One of the problems caused by the shutdown and stay at home orders that the whole world is experiencing is what to do when your dog needs a groom? Even humans are having that problem right now. Shaggy hair and braids are going to become the norm even if they are not the height of fashion !
Dogs who have continuously growing hair need to be seen by a groomer about every six weeks or so. With the grooming shops closed what does a caring owner do?
If you do nothing the hair will grown and gradually become more and more matted. This is what happens do those dogs that are abandoned on the streets.
This level of matting is terrible. It holds dirt, debris, insects and feces which are at the best irritating and worst painful. Matting at this level can weigh several pounds, pull on the skin and cause open wounds.
No one wants to let their dog get in this state. The way to stop matting is to deal with it as it happens. Daily combing and brushing is the key. Just like you come and brush your own hair ( I certainly hope you do!) you can take a couple of minutes to brush the dog.
Now if there is some matting the best way is to cut it out. But you have to remember to cut the mat not the skin. They way to do this is make sure the scissors cut vertically, Put the point of the scissors under the mat bewtween the mat and the skin the when you cut, the skin will always be on the non sharp side of the scissors. You may have to cut the mat into several pieces before it can be brushed out.
The secret to good grooming is having a clean coat so bathing is essential. But and this important…Do not bath the dog until all the mats are gone.. Bath a dog with mats only makes the mats tighter and harder to remove.
If your dog does not want to stand still put some peanut butter on the wall of the bath tub while you wash. Also it helps if you put a rubber bath mat on the table when you are cutting or shaving your dog.
