Shaved Australian Cattle Dog!

I bet you've never seen one of these guys with a buzz cut! He's sooooo cute! I was afraid he'd look funny without that thick coat but he looks great. Super soft too without that coarse top coat. I need to blend it a little behind his head and go over a couple spots where I missed some hairs between his legs and stomach but I think it's a pretty good job for a first time. I just gave him a good bath and ear cleaning too. The way he's been running around and acting like a puppy, I think he likes it :)

You couldn't touch him before without fur flying everywhere. No matter how much brushing I did, he was blowing coat so bad I couldn't stand it anymore.

Here is Kains new do. Red Australian Cattle Dog (red heeler). These pics were before his bath. He's brighter now.

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And here was his coat before. It's crazy thick and very dense but it's hard to tell in pictures. It was difficult to shave him. It took many passes in both directions. Weird how all the white hairs were the top coat.

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He's adorbz! :D

My dog acts all happy after a bath. And she loves being shaved down too! Sheseems so upset when her hair is long lol


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He looks like he likes it. Especially since its getting hotter out for summer. I would definetly keep him like that all summer.

He's really cute like that!

I did that with my acd/aussie girl several times. It seemed the only way to groom her. He looks good like that!

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Originally Posted by Tfpets

I did that with my acd/aussie girl several times. It seemed the only way to groom her. He looks good like that!

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Oh I love it. It was such a pain trying to bathe him before. They're made to be water proof with the thick double coat. He'd clog my drain every time. This seems to have completely gotten rid of the doggy smell too. I'll be doing this more often for sure.


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The reason it's so hard to shave that coat is because it's a double coat and because the hair was dirty with oil(naturally oily like healthy hair, not like motor oil).

If you shave him again, try bathing him and brushing and make sure he's thoroughly dry, then shave him. The clippers will go through the coat easier if it's clean and dry. Shaving against the "grain" is fine with most blades, I often use a #7F in 'reverse' on that type of coat with really good results.

Since you've bathed him now, you might try to run the clippers over him again when you go to "touch up" the spots. I bet the tracks and unevenness will disappear almost completely.

The color difference is common, since the undercoat is often a different color than the harsher outer coat hairs. The softness is also due to the undercoat being soft. He won't be as waterproof as before and the hair may get dirty easier for that reason. But since he's easier to wash, it's not much of an issue.

Nice job. I've seen groomer trainees that did way worse jobs than that. (And in case people fuss at you about not ever shaving double coated dogs, it should grow back in just fine, I do tons of double coated dogs and the coats always grow right back in fine).

Super adorable! I really like his colors. I bet he feels much better now that the temps are getting warmer.

I just shaved my bf's Australian Shepherd a few weeks ago and gave her a mohawk mullet. She looks ridiculous now. Haha

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How friggin cute!! I love how he's almost posing for the pics :)

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Originally Posted by wolfy-hound

The reason it's so hard to shave that coat is because it's a double coat and because the hair was dirty with oil(naturally oily like healthy hair, not like motor oil).

If you shave him again, try bathing him and brushing and make sure he's thoroughly dry, then shave him. The clippers will go through the coat easier if it's clean and dry. Shaving against the "grain" is fine with most blades, I often use a #7F in 'reverse' on that type of coat with really good results.

Since you've bathed him now, you might try to run the clippers over him again when you go to "touch up" the spots. I bet the tracks and unevenness will disappear almost completely.

The color difference is common, since the undercoat is often a different color than the harsher outer coat hairs. The softness is also due to the undercoat being soft. He won't be as waterproof as before and the hair may get dirty easier for that reason. But since he's easier to wash, it's not much of an issue.

Nice job. I've seen groomer trainees that did way worse jobs than that. (And in case people fuss at you about not ever shaving double coated dogs, it should grow back in just fine, I do tons of double coated dogs and the coats always grow right back in fine).

