Because Beardies are a long coated breed they do require regular brushing to keep them free of mats. An hour once or twice a week should suffice for most dogs. The exception would be youngsters at the in-between coat stage when puppy coat is giving way to the beginnings of an adult coat, and the whole thing seems to take on the consistency of cotton candy! At this stage it seems like as soon as you finish brushing them they start to mat again. Eventually they do get past this stage!

Even though a young puppy has a short coat, it's important to start out with regular grooming sessions from day 1 to get the pup used to it and enjoying it. Grooming can be a pleasant experience for both owner and dog if approached the right way. Waiting to do the first grooming session until the pup is 6 or 7 months old and has developed some mats and tangles will result in a battle as the now considerably larger, untrained pup balks and fusses at not only being restrained but at the unpleasant feeling of hair being pulled as tangles are removed! Grooming is not an optional thing with a Beardie, it is simply something that will HAVE to be done many times throughout its life.

Understand this before you decide to get a Beardie.

Start out right by introducing the puppy to being handled all over. A grooming table is a valuable asset as the pup will be much calmer and easier to handle on a table. Put the pup on the table frequently, run a brush over his body, handle his paws, open his mouth, lift up his ears. Make it fun - praise, give treats, make a big fuss over what a good pup he is! Nail clipping should also be introduced to the pup from the start. From the time of birth to the time they go to their new homes most pups will have had their nails clipped many times, so it's definitely not some new traumatic experience for the pup, but no doubt they will still be fussy about it. Don't fight with the pup about it, or get angry with him. If you hold his paw and he pulls back, holding it tighter will only cause him to get more distressed and pull back harder. Let go and pick it up again. With initial nail clipping sessions, if the thought of clipping all the pups nails seems ominous, break it down into smaller sessions. Decide, for instance, that today you'll clip all the nails on one foot, or two nails on each foot, and tomorrow you'll do some more. Decide ahead of time so you know when you're finished, rather than giving up when the pup gets too rowdy, and in effect letting him win that session. Regular nail clipping will keep the quick (the blood supply to the nail) short and will make it easier to keep the nails short.  

To read about the basic grooming supplies needed for taking care of a Beardie, visit the
Grooming Tools page.

For more detailed information on specific brands of grooming tools we recommend for Beardies, visit the Which Products Should I Buy page.