Shelties are naturally very clean dogs. Your Sheltie does not have to be bathed frequently, but he should have a bath when he needs one. How often to bathe a Shetland Sheepdog will depend on his activities and environment. There are many gentle shampoos on the market, especially emollient (non soap) shampoos that are gentle on the skin and coat and rinse out easily. Use products developed for dogs, not for humans, as dog shampoos are pH balanced for dog skin. Some dog shampoos are developed for specific coat colors, such as black, white, and blue.

Groom your Sheltie before you bathe him. Fill the tub with a few inches of lukewarm water. Put cotton in your Sheltie’s ears so water doesn’t get into the ear canals, and put him in the tub. With a sprayer, soak his coat with lukewarm water until it is saturated. Starting at the top of the back of the neck, add shampoo and massage it through the coat, working down the back to the rump.

Shampoo the sides of the body, the belly, the limbs, and under the tail. Suds and rub the feet, and shampoo the tail. Gently wash the head and ears, being careful not to let soap get in your Sheltie’s eyes and keeping water from entering the ears. Alternatively, you can wipe the top of the head, sides of the face, and muzzle with a clean, damp cloth.

When you are finished shampooing your Sheltie, use the sprayer to rinse the coat thoroughly with lukewarm water. Adding a moisturizing rinse to the coat will help keep it clean and easier to brush. Some kinds of moisturizers can be left in, others must be rinsed out before drying.

Blot your Sheltie with a towel to remove most of the water, and then dry him with a hair dryer (a forced-air hair dryer speeds up the job). Make sure the hair dryer setting is not too hot, and don’t hold the hair dryer too close to the skin, so you don’t burn your pet. While drying the coat you can closely inspect the skin as the dryer separates the hairs. When your Sheltie is almost dry, you can brush him while you finish drying him.

Good to know: Brush your Sheltie before you give him a bath. If you don’t remove loose hair, knots, tangles, and mats before you bathe your pet, they will become fixed in the coat when it gets wet and will be even more difficult to remove.