# Border Collie Grooming Advice



## suffol (Dec 19, 2009)

Hi

Have recently (in July) acquired an adult border collie from Dogs Trust. She's supposedly six, but acts much much younger, and has settled in very well, with no problems except terrible moulting over the last month or so since our heating went on properly (we're in Scotland; it's been cold). she's got a thick coat about half and half black and white, and the entire house has drifts of dog-hair in corners, I'm vacuuming daily, and the three kids spend ages every morning de-hairing their (black) school-clothes! I'm not sure there's much to be done - her digestion's settled very well on the complete doggy-diet they recommended, and she's completely healthy and very happy. 

I'd like to try to get the hair off in a more controlled way, however - any tips on what brush to use? We have a wire-brush, which works well, but which she just hates - whines, yelps and looks at us like we're dog-abusers. The ordinary bristle-brush she tolerates, but it seems to only get at the under-coat, and it's the bigger outer hairs which are worst for being shed.

My last dog was a Kerry Blue terrier, so no problems with moulting there (lots of other problems, but that a whole other story!:wink.

Thanks in advance, and nice to be here!

Chris


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## gesic (Feb 19, 2009)

Hi,
Glad she has settled well.
I love my moulting comb. just a comb with 2 dif size prongs alternating...brill for getting out loose undercoat and very satisfying!
I also use a metal rake when in full moult as soooo much hair!
Lastly furminator, have one and is brill but very expensive.
Try googling mikki pet products as they have a very good and reasonably priced range.
Oh and an after thought a super soft slicker is handy for grooming out trousers (they tolerate it better than a comb in delicate areas) and also handy to drag accross the carpet and grab up all those stray hairs, saves the hoover!


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## MerlinsMum (Aug 2, 2009)

I haven't been able to find much information on grooming dogs online, but I did find this website:
Grooming Your Australian Shepherd
This shows step-by-step how to groom an Australian Shepherd - very similar coat to a BC. I found it quite useful.

Unfortunately a lot of Border Collies don't like being groomed!


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## suffol (Dec 19, 2009)

Many thanks for quick replies - off down to local pets at home to look for something suitable. Cass and I have just come back from our first (well first together - I didn't have her last winter) walk in the snow. She loves it - tries to catch snowballs, was romping around and chasing my son on his sledge like he was a giant dog-toy. She also did a fair bit of rolling in it - maybe some of the hair will come off ;-).


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## Oenoke (Oct 17, 2009)

I have 4 Border Collies (2 smooth coats, 1 medium coat and 1 very rough coat), I have heard furminators are really good and am getting them 1 for Christmas! In the past I have used a rake to get the undercoat out. Is your bitch spayed? My entire bitch 'blows' her coat about 4 weeks before she comes in season. All my Border Collies act young and they are 14, 11, 8 and nearly 4 years old.


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## suffol (Dec 19, 2009)

Cass isn't - yet - spayed, and she may be due for a season, as she had one just after we got her. I've been amazed by just how playful she is for a dog supposedly six - races around with other dogs while we're out as if she's a two-year old, and just loves playing football with my son. Other dogs seem very staid beside her - and yet she's quiet and calm in the house, very well-behaved and is content left by herself during the day (she gets a good walk first thing, and another long one in the early evening). Never known a border collie before, but now I'm a complete convert (apart from the hair!)


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## sequeena (Apr 30, 2009)

Hi there  I use the moult master once a week on my German Shepherd (different texture coats but both have double coats) and in between I use a slicker brush and a steel comb


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## sequeena (Apr 30, 2009)

suffol said:


> Cass isn't - yet - spayed, and she may be due for a season, as she had one just after we got her. I've been amazed by just how playful she is for a dog supposedly six - races around with other dogs while we're out as if she's a two-year old, and just loves playing football with my son. Other dogs seem very staid beside her - and yet she's quiet and calm in the house, very well-behaved and is content left by herself during the day (she gets a good walk first thing, and another long one in the early evening). Never known a border collie before, but now I'm a complete convert (apart from the hair!)


