One of the most distinguishing features of an Australian Shepherd is its gorgeous thick flowing locks of long hair! Their rich double coats and extensive variety of colors make this breed one of the most diversely beautiful in the doggy world!
Australian Shepherd hair will vary in thickness and length. Generally, they will get their full-length coat by the time they are 2 years old. Some owners have noticed their male Aussies’ coats to be longer and thicker than the females.
Long-haired Australian Shepherds are known to have what is called a show coat. Show coats are generally meticulously bred to have fuller fluffy coats that present well in show dog competitions. Australian Shepherds with shorter thinner hair have working coats. These Aussies are bred with work ethic and drive in mind.
Because of the amazing gorgeous variety in Aussies coats, I thought it would be fun to find pictures from owners of all the beautiful long-haired Aussies we could.
Long-Haired Black Tri Australian Shepherd
First in our pack Meet Kimber with beautiful long fur, she is a Black Tri Australian Shepherd. Black Tri’s are the most common coat type of the Aussie family. Their coats are made up of 3 different colors. They have mostly black coats with white on their muzzles and chest.
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The third color in the trifecta is a tan or bronze color often referred to as copper markings. These tan or brown colors are usually around the eyes and around the borders of the white.
Fun Fact: If you want to see how rare full black Aussies are check out this article. Solid Black Australian Shepherd (Beautiful Pictures)
Long Haired Red Tri
Harlee (above right photo) is a Red Tri with a long beautiful show coat. Harlee has a darker coat than normal Red Tris making it look almost dark brown.
Red Tris can have a variety of hues but all have a basic brownish-red color around the eyes and back, with a white chest and some lighter brownish or tan markings. Harlee has her tan markings on the tips of her ears.
Long Haired Blue Merle Tri
Bleu (above right photo) is a Blue Merle Tri that has a long gorgeous coat of hair. A Blue Merle Tri has a blackish blueish fur color mixed in the Merle pattern with borders of tan or copper.
Pictured below: Willow is also a Blue Merle Tri with copper highlights. With that long hair comes significant shedding.
Shedding is especially heavy in the summer months.
Note: Merle refers to the genetic pattern found in a dogs coat and in other traits of the dog such as skin pigment and eye color. Two merles should never be bred together doing so can create significant health problems.
Long-Haired Black Australian Shepherd
Koda is a black Australian Shepherd. She has a very small patch of white on her chest. Her long black coat is smooth and sleek.
Long Hair Red Merle Tri
Kenai (in the photo Below) on the right is a Red Merle Tri with long thick hair. A mix of black, red, (often called liver), and white. The Merle is different than the solid red (pictured below) or the red bi-colored Aussies.
Merle Aussies have a spotted or mixed fur appearance.
This Aussie pair is amazingly smart and work-driven. Always up for an adventure.
Long Haired Solid Red Australian Shepherd
Solid red Aussies are special because they are one of the rarest coat colors of the breed. The red gene is a recessive gene making the more dominant black gene likely to make the dogs coat black instead. Also having a solid-colored Aussie is very rare, making the combination quite unique.
Black Bi Australian Shepherd
Hayes is a Black Bi Australian Shepherd. With short hair around his eyes and muzzle, he has long black and white hair over the rest of his body.
Red (Liver) Bi Australian Shepherd
These two are Red Bi Australian Shepherds. Red Bi Aussies can have red coats which might range from strawberry blonde to dark dark liver red. They have white on their chest and paws. Some red Aussies can even be so dark that on first glance they look black.
More Pictures of Aussies with Show Coats
Tip: Did you know that Australian Shepherds actually have fur, not hair. We refer to it as hair in this article because that is generally what everyone calls it, but to learn more about the difference check out this article. Australian Shepherd Hair Care (Complete Grooming Guide!)
Grooming and Cutting a Long-Haired Australian Coat
Taking care of Aussies with long hair can be quite challenging. Most of the time Aussie owners will leave the hair long, but it does require a lot of brushing.
Other Aussie owners prefer to style their Aussies’ hair, you can read about different Aussie Styles here.
