Sheepdog grooming
Old English Sheepdog grooming in Gloucester, MA
The AKC calls the Old English Sheepdog the archetypal shaggy dog, and the shag is real work: grooming down to the skin, over the whole dog, at least weekly. Most pet owners do not keep that up, and the AKC says puppy trims are a good option. This page explains the choice between coat and clip, where the mats start, and what to do about the hair over the eyes.
The coat
A shaggy, hard-textured outer coat over a waterproof pile that mats wherever it rubs
The AKC standard describes a coat that is profuse but not excessive, of a good hard texture, shaggy and free from curl, with an undercoat that forms a waterproof pile when it has not been removed by grooming or season. The skull is well covered with hair, the ears moderately coated, and the hams carry the thickest, longest jacket on the dog. VCA's breed guide calls the coat long, hard and shaggy, and says it needs brushing and combing every other day or thick mats will form.
The mats start where the coat is pressed or folded. Behind the ears the soft hair felts first. The armpits, where the front legs swing against the chest, knot next, then the inside of the hind legs, the hams and the rear. A harness or collar line adds another. On the AKC's figures this is a 60 to 100 pound dog, so a coat left a few weeks past brushing can hide mats close to the skin while the surface still looks fluffy.
- Behind the ears: the first place to felt
- Armpits and the inside of the hind legs
- The hams, where the jacket is thickest
- Under the collar or harness
Coat or clip
A full coat is a weekly project at home; a puppy trim is the practical choice for most pets
The AKC is plain about the full coat: it needs a thorough grooming down to the skin over the entire dog at least weekly, and owners who will not do it should expect to pay a professional groomer for several sessions each month for the life of the dog. It adds that puppy trims are good options for pet dogs, though they still need brushing between baths and haircuts, and that keeping the feet clipped short, what it calls Poodle feet, minimizes problems and cleanup.
Our full service is a bath plus a breed-specific or custom haircut, so a puppy trim at the length you choose fits inside it. Bring a photo and be honest about how much brushing you will really do; a shorter length forgives more. A show coat for a dog being exhibited is a different job, prepared for the ring rather than the beach, so ask the front desk before you book. The standard itself allows only the feet and rear to be trimmed, for cleanliness.
- Full coat: weekly grooming to the skin, per the AKC
- Puppy trim: an even, shorter length you choose
- Poodle feet: clipped short to cut down on cleanup
- Show coat: ask the front desk before booking
The fringe
The hair over the eyes is your choice: tied back, or trimmed short with the $10 face trim
The famous peek-a-boo fringe is part of the breed, and the standard asks for the whole skull to be well covered with hair. VCA notes that in everyday life the long hair around the eyes is usually tied back so it does not interfere with vision. That leaves pet owners two practical routes: keep the fringe long and band it up every day, or have it trimmed shorter so the eyes are clear without a band.
Our $10 face trim is a tidy around the eyes, muzzle and ears between full grooms, and it is the simplest way to keep a short fringe short. Tell the groomer at check-in which look you want and how much of the eyes you can see at home. Hair resting on the eye, a fringe matted with discharge, or eyes that look red or weepy under the hair are reasons to see your vet as well as the groomer.
How often
Book the next trim before the coat outgrows your brush; a skipped one becomes dematting at $15 per 20 minutes
How long a trim lasts depends on the length you chose and how much brushing happens at home. A short puppy trim brushed twice a week holds its shape longer than a longer one brushed weekly. The sign that you are due is simple: when your comb starts to catch behind the ears and in the armpits after a normal brushing, book the full service. Rebook at pick-up and the next one is $5 less.
Wait past that point and the bill changes. Dematting is $15 per 20 minutes on top of the full service, so 40 minutes of work behind the ears and through the hams adds $30. When mats sit tight against the skin, combing them out can hurt, and the groomer talks a shorter restart through with you at check-in before anything is cut. A shorter restart is still the full service at your size price.
- 01
Week 0: full service in the trim you chose, with the next visit booked at pick-up
- 02
Twice a week: brush to the skin, then comb behind the ears and the armpits
- 03
Midway: a $10 face trim if the fringe reaches the eyes
- 04
When the comb starts catching after a normal brush: book the next full service
- 05
After a beach or burr day: comb the hams and legs the same evening
Price by size
$110 or $120 for full service, and $75 to $95 for a bath between trims
The AKC puts the breed at 60 to 100 pounds and VCA at 60 to 80, so most sheepdogs land in our 51-to-90-pound band: $110 for full service and $75 for a bath. A big sheepdog over 90 pounds is $120 for full service and $85 for a bath, or $95 if the groomer applies the extra-large long-hair tier. The final price is confirmed at check-in after a look at the coat.
Between trims, a bath alone freshens a puppy trim after a muddy month. The add-ons a sheepdog uses most are the face trim and the sanitary trim at $10 each, nail clipping at $16 and, when needed, dematting. A dog who needs slower, more careful handling carries the $20 behavior or handling surcharge, agreed before the groom. Unlimited daycare members take 15 percent off grooming, and a groom can be added to any daycare day.
| Old English Sheepdog visit | 51 to 90 lb | Over 90 lb |
|---|---|---|
| Full service: bath and puppy trim | $110 | $120 |
| Bath only, between trims | $75 | $85, or $95 in the long-hair tier |
| Face trim for the fringe | $10 | $10 |
| Sanitary trim | $10 | $10 |
| Dematting | $15 per 20 minutes | $15 per 20 minutes |
At home
Between grooms, brush in layers to the skin and rinse the sand out of the hams the same day
Brush in layers: lift the coat with one hand, brush the hair below it outward from the skin, then move up an inch and repeat. Follow with a comb, and if it catches, go back with the brush before the knot tightens. Our how-to on handling a mat before it spreads shows how to split a small one safely. Do the ears and armpits first, while your dog is fresh, and the hams last.
Off-season beach days are where a shaggy coat collects the most. At the time of writing Good Harbor allows dogs on even-numbered days from October 1 to March 31, and wet sand works deep into the hams and leg hair. Rinse with fresh water that evening and dry the coat through before you brush. From April to November, the same thick jacket hides ticks after Ravenswood or Dogtown Common, so let the comb double as a tick check.
At Dogtown
Where a sheepdog's trim fits
Book the full service on its own, or add it to a daycare day so your sheepdog plays first and goes home trimmed.
Asked and answered
Questions people ask about this
Short, complete answers you can act on today. More in the full FAQ.
Is a puppy trim bad for an Old English Sheepdog's coat?
Will my sheepdog see better with the fringe cut?
How much does it cost to groom a matted Old English Sheepdog?
Can you prepare my Old English Sheepdog for a show?
Which size band is my sheepdog in?
More questions? Read the full FAQ
Sources
Rules and dates change. We re-check every beach, licensing and ordinance page each spring and fall; the source above is the current word.
Keep reading
Next step
Book the shaggy dog a trim.
Choose full service for your sheepdog's weight online or in the Dogtown app, bring a photo of the length you want, and rebook at pick-up for $5 off.
- 01Free evaluationWeekdays 6:30 – 9:30 AM
- 02Book a dayOnline, in the app or by phone
- 03Play, rest, repeatReport card at pick-up
