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.

 

 

A good groomer will understand the limits of your beloved pet and work with them rather than against them. As a dog ages it suffers from decreased mobility and stamina. Cleanliness and easy maintainence replaces high style.

 

I first used a high velocity blower in 1990. It was called a cattle dryer back then. It is a noisy vacuum-like contraption. It makes short work of drying dogs. It is the main reason we are able to groom the dogs as quickly as we can. It removes dander, straightens a curly coat, loosens mats, and removes packed in undercoat. I call it brushing with air. Any dog that gets their coat scissored has to have the hairs straightened and separated. We use the HV dryer first then touch up with a regular stand dryer. The HV dryer also saves time and irritation to the skin on the hairy beasties. The blower just blows all the dead coat right out. After that, there is minimal brushing. Gus and Harley are a couple of Bernese Mountain Dogs that I’ve been grooming since they were wee babies. They are the biggest and hairiest dogs we have at Park Hill Pooch. It takes a long time to dry them completely. I love  watching the clumps of dead hair slowly loosen then fly out leaving their coats healthy and shiny. It is the closest I come to a zen state of mind.

 

 

Pet grooming is unnatural. As groomers, we put our faces in the pet’s face, we hold body parts (usually against their will), we use sharp instruments near sensitive areas, we pour water all over them then dry it all off.

This is all very intimidating to the pet. It takes trust from both parties to have a successful groom. Building trust takes time. Sometimes, as a groomer, we have to try different things until we find the right way to make the pet feel safe and comfortable.