When a dog first arrives at our dog grooming salon for grooming services, the first thing we do is get giddy, like a kid in a candy store.
We can't help it.
But after the initial excitement, pets, and pats, one of our first orders of business, after asking you several questions about your dog and verifying we have the correct contact information on file, is assessing the current state of your dog's coat.
Most grooms are straight forward, but some grooms involve dealing with matted fur. We'd like to take a moment to talk about matted fur, how it happens, and how to help prevent matted dog fur.
Firstly, matted fur can be uncomfortable, and nobody wants their furbaby to be uncomfortable.
Secondly, the process of dematting a dog is also uncomfortable. It's also dangerous.
The tools used to demat a matted dog's coat are sharp, and they increase the risk of your pet being injured during the grooming process. Nobody wants this either. We want to send every puppy baby that steps foot in our salon home with a wagging tail.
Some dogs are calm and stay still, but many dogs are fidgety, and already somewhat apprehensive about the grooming process. The last thing we want to do is to take a fidgety dog and attempt to brush its coat with sharp objects.
Here are some of the ways the fur becomes matted in the first place.
A lack of brushing. Dogs need to be brushed. The same way we brush human hair to keep it, you know, presentable. Their hair needs to be brushed, too.
Especially if your dog has a curly coat.
There are many different types of brushes available that do a great job of helping to maintain your dog's coat. We highly recommend for all of our clients to have a few of these brushes at home, and to occasionally brush their dog's coats in between appointments.
Another way your pet's coat can become matted is improper bathing and drying techniques. There's definitely a right way and a wrong way to wash or dry your dog. Again, especially if your dog has a curly coat.
We see it all the time, and we always offer our clients this same advice when they're leaving our salon, so that they can do a better job on their end, so that our grooming services will be safer and more enjoyable for the dogs we tend to.
It doesn't matter if your dog has been getting a bath, swimming in a pool. or visiting a local beach. If the coat isn't brushed and dried the right way afterward, you're setting your dog up for some serious potential for matted fur.
And it's also a pretty good idea to never towel dry your curly-haired dog. Instead, use a brush and a blow dryer to dry your dog. And even better than that, is to leave it to the pros. :)
Of course, we're happy to do our best to repair a dog's coat when they arrive at our pet spa with matted fur. Sometimes, however, if the matting is too prevalent and/or too deep, all the brushing in the world won't fix it, and the dog needs to be completely shaved down.
The way your dog looks is one thing, and, of course, we all want our dogs to look their best. But far more important than that is how uncomfortable it is for them to have their matted fur yanked on for many minutes on end, in an attempt to get the mats out. We want to avoid uncomfortable doggies whenever possible, and we're sure you do, too.
Steel combs, pin-head brushes, and slicker brushes, are tools every dog owner should probably have in their homes, because even if you're getting your dog groomed on a regular basis, it's still a very good idea to brush your dog at home in between appointments.
And the frequency for how often you should do so will vary depending on your dog's coat-type and lifestyle. Our ultimate Goldendoodle grooming guide is chock-full of info regarding caring for dogs with curly coats.
But the most important thing to remember is that matted fur can cause pain and discomfort for your dog, as well as expose your dog to an elevated potential for injury during their grooming sessions.
And we feel this is the most important reason why it's a good idea for any loving dog owner, to be mindful of their pet's coat in between grooming appointments, and to be careful when getting their dog wet and especially careful when drying their dogs at home.
The goal at the end of the day, is healthy, happy doggos for everyone.
To learn more about Hip Hip FurRay's dog grooming services, please feel free to visit our homepage as well as our services page. There, we cover more details about our services as well as some of the things that make our dog spa truly pawesome.
And if you do happen to have a pup with a matted coat, no worries. Give us a call or tell us about it when you drop your dog off, and we'll use our tools and knowledge to assess the severity of your pet's matting and recommend what we feel to be the best course of action to get your baby's coat back on track.
Best,
-HHF