11/18/2025
As it gets colder we all want our furry friends to be warm. The best way to achieve this is to make sure they are clean, dry, and brushed out.
Dogs stay warm when they can trap warm air in their fur as a buffer against the cold, like humans use puffy jackets. (Dogs with short/thin coats may need a jacket to be confortable outside in the winter. Remember, not all breeds were bred for Canadian climates.)
Matted fur leaves no room for warm air and can leave your pup cold. If the mats get bad enough, they can cut off blood flow and leave your dog even colder than a buzz cut would.
An impacted double coat also leaves no room for warmth, so make sure your dog is brushed out. Your dog is likely somewhere in the process of losing their summer coat and growing their winter coat, so make sure to get that summer coat taken care of, it needs to be out of the way so the winter coat can do its job.
Moisture and friction is the best recipe for creating mats! If your dog wears a harness, jacket, or boots while outside make sure to brush through the areas where they rub once you’re back inside. Doggy boots often cause matting on the tops of paws, while jackets, harnesses, and even collars often cause matting around the neck and between the front legs/ belly. Other common places for mats are behind the ears, and in tails.
In fluffy double coated breeds, mats are most often found behind ears and on the backs of their back legs.
Brushing out mats is often painful due to repetitive pulling on a small patch of skin. It can cause bruising and brush burn, and most dogs dislike and it makes them dislike the grooming process. The kindest thing is usually to shave out the mats.
Regular grooming, about 1-3 months between haircuts depending on your dog’s lifestyle, coat type & texture, and hair length, as well as regular brushing in between visits to the groomer can help keep hair mat free.
Let me know if you have any questions by responding below or calling/texting me at 587-253-4918. tan