The Rough Collie has a long, beautiful coat, and that coat is a large part of the breeds charm. At the same time, it can also become an owners nightmare because it takes considerable effort to maintain properly.
The Rough Collie is gentle in temperament and loyal to its owner, making it an excellent family or watchdog. More and more families are choosing this breed, but although the dog is very attractive, caring for its long coat can be quite troublesome and requires real commitment from the owner.
Brush every day
Although the coat is long, its texture is usually fairly smooth and soft, so if foreign material does not become trapped in it, severe matting is not very common. To keep the coat flowing and well arranged, the owner can brush the dog every day for about ten minutes each time. During seasonal shedding, a much larger amount of hair will come out, so the owner needs to be even more diligent in helping remove loose fur. This keeps the dog cleaner and reduces the amount of hair collecting around the house.
Bathe regularly
Because the coat is so long, it can easily attract parasites, especially in summer. To prevent parasite infestation or bacterial infection, regular bathing is necessary. A common schedule is once every two weeks in winter and once a week in summer. Bathing should not be too frequent, however, because it can disturb the skins natural balance. Always use dog specific shampoo rather than products made for humans. One practical way to judge cleanliness is to run your hand upward from beneath the dogs body toward the chest. If the coat no longer feels greasy or slippery, the dog is probably clean enough.
Dry the coat immediately
After bathing, the coat must always be dried. Given the length of a Rough Collies fur, waiting for it to dry naturally is almost impossible. A hair dryer of about 2000 watts or more is often preferred, because weaker models may not reach the roots of the coat properly. If the coat is not dried thoroughly, the remaining moisture can easily encourage bacteria and fungi, which may lead to skin disease.
In the end, caring for a Rough Collies coat comes down to attentiveness. Brushing requires care, bathing requires care, and drying requires even more care. It may feel troublesome, but much of the Rough Collies beauty depends on this impressive coat, and proper coat care is genuinely good for the dog.