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HealthThe 3 Best Dog Brushes for Shelties
The Sheltie's thick double coat is tackled best with 3 specialized dog brushes: a detangling comb/rake for the undercoat, a fine-toothed comb for nooks and crannies, and a slicker brush for the outercoat.
Over the years I've tested lots of different dog brushes on my Shelties and found this combination is the most effective. So let's look at these grooming tools in more detail and how best to use them on your wee furball.
1. The Detangling Comb or Dematting Rake
The most important brush for any double coated breed is the detangling comb, identical in function to the dematting or undercoat rake, both of which draw out the loose undercoat. Use this brush once a week to strip out the fluffiest, woolliest parts of your Sheltie's coat. Simply draw the brush down your Sheltie in the direction or hair growth and the long teeth reach through the outercoat into the undercoat.
Increase your efficiency with a technique called line brushing. Start at the back of the neck, part the fur horizontally so you can see the skin, and apply your detangling comb in small strokes. Fur quickly accummulates in the comb so remove it often and make an impressive pile of fluff at your side. When there's no more resistance, move down an inch and systematically repeat the process down the body, rump, and legs.
Take your time and talk in a soothing voice; if your Sheltie squirms, you're being too aggressive and need to slow down. When you come to mats, grip the fur at the base to reduce the pull on the skin, then go in small gentle strokes and repetitively tease out the trouble.
2. The Fine-Toothed Comb
Use the fine-toothed comb for areas where you need more precision. This includes all the nooks and crannies (under the collar, under the arm pits) and areas of long wispy fur (the belly, behind the ears). The most common area for knots is behind the ears where the longest, silkiest fur winds up twisting, especially after a good scratch. While combing, use your fingertips to seek out any knotted bulbs of fur behind the ears and, if necessary, trim them out to save your Sheltie the discomfort. Carefully brush behind the ears then move onto the troublesome neck area, where fur mats easily under the collar.
To reach the underside, encourage your Sheltie to lie down and roll on her back. Relax her with a nice belly rub before you get all up in her arm pits. If the wispy fur is visibly knotted, consider trimming the knots out for her comfort: snip carefully and avoid pulling the fur taught, as this can draw the skin into the path of the scissors. Instead, hold the fur loosely and cut in small, gentle snips until the entire mat is free. Otherwise, pinch the fur close to the skin, taking the tension in your fingers, and work the knots out in small gentle strokes.
3. The Slicker Brush
Finally, run a slicker brush down the outercoat in long strokes, following the direction of hair growth. This stage is quick and painless for your Sheltie as all the heavy mats are all gone. The slicker brush removes superficial knots, debris and looses guard hairs from the coarse outercoat. It also massages the skin to increase bloodflow and distributes the coat's natural oils to leave it softer and shinier.
And that's it—you're done! It's best to groom your Sheltie every week with all three brushes in the sequence described above, or more frequently if your furball is shedding heavily and your clothes can't take it. Shelties blow coat at the start of summer, making for a brief period of very heavy shedding. What's more, unspayed females shed more heavily every heat cycle every 6-8 months. (If you're eying up the clippers right now, please glance through my article Should You Shave a Sheltie?)
5 Tips on Bathing a Sheltie
Tip #1. Bathe Only Every 1-2 Months
Don't bathe your Sheltie too often; like many dogs they lick themselves clean. Shelties generally aren't the kind of dogs to jump into the lake and roll around in poo. Indeed, overbathing your dog (weekly or more) is problematic as soap disrupts the normal microbiome, destroying both good and bad bacteria that live on the skin. Bathing also washes away the natural oils which serve as a barrier to harmful bacteria and yeast.
However, zero bathing can also lead to problems. Dogs come into contact with all kinds of gross stuff on their walks: duck poo, stagnant water, and dead birds to name a few. Harmful bacteria and fungi can transfer to your dog, potentially leading to infection. More commonly, sand and dirt particles accummulate in the fur, preventing airflow and creating dead skin cell pile-up and microbial overgrowth. Your Sheltie can also suffer blocked pores which can form into large hard lumps under the skin.
Tip #2. Shower with Warm (Skin-Temperature) Water
Although you may enjoy the sensation of a hot shower, your Shetland Sheepdog's skin and coat are not adapted to withstand high temperatures. Dog skin is thinner and more sensitive than human skin, making it more susceptible to heat injury. Water exceeding 102°F (39°C) can cause pain and discomfort, disrupt the skin barrier, and potentially lead to burns or irritation. To bathe your Sheltie safely, use lukewarm water, ideally 75-85°F (24°C–29°C), which aligns with a dog's normal skin temperature.
Thoroughly saturating the fur requires a good few minutes, since Shelties possess a dense double coat with a water-resistant outer layer and a softer insulating undercoat. Simply running water over the top won't cut it! Instead, part the coat with your fingers in sections, allowing the water to penetrate down to the skin. Position the shower nozzle directly against the body to maximize absorption into the coat and be systematic about it to ensure full coverage. Check for skin lumps, hot spots, flea eggs, and fleas as you go, giving your Sheltie a good scratch and words of encouragement.
