashing about in the water is a fun activity, whereas others merely tolerate it and some can find it to be a source of stress and anxiety.
Yes, with a couple of cautions. First and foremost, you need to keep the nozzle a few inches away from your dog's fur and the air flow in constant motion, to prevent heat from concentrating on any one spot and burning your pet. You do this naturally when drying your own hair, because you can feel when it's too hot.
The Aussie's desire to cuddle
Dogs in general are known for being happy, cuddly, sweet, and soothing for a human to pet. Some breeds are, by nature, more affectionate than others. While the Aussie will typically reserve cuddling for one person or a group of trusted people, sometimes he won't want to cuddle at all.
An active yet easy-going dog, the Australian shepherd loves to romp with children and tends to get along well with other pets. Australian shepherds are great family pets, herding animals, police dogs and competitors in obedience trials.