A Collie's weekly routine is ruled by that magnificent coat. A Rough Collie's long outer coat and dense undercoat form a mane, frilled chest and heavily feathered trousers that tangle, trap debris and shed in drifts, while a Smooth Collie carries the same double coat in a short version. Either way, grooming is the week's backbone, supported by daily exercise for a herding brain and a standing check of skin that hides under all that hair.
Brushing out a Collie's double coat
A Rough Collie needs two or three brush-outs a week: mist the coat lightly, then work in sections with a slicker and pin brush, line-brushing down to the skin so the undercoat is actually reached rather than skimmed over. Follow with a comb; if the comb will not pass, the section is not finished. Behind the ears, in the armpits, at the collar line and through the trousers are the mat-forming hotspots to check every session. During the twice-yearly coat blow, add an extra session or two and expect carrier bags of undercoat. A Smooth Collie needs only one weekly brush, but the skin and hotspot checks still apply.
Mats, baths and skin under the Collie coat
Work small Collie tangles apart with fingers and a comb before they felt into mats, and never shave a double coat down, because it regrows unevenly and loses its weather protection. Bathe a Collie only when genuinely dirty, usually every month or two, using a mild dog shampoo worked through to the skin and rinsed until the water runs completely clear; soap left in a dense Collie coat guarantees itching. Drying takes patience, so blot and brush rather than leaving the undercoat damp. Part the hair weekly in several places to inspect the skin for redness, flakes, parasites or hot spots the coat conceals.
Exercise and mental work for a herding dog
A Collie needs daily exercise of around an hour or more, but the herding mind tires as much on thinking as on running. Mix walks with training sessions, scent games, trick practice and, where available, herding or agility-style activities, spread across the week so no single day carries the whole load. Collies are sensitive readers of their owners, so keep training calm and consistent, and give the dog a settled routine on rest days rather than total idleness. Watch the gait after longer outings; a Collie that starts pacing oddly, lagging or scuffing its feet should be rested and checked rather than walked further.
Ears, nails and teeth in the Collie week
A Collie's semi-erect ears need a weekly look inside for redness, wax or grass seeds after country walks, wiping only the visible outer ear. Nails need a weekly check and a trim roughly every two to three weeks, including dewclaws buried in leg feathering that can curl unnoticed. Brush teeth several times a week with dog toothpaste, focusing on the outer surfaces of the back teeth. Do the whole handling routine in the same calm order each week so the Collie learns the sequence and relaxes into it, and use the quiet time to feel for lumps under the coat.
Coat changes, sensitivity and vet thresholds for a Collie
Keep a weekly note of a Collie's shedding, skin comfort and energy, because changes in a double coat often show a problem before behaviour does. Book the vet for patches of hair loss, persistent scratching, a sore that the coat has hidden until it smells, repeated digestive upsets, or any change in how the eyes look, and mention new sensitivities rather than swapping products repeatedly at home. Weight is easy to misjudge under the mane, so body-check by hand weekly. Logging the week's brush-outs, walks and skin notes in KinsLe Care Teams keeps a Collie's care continuous, so whoever grooms next knows which sections were finished and which hotspot is being watched.