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What's the best way to blend it on his head better? I'd rather not shave his head and face. I only did his body. Didn't need to do his legs.

Next is my Turkish Angora cat. I want to give her a lion cut but I'm sure I'll mess it up. Her coat should be a lot easier on the clippers since she has no undercoat and her hair is silky and fine.


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I'm going through the same thing you are - hair everywhere. My reds never blow their coat quite properly, though - does yours? I've seen many a blue but only owned the reds and I've seen the traditional blowing of the coat on the blues. My reds have never done it quite like that. Or, perhaps, I just can't see it as well.

Wont be shaving my girl, though. I can live with the hair just fine - girlfriend doesn't appreciate it on her black uniform, though.... Haha.

Also - I worked in a grooming salon for a little while. Many people wanted breeds such as Beagles (most commonly, oddly) shaved and the groomers always told them that there was a chance that it would not grow back and if it did - it wouldn't grow back the same. An above poster said this wasn't true. Why not? Makes sense that if you cut, say, a Poodle whose hair grows consistently, not unlike a human, it will grow back. But a dog that doesn't have such a hair type - explain how it grows back, if you don't mind? I like big explanations! And I love to learn.

I don't know why it wouldn't grow back.. Dogs hair grows and sheds all the time. Much like a humans. Otherwise we wouldn't have hair everywhere in our homes, cars, and on us lol!! Plus they wouldn't get thicker in the winter when they are not shedding as often.

As for the reds blowing coat. The main thing I've noticed with mine over the last few years is that he would just get thinner in the summer but it didn't seem like he really shed his winter coat like I'd expect. If I hadn't shaved it so short, he would be shedding all over the place all summer long. Even with his new hair cut he is still shedding. This just makes it more manageable and easier to brush.

Another reason I did it is the fact that many herding dogs have skin issues. I had a blue years ago that would get patchy hot spots. My red here just seems itchy all the time. He's never had bugs. Gets frontline or revolution on him every month. He just has sensitive skin. I put extra virgin olive oil in his food once or twice a week. He gets bathed and conditioned when needed only. He's still itchy. This hair cut is also better for that since its easily brushed, washed, and easier for him to scratch an itch without scratching a bald spot on himself.


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Originally Posted by Foschi Exotic Serpents

I don't know why it wouldn't grow back.. Dogs hair grows and sheds all the time. Much like a humans. Otherwise we wouldn't have hair everywhere in our homes, cars, and on us lol!! Plus they wouldn't get thicker in the winter when they are not shedding as often.

As for the reds blowing coat. The main thing I've noticed with mine over the last few years is that he would just get thinner in the summer but it didn't seem like he really shed his winter coat like I'd expect. If I hadn't shaved it so short, he would be shedding all over the place all summer long. Even with his new hair cut he is still shedding. This just makes it more manageable and easier to brush.

Another reason I did it is the fact that many herding dogs have skin issues. I had a blue years ago that would get patchy hot spots. My red here just seems itchy all the time. He's never had bugs. Gets frontline or revolution on him every month. He just has sensitive skin. I put extra virgin olive oil in his food once or twice a week. He gets bathed and conditioned when needed only. He's still itchy. This hair cut is also better for that since its easily brushed, washed, and easier for him to scratch an itch without scratching a bald spot on himself.


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Where did you hear about using the EVOO in their food Foschi?
We put apple cider vinegar in my dogs food once a week and it seems to help, but she still itches. Shes also 13 and has had allergies her whole so that accounts for some of it. How old is your boy?

If you wash the dogs at home, make sure you don't use full strength shampoo, it's hard to rinse off completely and leaves a residue that can make a dog itch.

I'm not positive, but I think reds are a dilute color? If so, dilute color coats tend to be softer, and thus the outer hairs "hold" the undercoat better than a regular hard coat, so you'd have to do more brushing to get that undercoat out. If red isn't a dilute, then I got nothing.