LOL I have a 12 year old collie cross who is forever racing around! I think you're in for it for a good few years


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## suffol (Dec 19, 2009)

Hi Sequeena

I'm glad of that - having an active dog will keep me active as I approach my dreaded 50s! Except that I tore my calf muscle playing football with her and my son a couple of weeks ago, and have been limping ever since. No sympathy at work - all I get is 'you're too old to be playing football'.LOL

Chris


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## sketch (Sep 19, 2009)

I use a normal brush and a rake on my two GSD's and my border collie, I used the furminator for a while, but it seems to break Daltons long coat, so i dont use it anymore, his coat is coming back long and strong now. so im not a fan of the furminator, well not for my long coat GSD anyway
xx


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## suffol (Dec 19, 2009)

Hi Sarah

By 'rake' do you mean the wire-brush? If so, do the dogs mind it? Cass seems to have a very sensitive skin, and abs. hates the wire-brush - a pity, since it works best for her hair. Went and got a moulting comb yesterday, and it seems to be OK, and easier to clean the hair off than the bristle brush. Now off to go and frolic some more in the new snow we have here!

Chris


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## sketch (Sep 19, 2009)

Hi Chris, no its a plastic Mikki one, black with red paw prints on it, from PAH, does a cracking job for the price too, i was shocked, works a treat
xx


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## Oenoke (Oct 17, 2009)

suffol said:


> I'm glad of that - having an active dog will keep me active as I approach my dreaded 50s! Except that I tore my calf muscle playing football with her and my son a couple of weeks ago, and have been limping ever since. No sympathy at work - all I get is 'you're too old to be playing football'.LOL
> 
> Chris


A Border Collie will definately keep you active!!! Ouch, a torn calf muscle is no fun, I tore my calf muscle once.


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## suffol (Dec 19, 2009)

Yeah, surprisingly sore - and it keeps coming back because as soon as the pain reduces I go back to 'normal' activity, and re-injure it. Guess I need to do warm-ups before walking the dog!:wink:


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## Colsy (Oct 3, 2008)

I use the furminator on two of my Border Collies once a week.
The long haired Border Collie i use a slicker brush and comb,but she also goes to the groomers every 12 weeks.
I have to hoover daily to get all the tumble weed up too.


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## Oenoke (Oct 17, 2009)

suffol said:


> Yeah, surprisingly sore - and it keeps coming back because as soon as the pain reduces I go back to 'normal' activity, and re-injure it. Guess I need to do warm-ups before walking the dog!:wink:


When I tore my calf muscle it was about 3 weeks before I was walking without crutches.


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## suffol (Dec 19, 2009)

Thanks Sarah - will go down to PAH and pick one up - Cass can have it as an 'extra' Christmas present - her main one will be Christmas dinner leftovers LOL. May think about getting a furminator after Christmas, or suggest that OH gets me one as his loving romantic gift to me (Hahaha - instead of diamond earrings this is). But hey, lots of extra time for grooming and vacuuming over the next two weeks. Joy...

Oenoke - my calf wasn't as bad as that, and I didn't go to the doctor as too scared he'd tell me to rest it, which completely impossible. But then again, maybe if I had, it'd be better by now..


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## sequeena (Apr 30, 2009)

suffol said:


> Thanks Sarah - will go down to PAH and pick one up - Cass can have it as an 'extra' Christmas present - her main one will be Christmas dinner leftovers LOL. May think about getting a furminator after Christmas, or suggest that OH gets me one as his loving romantic gift to me (Hahaha - instead of diamond earrings this is). But hey, lots of extra time for grooming and vacuuming over the next two weeks. Joy...


The moult master works just as well as the furminator and is cheaper :thumbup1:


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## Oenoke (Oct 17, 2009)

suffol said:


> Oenoke - my calf wasn't as bad as that, and I didn't go to the doctor as too scared he'd tell me to rest it, which completely impossible. But then again, maybe if I had, it'd be better by now..


I didn't want to go to the docs either, I was tricked into getting in the car and was driven there, I still wouldn't go in though and the doc came out and saw me in the car, I was only 16 at the time. I didn't have any dogs at the time, but did have my oldest horse and she was turned out in a field for a few weeks (luckily it was summer) as there was no way I could have gone and looked after her. My leg was swollen twice the size of normal and was like really bad cramp that I couldn't get rid of.


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