Keeping Your Dog's Coat Beautiful: Brushing

Brushing is one of, if not the, most important thing you can do to help your dog's coat and skin stay shiny and beautiful. Brushing helps to prevent matting which can be uncomfortable, and even dangerous to your dog's health.

Many pet parents do not realize the severity of mats. Often, a  will matted dog will be brought in for "just a trim" and it will end up having to be shaved.  Asking your groomer to brush out mats is like asking a hairdresser to brush out dreadlocks. It just isn't going to happen without causing an unnecessary amount of pain to your pet.

Aesthetics aside, matting is extremely uncomfortable for your dog. Imagine grabbing a clump of your own hair, twisting it taught then yanking. Ouch!

In addition to being uncomfortable, the biggest concern with mats comes when they proliferate and whole patches form on their body, concealing other issues.  Matting can also trap moisture, dirt and bacteria which can lead to infections and sores.  It’s very easy for fleas and other pests to hide under a matted coat, leading to even more discomfort for your furry friend.  Here is a great article with information on why paying attention to your dog’s coat (and not just for matting) is a great way to keep and eye on their overall health

Finally, shaving a dog with mats is dangerous.  As the mats are pulled tight to the skin, there is the chance that the groomer’s clipper can snag skin that has been pulled up by the matted fur.  This is, of course, something every groomer takes precautions to avoid, but unfortunately accidents do happen.  

Needless to say, it’s in your pet’s best interest to keep a close watch of their coat for matting.   For most dogs, matting is easy to prevent, a quick brush all over (don’t forget the legs!) once or twice a week and they’ll be fine.  Other dogs' coats are a little higher maintenance and may need daily brushing.  It's important to make sure that you're using the best brush for your dog's coat type; for help with this click here. And this is a basic brushing tutorial. 

There's no better time of year to give your dog's coat a fresh start than spring.  Many dogs are clipped short in the spring and summer to keep them cool anyway, so your dog will blend right in!

  

- Peter