# Aussie feet- Oh, Keechak...



## BarefootLena (Oct 18, 2009)

Kimber is both in the process of shedding, and getting in her longer, silkier "more mature" hair. Sorry folks, I don't know what else to call it, lol. When I trimmed her nails the other day, I noticed how long the hair around her paws is becoming, both on the top and side, and the hair underneath.

Is there a standard or norm for trimming an aussie's foot, or do I let part of it grow? I don't plan on showing her, but I don't want her to look weird, either. We do a lot of hiking about, she's been started on cattle, and she goes out with me when I'm conditioning horses. My main concern is that with summer approaching, so will the grass burrs and stickery things. Some of the areas we ride in have berry vines and such to work around or through, and I worry about her feet. So far she's been okay, but it isn't time for the heavy sticker population to be up yet, either. I don't know enough about it to know if the hair helps protect her feet, or if it's just more material for the unwanteds to get stuck in.


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## dtails (Mar 8, 2010)

Normally Aussie's feet are trimmed similar to a Golden's foot somewhat "cat-like". Shave out the bottom of the paw pads and use thinners on the tops after brush up the longish hair inbetween the toes. Using thinning shears will make it look more natural.


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## flyingduster (Dec 10, 2009)

ok, not an aussie, but this is how I normally do a border collies feet, and I'd to an aussie in the same way...








Basically trimmed out underneth, and all long strands of har that grow from between the toes is brushed up and trimmed back into a nice tight wee foot.


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## Keechak (Aug 10, 2008)

I can take a video of how to groom feet. there are surprisingly few tutorials on-line to help new groomers so I think it would be beneficial to more than just you.

but I can try and describe it for now

I use two tools on the feet. A slicker brush and a normal grooming shears. First I take the slicker and hold the foot by the pastern and brush the top of the foot against the fur from the toes up to the joint of the foot. make sure to get the brush bristles in between each toe when you do this. 

You should get a bunch of longer hairs that come up between each toe. Take the shears and trim this, again cutting against the direction on the fur growth. The take the slicker and brush the foot fur back down. 

Now take the foot in your hand like your ferrying a horse. take the trimming shears and lay the blade broadside against the pads of the foot. Cut any fur on the pads your can reach. trim around the edge of each pad.

For the final step. tilt the shears at a 45 degree angle and trim around the base of the foot, trim each "claw" shaped piece of fur that grows over the nails and trim around the sides of the foot. It can be helpful to have the dog stand on a flat surface and trim any hairs that you see sticking out around the foot. DON'T trim the pastern, it might look harry and messy but Don't trim them it will mess up the outline of the leg.
Thats what I do.

I wont say you NEED a grooming shears but it's MUCH nicer than using your household scissors. Grooming shears are much thinner and can get closer to the pads of the foot.


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## Ty_Tyler (Sep 17, 2009)

Great info. Thank you!


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## BarefootLena (Oct 18, 2009)

Thank you so much, Keechak. I feel much better about taking on her feet now.


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