Both varieties of border collie have weather-resistant double coats, showing a coarse top coat that is either wavy or straight and a soft, dense undercoat. The rough-coat border collie has a long to medium coat, which requires more grooming than the smooth or short-coat border collie. Summer grooming of a rough-coat border collie involves brushing three-times-a-week, paying particular attention to its tail and area behind the ears. A bath is necessary when regular grooming does not eliminate the dirt, which is generally necessary every four weeks during the summer.
The hair of the smooth-coat border collie is short over the entire body, and is generally coarser than the rough-coat border collie. It requires less frequent grooming; often, brushing once a week is enough, but this varies according to the dog's life style and the time spent outdoors. Like rough-coat border collies, the smooth coat requires more frequent baths during the summer. If an unpleasant odor persists even after a bath, a visit to the vet is recommended. Both varieties should have their claws clipped regularly to avoid discomfort when walking.
During the summer, border collies tend to spend more time outside. After your border collie has been out of doors and is likely to have been in contact with grass seed, check between its toes and the feathering on the legs and belly fur for the presence of grass seed. Remove grass seed between the dog's toes with a cloth or by brushing the fur and clipping fur knots. Grass seed that has been in contact with the dog's skin can cause infection.
Check the ears of your border collie regularly, as the ears are attractive to ticks and ear mites. If you find any of these parasites, take your dogs to the vet. Also, clean the ear canal and the underside of the external ear during the summer and throughout the year. However, do not stick cotton swabs deep inside your dog's ears, as doing so can cause damage to their ears and to their hearing.