Tip: Because of the unique nature of an Aussies Double Coat. It is rarely a good idea to shave that long hair. Learn more: Shaving Your Australian Shepherd Is it Ever Ok? (The Truth Revealed)
Unique Colored Australian Shepherd Coats
Meet Ringo a Tri Merle dog whose coloring is so unique it gives him an almost calico appearance.
Mismarked Australian Shepherd
Meet Archie he is a mismarked Australian Shepherd. A mismarked Aussie has more white than is expected for this breed. Being mismarked can affect the pigment on an Aussie’s nose. It can also be an indication that the dog might have health problems such as problems with its hearing.
You can read more about Mismarked Australian Shepherds here: What is a Mismarked Australian Shepherd? (Lots of Pictures)
Archie was rescued from the side of the road by his owners during a blizzard!
Long-Haired Australian Shepherds Come with very Long Fluffy Tails!
Long-haired Aussies tend to have the longest hair in certain parts of their bodies. Generally, the hair is the longest around their neck & chest. Their tails also have immensely long fur. Grooming their long fluffy tails and keeping them healthy can be a challenge.
Tip: Get extra help caring for and grooming their tail by reading this article. Australian Shepherd Tail Complete Guide (Docking, Cut, Communication, Problems)
Long Haired Australian Shepherd FAQ
Do Australian Shepherds Always have Long Hair?
Australian Shepherds don’t always have long hair. Australian Shepherds have many different varieties of coats. A long-haired Aussie has a coat that is generally referred to as a show coat. This long hair is thicker and fuller than a short-haired Aussie with a working coat.
Do Long-Haired Australian Shepherds Shed?
Long-Haired Australian Shepherds shed a lot. All Australian Shepherds shed whether they have long hair or short hair. Even those mixed with long hair dogs that don’t generally shed will still likely have an undercoat and shed.
A long-haired Aussie may actually shed slightly more than an Aussie with shorter hair. At least owners say that it seems like they shed more because of the length of the hair it could be that in general there is just more hair to shed.
The part of the Aussies’ hair that sheds the most is the undercoat.
Tip: To learn all about Aussie shedding and some great hacks to help be sure to read this article. Australian Shepherd Shedding Complete Guide (Tips and Tricks From Owners)
Are there Long-Haired Mini Australian Shepherds?
Most Mini Australian Shepherds will have long show coat hair. Mini Australian Shepherds also have a long thick double coat that will shed quite a bit. Keeping them brushed regularly and well-groomed can help them stay clean and healthy.
Below you can see Oliver on the left, and Rusty on the right. They are mini Aussies, 16 inches tall, 25 and 26 pounds, red and white tris.
How to know if your Australian Shepherd Puppy will have long hair?
There is no way to know for sure if an Australian Shepherd puppy will have a long show coat or a short working coat. Genetics can play out differently even for puppies in the same litter. Generally, if both parents have long hair then their puppies will too.
Tip: Keep in mind that it takes some time for a puppy to grow into its adult coat.
Many Australian Shepherd puppies may seem like they are going to have short hair, but when they reach the age of 2 or sometimes even two and a half their hair grows out and fills in to become abundant and full.
Where to Find a Long-Haired Australian Shepherd for Sale?
You can find long-haired Australian Shepherd puppies by looking on the AKC website to find reputable breeders. Australian Shepherd (Aussie) Puppies For Sale – AKC PuppyFinder
Are Long-Haired Australian Shepherds Hypoallergenic?
Australian Shepherds are not hypoallergenic. It doesn’t matter if they have long or short hair they still produce dander that can cause allergies for people who are prone to suffer from allergies.
Helpful Tip: The word Dander (similar to the word dandruff) refers to flakes of the dog’s skin that come off into the environment around it. Dander allergies are one of the most common allergies in the world.
There are proteins in Australian Shepherd’s dander saliva and urine that causes histamine flare-ups in people who generally experience allergic reactions to dogs. There is no such thing as a hypoallergenic Australian Shepherd.
While we strive to give the most accurate and helpful information about your pet’s health that we can, this article is meant to be informational only and not medical advice. Never disregard, avoid or delay in obtaining medical advice from your veterinarian or other qualified veterinary health care provider regardless of what you have read on this site or elsewhere.
