Breed · Double-coated shedders
Border Collie grooming: rough and smooth coats, tools, shedding
AKC's Border Collie coat facts for both coat types: a pin brush once or twice a week, daily in shedding season, nail care and why not to shave.
Also listed as BC
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Short answer
Border Collies come in a rough coat (medium-length and feathered) and a smooth coat (shorter and coarser); both are dense double coats, and AKC rates shedding 3 of 5. Grooming is the same for both: a pin brush once or twice a week, more if needed, and daily brushing in shedding season (AKC). Core tools: pin brush or slicker, comb, nail clippers. Don't shave either coat.
Key facts
- Coat type (AKC)
- Double, Wavy[1]Two varieties: rough (medium-length, feathered) and smooth (shorter, coarser).
- Coat length (AKC)
- Medium[1]
- Shedding (AKC, 1-5)
- 3 of 5[1]
- Brushing (AKC guidance)
- Pin brush once or twice a week; daily in shedding season[1]
- Seasonal shedding
- Seasonal shedding is normal (breed standard); no months given[1][2]AKC's double-coat guide: spring and fall in colder places, more often where it's warmer.
- Clipping and shaving
- Don't shave; AKC advises against shaving double coats[3][2]Some owners trim excess hair around the feet, hocks and pasterns, depending on the breed standard (AKC).
- Professional grooming
- Not called for in AKC's breed advice[1]
Watch out for
- Don't shave for summer: AKC says shaving a double coat doesn't cool the dog and removes its insulation and sun protection.
- On rough coats, comb the feathering on the forelegs, haunches, chest and underside, which the breed standard describes, all the way to the skin.
- AKC's aim for the weekly brushing is a coat free of mats, tangles, dirt and debris, so check the coat after time outdoors.
What fits
Product details below are the seller's own description unless a source is shown. Pick the variant named for each item.
Slicker brush
Self-cleaning slicker brush (PS1140)Choose the single brush; any color.
For mats and dead hair; AKC names a pin brush for the weekly going-over, and a pin brush has no catalog pick yet.
Sold by Stone's Store
Paw trimmer
LED paw trimmer with nail-grinder headChoose the white trimmer, not the spare cutter head.
For excess hair around the feet, which AKC says some owners of medium double coats trim.
Sold by lazyishhouse Official Store
Nail clipper
Scissor-style pet nail clipper with LED lightChoose the gray clipper.
Scissor-style, with a light; VCA suggests staying about 2-3 mm from the visible quick on light nails.
Sold by Shop1105233629 Store
Once or twice a week: a pin brush or slicker through the coat, then a comb through the feathering on rough coats. In shedding season: daily brushing (AKC), adding an undercoat rake if loose undercoat builds up.
AKC rates Border Collies 3 of 5 for shedding, so a grooming vacuum is optional.
No catalog pick yet for a pin brush, a comb or an undercoat rake. See slicker vs pin brush.
Questions
Do rough and smooth Border Collies need different grooming?
No. AKC says grooming is the same for both coat types: going over the dog with a pin brush once or twice a week, more often if needed, and brushing daily during shedding season.[1]
Is it OK to shave a Border Collie in summer?
AKC advises against shaving double coats: shaving doesn't cool a dog and removes insulation and sun protection. Its double-coat guide names the Border Collie as a medium double coat that benefits from weekly brushing instead.[3]
How much do Border Collies shed?
AKC rates shedding 3 of 5, the middle of its scale, and says daily brushing is required during shedding season. The breed standard calls seasonal shedding normal.[1]