Tip #3. Use Dog Shampoo for Double Coats
Human shampoos are made for slightly acidic human skin (around 5.5) whereas dog's have a more neutral pH (around 6.2-7.4). As a result, using human shampoo on a dog disrupts the skin's acid mantle, strips away natural oils, and weakenes the barrier against bacteria, fungi, and allergens. This causes dryness, irritation, excessive shedding, and susceptibility to skin infections.
Choose a pH-balanced dog shampoo for double-coated breeds which penetrates the water-resistant outercoat to loosen the partially shed undercoat and gently exfoliate the skin. If your Sheltie has dry or sensitive skin, use a hypoallergenic dog shampoo for thick coats. After lathering, rinse thoroughly for several minutes, as residues can trap dirt, clog follicles, and cause itching and dermatitis. Work your fingers through the coat and check for soap bubbles to ensure complete elimination.
Tip #4. Keep Ear Canals Dry and Use Ear Wipes
Avoid directing the shower nozzle toward your Sheltie's large, open ear canals. Unlike humans, dogs have an L-shaped ear canal, which traps moisture and creates an ideal environment for bacterial and fungal overgrowth. Warm, damp conditions inside the ear provide a breeding ground for pathogens such as Malassezia yeast and Staphylococcus bacteria, both common culprits of outer ear infections.
Water entering the ear canal can also mix with natural earwax, forming a sticky residue that further encourages microbial growth. Symptoms of an ear infection include head shaking, ear scratching, redness, swelling, and a foul odor. If left untreated, chronic infections can lead to pain, hearing loss, or even a ruptured eardrum. To prevent this, keep your Sheltie's head tilted slightly downward while bathing and avoid spraying in or near the ears. If you're concerned about accidental splashes, gently insert cotton wool balls into the outer ear canal to act as a barrier. After the bath, remove the cotton and use ear wipes with drying agents to eliminate residual moisture.
Tip #5. Pat Your Sheltie Dry with an Absorbent Dog Towel
When drying your Sheltie, always avoid vigorous rubbing, as the hairs are more fragile when wet. Instead, gently pat your Sheltie dry with a quick dry towel for dogs. There are some amazing products in the world of pet care and these microfiber shammies are mega absorbent, taking up water without damaging the coat. The more water you can take off in the bathroom, the better, as your Sheltie will be less compelled to rub himself dry on the furniture, damaging both his coat and your house.
Once you set him loose from his pampering ordeal, allow your Sheltie to air-dry indoors in a warm, draft-free environment. Bear in mind that Shelties can retain moisture deep within the undercoat for hours so to speed up drying, you can use a high-velocity pet dryer, or a human blow dryer on a low-heat setting. Work methodically, parting the fur with your fingers to ensure the air reaches the skin and undercoat. However, do hold the dryer at least 6–12 inches away from the skin to prevent heat damage, and keep it moving to avoid concentrating heat in one spot. For a pro finish, use light spritzes of a leave-in conditioner to moisturize the guard hairs and minimize frizz and static.
How to Trim Your Dog's Nails
About once a month, trim your Sheltie's nails and the overgrown fur that extends between the paw pads. The goal is to keep his nails just short enough so they're not touching the ground, as overgrown claws arch a dog's toes backwards. This forces him to walk on the back of his paws which puts extra strain on the tendons, ultimately leading to limping and arthritis.
1. Trim The Nails with Clippers or a Grinder
The best place to start is on a white claw, found amongst the white fur, so you can more easily see the internal pink, blood-lined quick. Using guillotine-style dog clippers or an electric nail grinder, remove only the hook of the nail. If clipping, make the cut top-down, as trimming dog nails sideways can causing crushing and splintering.
Make small cuts of 1-3 mm and strictly avoid cutting into the blood-lined quick as this is painful and causes bleeding. Then mimic the same-sized cuts on all the remaining claws, taking extra care with black claws. Stop cutting if you see a gray or pink oval in the frashly cut claw, as this immediately precedes the quick.
No matter how careful you are, there will come a time when you clip too close to the quick. Stop the bleeding fast by dipping the affected claw into styptic powder. This coagulates the blood to stop bleeding, creates a plug to block bacteria entering the bloodstream, and provides benzocaine for immediate pain relief. If you don't have any styptic powder on hand, the best you can do is hold a tissue firmly over the cut for several minuted until it clots. Stay calm and talk soothingly to your Sheltie while solemnly begging forgiveness with copious dog treats.
Remember to trim the dew claws! These little rascals are thin "thumb" nails on the inner legs. They're vestigical structures; remnants of a fifth toe that are evolving out since they don't have much (if any) purpose. If allowed to overgrow, they curl right round in a circle. Shelties don't usually have dew claws on their back legs, although it's worth checking if they have mixed ancestry. Unlike the front dew claws, the rear dew claws are not attached to the bone so vets tend to remove them to prevent snagging.
2. Trim The Fur with Curved Pet Scissors
Finally, use a sharp pair of curved safety scissors to trim the paws. With your Sheltie lying on her back, carefully trim the overgrown fur protruding between the paw pads until it's flush with the pads. Be careful not to angle inwards, as you risk cutting the hidden webbing between, much like the reduced webbing between our fingers. Then stand your Sheltie up and trim the fur around the outside of the paw into a neat arch.
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