One of the defining characteristic of a collie is its beautiful long coat. Most non dog owners will not know this but there is actually 2 layers of coat. The outer is the one we can see but there is usually another layer underneath it. This is why grooming a collie needs some effort. Some dog owners I know will shave the inner coat during summer to cool the dog while others just leave it be. Whatever your preference, you will need to know how to care for a collie coat if you want your pet to look good.

How to groom a collie coat?

Here are some simple but important things you need to do to care for a collie coat

• Use a undercoat rake to remove the dead hairs from the collie’s body. This will allow new hair to grow which improves the overall appearance of its coat

• Trim the outer coat’s bottom if it begins to touch the ground. Failing to do so will mean the tail end will start to pick dirt. This will not only reduce the color radiance of the coat but might also attract bacteria.

• You need not wash the collie unless it rolls itself in dirty areas. If you are washing him, make sure to use a force dryer. This has the advantage of blowing off the dead hairs, in addition to drying the collie’s coat.

• If your colllie is feeling the heat during summer, you can trim the hair off its underbelly to cool him or her down.

If you follow these few steps, your collie will have a well groom coat thorough the year.

Best comb or brush for collie

In the above, I mentioned using a undercoat rake for combing the collies. This is probably the best solution rather than using a pin brush as the hair is simply too long.  I don’t encourage the use of the Furminator as it damages the outer coat of the collie.

For the best collie comb, try this professional undercoat rake by oster.

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This rake actually pulls out the dead hair compared to the Furminator which actually tears the non-dead hair and hurts the dog.  By using this undercoat rake, the collie wouldn’t feel any discomfort and will gladly sit there for you to do your grooming.

If you are using this for the first time, my advice is to do it outside your home as you will be amazed at the amount of dead hair being removed from the collie’s coat.

Also, remember to rake against the coat by moving it upwards. Most first time users tend to do it in the wrong direction which reduces the amount of dead hair that can be removed.

Conclusion

If you know the steps and use the right tools, caring for a collie’s coat is not too difficult. If you have other things to add beside what I have included them, I am more than welcome to hear them in the comments.

If you are a collie owner, you might want to check out my review on finding the best dog bed for collie.