Abbey has been with me a long time. She is my only Scottie client.

The number one issue between pet owners and groomers is whether their pet has mats. There is a varying degree of matting. The factors involved in judging the degree are: surface area, thickness, and density. Besides the degree of matting, the dog’s coat type determines the ease of dematting. Terriers have a harder coat, this makes it easier to brush out. Goldendoodles have softer coats and typically come in matted.

Before mats develop, they are just dead hair falling out and getting caught in longer hair. This is were the proficiency of the owner’s at home maintenance comes into the equation. The best thing you can do for yourself and your pet, is be realistic about how much brushing and combing you want to do and how good you are. You can have a haircut at a length you can maintain or have your pet groomed more often. The cycle of BBN(Bath, Brush, and Nails), BBN, Shave down, and start over, is not necessary. By finding a haircut you like, at a length your pet and groomer likes, you can break this cycle. We groomers hate being the bad guy and being set up for failure. Dematting hurts, we do our best to not cause pain, but depending on the degree of matting there is some hair pulling.

So when you are looking at that show dogs with long flowing hair or full fancy haircut, think about what it takes to keep up with that style.

Socialization is a process of providing a pet with opportunities of pleasant experiences with a variety of people, places, and things.

A sensitive period for socialization in puppies occurs between 6 and 12 weeks. During this time puppies are not afraid of much. Socialization happens easily at this time. This period is limited by the puppy’s increasing fear of the unfamiliar.

Expose your puppy to new things in brief sessions. These experiences should be positive. If your puppy or the other person or animal becomes aggressive, distressed, or fearful, stop the session and remove the puppy. By stopping the activity, you have retained control of the situation. These must be positive and pleasant for the puppy. Discipline is not neccessary, it will only make the puppy more fearful or aggressive.

There are varying degrees of matting. Small friction mats are found in the movment areas; like neck, elbows, and tuck-up. All the way to encapsulated matting. This type of matting is not only for the neglected pound puppies. This kind is also caused by well meaning pet owners who bathe their dogs without brushing and combing out thoroughly first.

In the following case, this dog loves to be outside and got wet without the thorough comb out. This caused all the dead coat that was caught in the long hair to shrink up like a wool sweater. That process created a pelt of hair covering her entire body. She was clean, her skin is in great shape, she was just wearing a felted jacket of her own hair.

She is well taken care of and her name has been changed to protect the innocent.