Grooming for a rough coated collie?

[candysgirl]

[QUOTE=Pasde2;5956137]
Thanks so much! I’ll order the clippers and look into the Dremel tool idea. I have one of those ‘as seen on TV’ items - a gift from a family member who thought it would be just the thing - but even with the benefit of detailed instructions, I can’t seem to get it to make much of a dent (so to speak) in his nails.

Thanks for the details about your grooming procedures, also. This is all “news I can use”![/QUOTE]

The problem with those things is that the motors aren’t strong enough. They’re a nice thought, but they’re big, unwieldy and the motors are terrible. The Dremel ones are perfect.

You can use any rotary tool though. If you have bigger dogs, you can also use the bigger plug in Dremel tools, but they’re much easier to hurt yourself on (ask me how I know this…). They do get the job done a little faster though.

[dressagetraks]

I asked my SIL (professional groomer) her collie experience. She said that rough-coated collies are a lot more work and take much more elbow grease than the smooth ones.

[candysgirl]

[QUOTE=dressagetraks;5956909]
I asked my SIL (professional groomer) her collie experience. She said that rough-coated collies are a lot more work and take much more elbow grease than the smooth ones.[/QUOTE]

They certainly take me a heck of a lot longer to groom.

I think the reason someone might think the smooths shed more is because the hair actually falls out and doesn’t stick in the coat needing to be brushed out like the rough coats.

[Wayside]

[QUOTE=candysgirl;5957229]
I think the reason someone might think the smooths shed more is because the hair actually falls out and doesn’t stick in the coat needing to be brushed out like the rough coats.[/QUOTE]

Yep, it’s a trade off, as I see it. You can either spend your time brushing the dog, or vacuuming and sweeping the hair off everything else. I haven’t found the overall time commitment to be all that different, and I’d rather groom than vacuum :lol:

I currently have a short haired mutt, but I loved my rough coated Collie.

[spinandslide]

both my BC’s are rough coat…my Fletcher has LOADS of coat…more then Kate.

I ended up trimming his belly and back legs…when he is working out in the pasture, he’d get into a tangled mess with branches stuck to him.

I brush them weekly with one of those wire brushes which really helps to get all the loose hair out. during the summer, they get weekly baths, with a leave in conditioner.

I also make a trip to our local do it yourself grooming parlor and use the dryer to blow him out when he’s actually blowing his coat.

they are alot more upkeep…

[alto]

So, I’ve been communicating with English Shepherd and collie rescue, looking for a family farm dog. When talking to the collie folk, I put on my application that I was looking for a smooth coat.

The collie folk called this morning, and they feel they have a strong candidate for us, but it’s a rough coated collie. Obviously, personality/compatibilty is most important, but I am concerned about the grooming aspect.

If you’re not interested in doing the grooming thing, just wait for the right smooth coat candidate (I love the rough coats personally but enjoy the grooming ) - you know your schedule & preferences, think back to why you specified a smooth in the first place & what’s changed that a rough coat would be a better option …

[Hannahsmom]

We have several smooths here in Indiana looking for good homes. Lovely dogs, basically re-homes from the breeder. As far as rough vs. smooth, I do hear from people that have both that they have slightly different personality traits. I personally cringe when people clip long haired breeds as I hate to see the dogs lose that protection from the sun but I know a lot of people do it and have no problems so I guess it’s okay.

[kasjordan]

My mom raised collies the whole time we were growing up. She’d be sure to brush once a week, kept the hair on their back legs and belly trimmed up (our dogs were outside playing rough all year long with us, they got dirty lol). She’d send them to the groomers once or twice a year, usually in the spring and fall- coinciding with when they blow their coat. I think it might be easier to clean up after a collie than a short haired dog, their hair comes out in easy to pick up clumps compared to short,sticky hairs everywhere. They can be prone to “hot spots” if not kept after. A matted,scraggly collie is a sad sight- they’re just beautiful when kept after.
They sure are gorgeous dogs…
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b5db28b3127ccecb471748c39500000010O08JatGTZk0B7efDQ/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b5d828b3127ccecb06ac6636fc00000010O08JatGTZk0B7efDQ/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

[witherbee]

Wow - I NEVER had issues with my rough collie’s coat!

Really surprised to read all of this here. Had a lovely tri-colored rough collie (a rescue through th breed rescue in New England). Got her when she was about a year old, and took her to the groomer 3 times her whole life. Would brush her occasionally and bathe her occasionally - same as I did for my Chessie and for my Hound mix. We did get “tumbling tumble weeds” in the house with her undercoat - especially when she blew her coat seasonally - but we had that issue with the Chessie as well (and now with my Corgi).

I would not let the coat scare you away - just brush as needed and feed good dog food (at the time I fed Iams, but now I feed Inova).

Here was my lovely Delilah who I miss to this day (lost her at age 13 in 2005) - she was brushed before the photo was taken, but just a quick run through:
http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i245/wtryan/Memorial%20page/?action=view&current=001.jpg