26/06/2021
Very important for all dog owners of long-haired breeds
Matting is a condition in your dog's fur that is caused by dense tangles and knots. It's a painful condition that can lead to other health concerns such as infections or skin irritations and can also mask other health issues or parasites. Mats cut off the air flow in your dog's hair and can trap moisture, which can cause irritation and sores on your dog. Even mild matting can be painful, but in severe cases, matting can cut off circulation to your dog's skin and cause hematomas. In some circumstances, matting may be so severe that you would need to take your dog to a veterinarian for treatment.
Imagine trying to brush out dreadlocks in your own hair! It would be not comfortable.
If the matting on your dog is severe, the safest and most humane way to remove the mats would be to clip his hair short. The length of his hair will depend on how tight the mats are. We must be able to get the blade under the mat right against the skin to remove them. If the mats aren't too tight, sometimes we can get longer blades underneath the mats to salvage some length. However, if the mats are tight to the skin, we would need to use our shortest blade available to remove the mats. This would result in very short hair but would give you a fresh start and make your dog much more comfortable. This is often not the style that most owners would prefer, but is often the safest and most humane option for your dog if he is matted.
We love your dogs just as much as you do and this is why we do what we do. We are passionate dog lovers who have made a career choice of spending time with dogs and doing what we love. We only want the best for your dogs.
When your dog is matted, we believe in doing what is best for your dog. In many cases, this means shaving the mats out of your dog. Shaving is not a “short cut” to get the job done quickly, this can be a very slow, tedious and dangerous process. We are working on areas of your dog where skin is thin, likely already irritated and sometimes their hair is being pulled because of tight mats. Removing a heavily matted coat includes risks of nicks, cuts or abrasions due to warts, moles and skin folds trapped and hidden within the matted hair. Therefore, shaving a matted dog must be done slowly with utmost care.
Cutting the mats out – Never cut the mats out of your dog's fur with scissors. It's very easy to catch your dogs' skin in the mats and unintentionally create a large wound on your dog. Please do not ask us to just "cut out the mats" when your dog is matted. This is dangerous, and we will only remove mats with clippers for the safety of your dog.
The good news is that hair grows back! In the meantime, your dog will be much more comfortable with mats removed, and his skin will have proper airflow to begin healing.
Diet - A strong healthy coat relies on proper nutrition to stay in peak condition. Dogs need plenty of Omega-3’s in their diet to maintain a healthy coat and keep their immune system strong. Most commercial diets are unbalanced with fatty acids. Feeding animal-based oils such as fish oil, krill oil or salmon oil is recommended over plant-based oils (such as corn oil) as it’s already in a usable form of Omega 3 for your dog to assimilate. In addition, it prevents an overload of Omega 6 which can result in further skin inflammation, allergies or skin issues.
We recommend seriously regularly dog grooming