Spring is upon us, which means it’s almost time for what groomers commonly refer to as Shave-Down Season. This is when all the pooches that have grown out their coats all winter come in for a spring clean up and sometimes results in them being shaved short due to matting.
Matting is where the fur tangles very tightly at the skin and can lead to other health issues if not dealt with. The links below will provide additional information about mats and how to prevent them.
https://www.aspca.org/news/haircut-could-save-life-preventing-your-pets-coat-matting
https://www.thedodo.com/labradoodle-matted-fur-1599405339.html
As professional groomers, we understand that it may not be the haircut you are looking for, but what a lot of dog owners don’t understand is that our number one priority is to do what’s in the best interest of your dog. We have our hands on hundreds of dogs a month and can tell a lot about a dog just by running our hands through their coats. If we say we have to take the dog short, it is because it is the safest, most effective, and least painful way to remove these mats. The goal is to get under the mats and remove them leaving an even length on the remaining coat. Clippers are how we achieve this. Using scissors is very dangerous because it’s hard to determine where the mat ends and the skin starts which can result in an emergency vet visit. It is also very difficult to scissor an entire dog, by hand, and maintain an even length cut on the entire dog.
Having a regular grooming schedule, as well as, brushing and combing at home can help keep your pooch mat free. The longer you desire to keep your dogs coat, the more regular grooming the dog will require. If you don’t want your dog to get shaved down every year, we would love to help you achieve that goal! We are always happy to answer any questions, give tool recommendations, set up a regular grooming schedule, and use the knowledge we have to help keep your dog looking and feeling fabulous!
