Grooming
Border Collies are not high maintenance in the grooming department, but they do need to be given a weekly brush to keep their coats in good condition and any shed hair under control. Like other breeds, they tend to shed more during the Spring and then again in the Autumn when more frequent grooming would be necessary. Dogs with longer coats tend to be higher maintenance and some owners have their dogs professionally groomed a few times a year which makes it easier for owners to stay on top of things in between visits to a grooming parlour.
It’s also important to keep an eye on a dog’s ears to make sure they are kept nice and dry because if any moisture remains in their ears it can lead to a yeast infection which can be notoriously hard to clear up.
Border Collies can often be allergic to fleas and as a result, proper care of their coat and skin is of paramount importance. Regular brushing will not only keep the coat in great condition, but will also give you the chance to look for signs of any fleas and to treat when necessary, using a dog-specific flea treatment.
Grooming Tools Needed For A Border Collie
Because grooming is an important part of a weekly routine when sharing a home with a Border Collie, it helps to have the right tools which need to be good quality ones that will last. The tools needed to keep a Border Collie’s coat in good condition includes the following:
- A slicker brush
- A bristle brush
- A steel pin brush
- 2-1 comb
- Shedding blade – more especially for longer coated or heavier shedding Border Collies
- Liquid detangler
- A pair of rounds ended scissors.
- Nail clippers
It’s also important to regularly brush a dog’s teeth using a dog-specific toothpaste and to give them good quality dog chews to gnaw on which also helps prevent dental issues from flaring up.
Exercise
As previously mentioned, Border Collies are high energy dogs that need to be given a minimum of 2+ hours exercise a day although the more these dogs get, the happier they are. On top of this because they are such intelligent dogs, Border Collies need to be given heaps of mental stimulation to be truly happy, well-rounded characters. A great way of keeping a dog’s brain busy is to play lots of interactive games with them which includes things like throwing a ball so they can retrieve it or taking part in agility and obedience classes which Border Collies thrive on taking part in.
