Coat care

Matting: what causes it and how to stay ahead of it

Mats are a timing problem rather than a grooming failure. Where they start, what causes them, why we will not cut through a tight one, and what to do in the fortnight before a groom.
Matting: what causes it and how to stay ahead of it

A mat is shed hair that could not fall out. It stays in the coat, rolls against itself every time the dog moves, and tightens. Left alone it pulls on the skin, traps damp, and stops air getting to what is underneath. By the time you can see it from across the room it has been there a fortnight.

Where they always start

Not on the back. Mats start where the coat rubs against something:

  • behind and under the ears, where a collar and a head shake meet
  • the armpits, on any dog that wears a harness
  • the back legs and the base of the tail
  • between the pads and up the back of the front legs

Those five places are where we look first, and they are the ones a slicker brush skims straight over.

Why a slicker is not enough

A slicker brush tidies the top of the coat. It is a comb that tells you the truth, because a comb has to pass through every layer or it stops. If you only own a slicker you will believe the coat is fine for about three weeks longer than it actually is.

The decision we will not make for you

If a coat is matted tight to the skin, there are two options: shave it short, or spend an hour pulling on the dog. We take the first every time.

Dematting a tight coat hurts. It leaves the skin red and sore, it takes far longer than the groom itself, and at the end you have a thin, damaged coat that mats again faster. We will work through light matting, and we charge for it by the quarter hour so you can decide how far to go. Past that, it comes off short, we tell you why, and the coat grows back in better condition than the one we took off.

A shaved dog looks odd for three weeks. A dematted one is sore for three days and remembers it for years.

The fortnight before a groom

Comb, do not brush. Work in sections from the skin outwards. Do the five places above first, while you both still have patience. If you find a mat, do not wet it, do not oil it, and do not try to cut it out with scissors — the skin tents up into the blades more often than people think, and it is one of the more common injuries we see.

Just book in, and tell us when you call.

Coat care

More notes from the grooming table

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How often does a doodle actually need grooming?
How often does a doodle actually need grooming?
Every doodle owner gets a different answer. Here is the one we give at the counter, and why it depends on the brush rather than the calendar.
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Why shaving a double-coated dog backfires
Why shaving a double-coated dog backfires
Huskies, shepherds and collies come in every summer with the same request. Here is what actually happens to the coat, and what to do instead.
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Getting a puppy ready for its first groom
Getting a puppy ready for its first groom
The first appointment is not about the haircut. What to do in the weeks before, and why the dryer is the part that matters.
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Brushing a long-haired cat without a fight
Brushing a long-haired cat without a fight
Cats mat in places you cannot see, and they will not tell you until it hurts. How to keep on top of a long coat, and when to hand it over.
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What to check on your dog's paws between grooms
What to check on your dog's paws between grooms
Six weeks is a long time for a foot. A two-minute check that catches most of what we find, and the one thing worth doing yourself.
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Questions

Before your first visit,
the things people ask

Vaccinations, prices, and how long to allow for a full groom
Yes. Every dog and cat needs an up-to-date vaccination record, kennel cough included, checked once a year. Bring the card to the first visit or email a photo of it beforehand.
Price goes by the size of the animal and the state of the coat, not by breed name. The price list covers the three size bands, and anything unusual is quoted before we start.
Two to three hours for most dogs. We work one dog at a time, so nobody sits in a crate waiting for a slot.
We will not cut through tight matting to save a haircut. If it has to come off short we tell you why first, and show you how to keep on top of it before the next visit.
Better not. Dogs settle faster without an audience. Drop off, go and get a coffee, and we will text you once the coat is dry.