Sheltie Grooming Berlin: Double Coat, Mane and Mats

According to the American Kennel Club, you should brush a Sheltie once a week, while the British animal charity PDSA even recommends daily grooming. Their long double coat isn't clipped; we remove loose undercoat and small knots by hand. Here at GroomRoom in Berlin Charlottenburg, we groom Shelties Tuesday to Saturday by appointment. A Mini Groom with a wash, blow-dry and comb starts at 59 €, and a Full Groom starts at 79 €.

What kind of coat does a Sheltie have?

A Sheltie has a long, fluffy double coat with a harsh, straight topcoat. The American Kennel Club lists the colours black, blue merle and sable, each with white markings. The abundant coat and long, wedge-shaped head are among the breed's most recognisable features.

A Sheltie has two layers of hair. The outer coat, which is the long and harsh topcoat, shapes the visible silhouette with a frill and trousers. The undercoat is the short, soft hair underneath, which you only see at the roots when you part the hair. Around the neck, the long coat forms an abundant frill, often called a mane.

The PDSA states an average height of 35 to 37 cm and a weight of 9 kg for a Sheltie. In an interview with the American Kennel Club, a Sheltie breeder describes how the coat produces an oil. This oil repels water and dirt, which is why the Sheltie is considered a very clean breed.

How often should you brush a Sheltie?

Brush your Sheltie at least once a week to keep their coat clean and matt-free, according to the American Kennel Club. The PDSA goes further and recommends daily grooming for their thick coat. Both guidelines work well together: a thorough brush once a week and quick checks for matts on the other days.

According to the American Kennel Club, with a double coat you always brush both the undercoat and the topcoat. A slicker brush has short, tightly packed wire pins that glide through the coat at an angle, protecting the skin. An undercoat rake has one or two rows of metal pins that reach right down into the undercoat.

Here's how to brush:

1. Get your slicker brush, undercoat rake and a wide-toothed comb ready.
2. Choose an undercoat rake with a pin length that suits your Sheltie's coat length.
3. Work section by section, making sure to catch the undercoat every time.
4. Use a light hand with the slicker brush, as firm pressure can be uncomfortable for your dog.
5. Untangle small knots with the wide-toothed comb before you continue brushing.
6. Finally, smooth the long topcoat with a pin brush, which is a brush with medium-spaced pins.

When does a Sheltie shed the most?

According to the American Kennel Club, a Sheltie sheds a lot all year round and particularly heavily once or twice a year. The Sheltie breeder in the AKC interview mentions two shedding seasons a year. In her experience, the long hairs are easier to remove from upholstery and carpets than short hairs.

Weekly brushing keeps loose tufts of hair around the house to a minimum, according to the American Kennel Club. During heavy shedding weeks, an extra session with the undercoat rake is well worth it. This way, the loose undercoat ends up in the brush and doesn't mat in the topcoat.

We explain the brushing process step by step in our guide Getting rid of undercoat during shedding season.

Where does a Sheltie's coat mat first?

According to the American Kennel Club, mats on a Sheltie most commonly form behind the ears, under the elbows of the front legs and in the trousers under the tail. Trousers are the long hair on the back of the hind legs.

According to the American Kennel Club, a slicker brush helps with early knots as it removes loose hair. A wide-toothed comb also tackles knots and tangles. You'll find more tips for mat-prone areas in our guide Preventing mats in your dog's coat.

If there's already a solid mat behind the ear, it's best to bring your Sheltie to us early. We tease the knot apart with our fingers and a comb without pulling the coat. Small knots don't cost extra; for heavy matting, we charge 15 € per 15 minutes or part thereof.

Should you shave a Sheltie?

We don't shave Shelties at GroomRoom because we always demat breeds with an undercoat by hand. According to the American Kennel Club, clipping is not a good choice for this breed. The coat protects the Sheltie from heat, sunburn and the cold.

The clippers stay in the cupboard for a Sheltie. Using a bath, blow-dry, rake and comb, we remove the dead undercoat, while the ruff and trousers keep their length. Trimming a Sheltie is strictly for the paws: according to the American Kennel Club, the hair around the pads should be trimmed regularly.

For a neat finish, we also clip the nails. Both are included in the Mini Groom and the Full Groom. You can book nail clipping separately from 15 € and paw trimming from 18 €.

When can a Sheltie puppy visit the salon?

A Sheltie puppy can come to us for a puppy introduction groom without a cut after their second vaccination. The appointment for puppies up to 10 kg takes 45 to 60 minutes and costs 89 €. Beforehand, we'll check their age, breed and vaccination status.

First, your puppy gets to sniff around and settle in. Then we introduce them step by step to the water, dryer and comb. We bathe them with a mild puppy shampoo, blow-dry them gently and carefully tend to their nails, eyes and paws. There is no cutting at the first appointment.

At home, the American Kennel Club recommends starting brushing straight away. Use a soft brush for their fluffy puppy coat so your puppy learns that being handled is a pleasant experience.

How we groom a Sheltie at GroomRoom

The Mini Groom with a bath and brush-out is usually the best fit for their long double coat. This includes washing, drying, combing, light thinning, as well as nails, eyes, paws and the sanitary area. When thinning, we use blending shears to thin out individual hairs, while the mane keeps its length.

The bath takes place in the Hydra tub; the shampoo from LT or Ecopets is pH-neutral and suits your dog's skin and coat. The dryer blows the loosened undercoat out of the fur first, then we comb the ruff and trousers strand by strand. The grooming table lowers so your Sheltie can step on by themselves.

According to the American Kennel Club, Shelties are often reserved with strangers. That's why we let your dog settle in first and take breaks whenever they need them. Our page How an appointment works explains the process.

This guide was written by Alina, our Senior Groomer specialising in Pomeranians, which also have a thick double coat. You can find her profile at Alina, groomer for double coats. If you like, you can watch the grooming process through the window from Giesebrechtstraße.

How much does Sheltie grooming cost in Berlin?

For a Sheltie, the Mini Groom starts at 59 € and the Full Groom at 79 €, both including VAT. We can only see how long the mane is and how much undercoat there is once we see the dog. That's why we'll give you a fixed price after a quick look at the coat and before we start.

For a Full Groom, our booking system schedules 120 minutes for dogs up to 15 kg. The Mini Groom takes 60 to 180 minutes depending on size and coat. The Full Groom also includes ear cleaning; the combo package for nails, paws, eyes and hygiene area is available separately from 45 €.

You only pay on collection, we don't ask for upfront payments. From the Adenauerplatz U7 underground station, it's a 5-minute walk to Giesebrechtstraße 2. The full list is available at Dog grooming prices, and you can see available times here: Book an appointment online.

Case studies from the salon

Real appointments from GroomRoom, prices as charged (as of September 2026). The final price depends on the coat condition and will be confirmed before we start.

Pomeranian

Before

Pomeranian after six months without a salon visit, undercoat matted in places.

Treatment

Full Grooming with dematting and Pomeranian surcharge: brushing out the undercoat, bath, blow-dry, styling without clippers.

Duration

2.5 hours

Price

165 to 180 €

Groomer

Team GroomRoom

Example image

Golden Retriever

Before

Very anxious Golden Retriever, first salon visit, lots of loose undercoat.

Treatment

Full groom with breaks and a second person: bath, long blow-dry with deshedding of the undercoat, paws, nails, ears; no clipping of the double coat.

Duration

around 3 hours

Price

209 to 240 €

Groomer

Team GroomRoom