Dogs shed out hairs and grow in new ones all the time. When you cut hair(on anything, human, dog, fur or hair), you are cutting dead hair, not anything living. So the cut hairs don't "know" they've been cut. They shed out and the new ones grow in just like always.

The main reason that some people think double coated dogs won't grow the coat back is because many times the undercoat grows in faster than the harsher outer coat. The guard hairs almost always grow a bit slower than the undercoat. So the undercoat is longer at first and looks softer and not shiny and 'hard' like the normal coat looked. Instead of brushing and washing and waiting... people say "See! It's not growing back!" and they shave it again.

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

Where did you hear about using the EVOO in their food Foschi?
We put apple cider vinegar in my dogs food once a week and it seems to help, but she still itches. Shes also 13 and has had allergies her whole so that accounts for some of it. How old is your boy?

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My ACD is 3 years old and I've seen the olive oil tip many times in various discussions on dog and pet boards online. I've also heard that you shouldn't give it to them every day. I'm not sure why but he has never had a problem with dull coat. Always plenty of oils to keep it nice. He's just itchy.


As for shampooing. I usually use a gentle or oatmeal based dog shampoo. I've used a good conditioner on a few times and I always rinse him well. He hates baths so I have a high powered sprayer I use so he isn't in a tub of water. I know, weird huh? He hates baths but cattle dogs generally love water and are built for swimming with their thick coats and webbed toes.


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Originally Posted by Foschi Exotic Serpents

My ACD is 3 years old and I've seen the olive oil tip many times in various discussions on dog and pet boards online. I've also heard that you shouldn't give it to them every day. I'm not sure why but he has never had a problem with dull coat. Always plenty of oils to keep it nice. He's just itchy.


As for shampooing. I usually use a gentle or oatmeal based dog shampoo. I've used a good conditioner on a few times and I always rinse him well. He hates baths so I have a high powered sprayer I use so he isn't in a tub of water. I know, weird huh? He hates baths but cattle dogs generally love water and are built for swimming with their thick coats and webbed toes.


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We stopped using oatmeal shampoo bc while it was gentle, it also seemed to dry her skin out even more (which was already a side effect of her allergies). We started using Defendex Shampoo recently and have seen an improvement with her. Like i said though shes 13 so she doesnt have many more years left. Because of that we try not to do any drastic changes to her bc it puts her in a mood lol.
Your ACD is very cute, Ive never seen a shaved one. I like the look of him better than a normal one with a bunch of hair lol!:gj:

At the next time when you shave your dog, first bathing your dog thoroughly and wait for to be dry and then shave him carefully.
The trimmers will go through the cover simpler if it's fresh and dry.

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Originally Posted by Melville

At the next time when you shave your dog, first bathing your dog thoroughly and wait for to be dry and then shave him carefully.
The trimmers will go through the cover simpler if it's fresh and dry.

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Yes when we do it this next year I will bathe him first to make it easier. It did grow back completely and thick just like before. Came back fast too. All of his white speckles and his red spot came right back lol!

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Melville

At the next time when you shave your dog, first bathing your dog thoroughly and wait for to be dry and then shave him carefully.
The trimmers will go through the cover simpler if it's fresh and dry.

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any comments ?

How long did it take for his fur to grow back?? I just shaved my red heeler yesterday and she looks great :) Her fur was everywhere, i had to vacuum at least twice a week. I didn't realize she was skinny(healthy) her fur made her look like she was over weight. Her collar is too big for her now :P

A few weeks and the top coat was coming back in. You'll have to do it again if you want it to last all summer. I just did mine again for his summer cut.

Here he is last week after this years first trim. I did it with guard 5 this year instead of guard 3 like I used last year. It's not AS short/shaved, but pretty much all of the top coat is gone. My boys a bit of a chunker :)

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Those are such a smart breed. Looks like a fat lil dingo or something when ya shave the mearle off him :]

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