31/01/2025
It's another soggy doggy day 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
A few tips on how to prevent your pooch from becoming matted. This is mainly curly coated dogs and those with a longer length.
TOWELS .
Quite often a towel is used to clear up mud and wet dogs. Please DO NOT vigorously rub your dog back and forth with a towel as this causes a huge amount of matts on your dogs coat. Instead blot the hair with a towel instead.
Then brush the coat through thoroughly.
Curly coats need to be brushed through as leaving them wet creates more matting.
If possible dry them with a hairdryer afterwards.
COATS .. its cold out , so we often opt to put a lovely snuggly , either fluffy lined or fleecy coat on our fur babies. However , this type of coat causes friction, which in turn ,matts the coat.
So again if you are going to use this type of coat, please brush your dog through thoroughly afterwards .
HARNESSES.
So many customers choose to put harnesses on their dogs ( it has to be said I am not a fan and I only use them for car journeys)
These are by far the biggest contributer to severely matted coats . The constant friction causes matting to the skin. Which cannot be brushed out . It has to be clipped out and severely short too. The wet weather trebles the friction . My best advice is not to use a harness , there is very little evidence on harnesses being more effective to reduce a dog pulling and they still push on the dogs windpipe.
BRUSHES & COMBS
it is absolutely vital that if you wish your dog to have a longer length coat. ( more than half an inch) that you brush them thoroughly , EVERYWHERE! Face, ears , tail. ESPECIALLY LEGS. . After using a slicker brush, please then go through your dogs coat with a metal greyhound comb. If you can't get the comb though, then you need to brush through again.
LONGER LENGTH HAIR.
Many of you say to me. Please can you not cut them short as they get cold.
This is perfectly fine, as long as your dog isn't matted, which cannot be brushed out. Only severely clipped short. So maintenance on your behalf is of a huge necessity to have a longer coat.
I would just like to mention, that your dog will get wetter and stays wet for longer with a longer coat. A short coat , dries quicker and doesn't get as dirty.
As a final note....
MATTED COATS ARE EXTREMELY PAINFUL FOR YOUR DOG.
you know that feeling of when your hair gets snaggled in your necklace and it pulls and hurts. That is how it feels to your dog when they are matted.
Matted coats also prevent blood flow, so when this area is shaved off. It tingles and itches as the blood flow is coming back to that area.
Prevention is better than cure ...
( the cure is a short shave off, which is unsightly and will leave your dog very cold)
I really hope these tips help.
Much love to you all.
Charlaine ❣️
