Mobile Dog Groomer
07445 779773
COAT CARE, MATTING AND HOME MAINTENANCE
My dog is matted, can you untangle him?
This very much depends up on how matted he is - a little tangle which is not near the skin may possibly be dealt with, but if a dog is matted, especially where the matting is near the skin, it cannot be brushed out without distress and pain to the dog, which I am not willing to do. All clients will be required to sign the matted dog policy which explains why attempting to brush out matted coats is unkind and cruel, not to mention the fact that often it ends up damaging the coat further, leading to yet more matts. The best solution in almost all cases is to shave the coat - and mats - off and let the coat grow back tangle free.
To understand how you can help maintain the coat in between visits, please look here and to read an article explaining matting and what you can do once they’ve started, please look here.
Does my dog still need grooming in winter?
This is a very common question as owners sometimes feel that dogs only require clipping in Summer to remain cool, but of course hair grows all year round and therefore can get tangled whatever the month. In addition, Winter is wet and muddy, so a longer coat can get far dirtier and mat up even faster so keeping on top of your dog’s grooming all year round is essential. If your dog has regular haircuts, you’ll be able to stay on top of any tangles and hence avoid him having to have a shaved coat in Winter.
Can I bath my dog at home - he gets dirty between appointments?
Of course you can - sometimes this is unavoidable if they’ve found a lovely fox poo to roll in! There are guidelines here on bathing your dog - just make sure that you use proper dog shampoo as they have different skin PH to humans, use tepid water and avoid vigorous rubbing with towels on curly coated breeds and longer coated dogs as this can cause tangles.
Why does my dog get mats? I brush him at home!
The cry of many an owner! Usually a dog that mats despite being brushed does so because only the top surface has been brushed, leaving the undercoat (which is actually the cause of the mats) to wadd up and form deep mats right by the skin. The outer layer can look really fluffy and nice, but underneath the coat has ‘felted’ and the only solution is to clip the coat short back to the skin.
This is incredibly frustrating for the owner who really has tried their best, and they are saddened when the coat has to be clipped off. However, by using the right tools and techniques, it is possible to maintain coat and keep the tangles at bay - take a look at my article on correct tools and techniques.
One really important point is to understand the type of coat your dog has, and the amount of upkeep required. Dogs such as Cockerpoos and other curly coated breeds, as well as those with longer coat, do require significant maintenance which means a daily brush and around 3 times a week a ‘deep brush’ to the skin. It is often much easier with dogs who do not naturally have a long, double coat (ie Collies, Shelties, Pomeranians and so on) to keep the coat relatively short, and make sure you have your dog clipped every 6 weeks.
What equipment do I need to have at home?
Equipment depends on the dog you have - take a look at my article covering equipment and their usage here.
The breeder told me not to have my dog groomed until he was a year - is this right?
Sometimes owners say this and I think its a case of things being lost in translation. The potential issue is that it is felt clipping a dog before the adult coat comes through can damage the coat, however in fact this is not necessarily so. In fact, when dog’s coats change from puppy to adult, there is huge potential for matting and tangling as the puppy coat is shed out. Without really stringent brushing out on a daily basis, it can soon become a nightmare so in fact having it cut shorter can make life easier for everyone. If the coat is trimmed shorter but not cut tight short with a blade, it will not damage the new coat coming through.
Finally, if you do not help your dog get used to clippers when they are young - with a longer blade if desired - suddenly taking them to the groomers at a year old can be a very scary experience without good socialisation.
I’ve been told my Cockerpoo must not have his coat clipped but only trimmed using scissors, is this true?
As discussed above, these comments tend to be based on the assumption that the dog will be clipped tight short with a blade. However, modern clippers can be used with comb attachments which in effect replicate using scissors and leave a nice length on the coat. If, however, you want your dog to be finished only with scissors, it will be a lot more expensive as it takes longer.