Now It’s Getting Warmer, Should Our Pets Be Groomed, De-Matted And Clipped?
As with anything we do to our pets whether for vanity or basic care and maintenance, we need to remember that it can be a process that our pet needs to get used to.
The big baths, the water pressure, the clippers, the dryers!! It’s a lot to take in and time must be allowed for the person grooming to respect the dogs feelings and fears. An older dog will often need a little break time. Also fidgety excitable dogs … the groomer may need a little break time!!
Grooming and clipping can be a rather long process with many considerations to be taken into account. On the whole, dogs have coats for a purpose. It is there for protection. Both hot and cold weather conditions.
Their hair follicles can have up to 5 to 22 hairs per follicle unlike our one. The coat acts as protection for the largest organ … the skin and dogs skin is thinner than ours. As we know skin burns and we are the Sunshine State.
However we do need to look after coats and some may be clipped. Hairs are always in different stages of growth and the dead ones need to be groomed out.
Regarding clipping , there are many different types of coats and yes, we do have the hairless breed, the Chinese Crested. Each type of coat needs its own type of maintenance and different approaches regarding grooming.
During the winter when we let long hair dogs grow thinking it is not necessary to go to groomers. This can create a big job for the groomers as the warmer weather begins. Keeping a dogs coat, clean and mat free is the best way to protect your dog from all the elements all the year round.
Double coated breeds really should not be clipped. (Labradors, German Shepherds, Huskies, Samoyeds, Maremma’s, Bernese Mountains, Pomeranians, Collies, to name a few).
It’s best to shed out the undercoats and give a good wash groom and blow out, to help de shed. If shaved, their coat will grow back uneven and lose its texture. Also the double coat is an insulator for hot and cold conditions.
The only time they really should be shaved is if the hair is very badly matted or a vet needs to shave for a medical procedure. However, some people choose to have such breeds clipped when really a regular trip to groomers to de-shed the undercoat is the best. Many wire haired or smooth coated breeds are best not shaved either. The coats can grow back faded. However many wire haired show breeds are clipped for their styling.
Many breeds have their own unique styles and clips, the feathers of the Salukis and Springers, the beards of the Schnauzer….
There are also funky style clips such as the mohawk.
Under arms, hygiene clips and ‘taming’ can be done as a tidy ups, and this is often a good idea to trim away fur around the belly, armpits, tail, ears and neck due to parasites and pests that like to infest there.
It is also good to not let hair in-between the paw pads get too long, a dog can slip, mud and burrs can stick in there. The hair can get matted up and all is uncomfortable. It’s also good to keep nails clipped regular. They should not really touch the floor.
All in all a few minutes allowed here and there to groom our dogs and/or regular visits to groomers will ensure the health and condition of our dogs coat and skin. It will help keep a watch for ticks also save our homes from being taken over by the dogs shedding coat.
Happy Grooming and Thank You For Reading.
I wish you all well.
Shari Hughes
Tamborine Pet Farm Stay
