Are you even a real Australian Shepherd Parent if you haven’t had to clean poop from your dog’s little behind? Australian Shepherds have the most beautiful coats, but without proper grooming their bum hair (or “pants” as we like to call them) can be notorious for collecting dingleberries. Not even the beautiful princess Farley is immune to it!!
So I’m going to share how I trim Farley’s bum hair at home, to keep her poopy pants under control in-between grooming appointments.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means, if you decide to click through and purchase any of the items recommended here, I may earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!!
Australian Shepherds have these beautiful double coats, right? And as a first-time Aussie owner, I learned very quickly from the internet that this breed of dog should NEVER be shaved. Shaving can mess with their undercoat, make it more difficult to regulate temperature, and it may never grow back properly. So I just want to confirm that I am NOT talking about shaving Farley’s bum today. We will just be trimming up her pants (or britches or fur feathers, whatever you want to call them) to keep her rear end more sanitary. This is a completely normal and acceptable practice to keep their bathroom parts hygienic.
I usually take Farley in for a full grooming twice per year, where they do all the main fancy stuff that her coat needs. But I find that every 1.5 to 2 months I need to give her pants a good trim. I know it’s time when I start to notice her pee or poo sticking to the hair, or it starts to smell a little off. And that’s where Little Miss Farley is at right now, she’s been collecting little 💩 nuggets in her pants and that’s how I knew it was time to clean up the area for her.
The only things I use for this is a pair of thinning scissors. I bought a full set of dog-grooming scissors off amazon for pretty cheap (https://amzn.to/3KMNPEb). You’ll also need a comb or brush, and some high value treats!! And I guess a good vacuum to clean up all the hair afterwards, unless you decide to do it outside like me.
Once you get into it, you’ll have to decide what length to cut the hair to. It’s really a personal preference. I used to prefer a fuzzy little peach bottom when Farley was a puppy, but now my tastes have changed and I appreciate the look of longer pants that swish around when she walks. Since I like the look of a longer coat, I try to trim as little as possible while still ensuring a clear path for the pee and poo to exit. And I make sure to get that area underneath closer to her tummy too.
This process can take anywhere from 5 minutes to 30 minutes, depending on how even and smooth I want her back-end to look. Farley is a professional instagram model, so I like to take my time and make sure her caboose is trimmed to perfection. Treats, chews, or a lick mat really help to make this process more enjoyable for her.
Watch the video below to see how Farley’s bum trim turned out, and leave a comment to rate my work!
