A question that is commonly used by a Groomer over the phone when a client calls for a quote is ”Does the dog have any Matting?“. Groomers ask this question to have a better understanding of what service would be best to recommend to the client and their pet.
What is matting?
Matting is when the undercoat has formed together. There are many reasons that a dog can get matting, repeated scratching, biting the area, lack of brushing and grooming.
Matted hair might only affect common areas of the coat (behind the ears or the base of the tail) or in some cases it may cover larger areas of the dog.
Matted hair lies close to the skin and begins to soak up moisture. As the hair becomes in contact with more moisture it will begin to become tighter. Air will no longer be able to reach the skin once matting is formed, causing the skin to become irritated and lesions may form that will be invisible to the eye from the matting. Open sores may start to develop and emit unpleasant odours.
What to do for a matted dog?
Once the hair on a dog is matted there are minimal choices for a solution. If matting is loose and not close to skin, it may be possible to brush out and remove. This process is painful and stressful for the dog.
The kindest way is to remove the matting by clipping off the matting, depending on the severity of the matting will determine the length of the blade required to remove the matting.
It is impossible to tell what lies beneath thick dense mats. The skin could be infected, irritated, sore, paper thin or have skin tags/moles.
Groomers will always take the up most care to remove this and generally charge a higher fee to ensure the right time is spent on the dog to remove the matting the safest way possible.
Prevention for matting
Some coat types are more prone to matting than others and will require daily brushing from family members to reduce the risk.
Most owners love the look of a longer clip, keep in mind when choosing your desired length for your pet whether you can upkeep the maintenance at home. Sometimes a shorter or manageable style might work better for you.
What tools could I use at home?
A slicker brush and a wide tooth comb are generally the best tools for the job when used correctly. The team at Cute as a button Dog Grooming will happily demonstrate this for you at your visit, just ask!