Uncomfortable Matting and Expensive Shave Downs, or More Frequent Grooming for a Healthy and Happy Pet

Uncomfortable Matting and Expensive Shave Downs, or More Frequent Grooming for a Healthy and Happy Pet

Last month the San Diego Pet Gazette featured an article in remembrance of Chewbacca, or "Chubbie" as we called him, a loving Chow-Chow I cared for since 2006 when I started working here at Aussie Pet Mobile. Remembering Chubbie's life and the time I spent with him got me thinking about when I first met him - he was a matted mess! A lot of dogs that we meet for the first time as groomers are desperately in need of a shave down due to matts, and I'd like to share Chubbie's story and some of my knowledge as a groomer with all of you to help you decide what the best course of action is for your pet's grooming schedule.

Chubbie, like many other dogs, required very frequent brushing because he had such a long and thick coat. Since many families don't have the time to thoroughly brush and comb their pets on a regular basis, the fur will gradually knot up and then "matt", which basically means the knots knot together and get tangled up even further (sounds a little hairy, right?). Between the knots, dirt and debris in the dog's coat, and even moisture, these matts become extremely difficult (if not impossible) to brush out. Often times you won't even notice how bad the tangles have gotten until you feel the giant matts on your pet... and then it's time to put a call into the groomer.

The first time I groomed Chubbie was quite the challenge. Matts are extremely uncomfortable for pets because as they tighten up, they pull on the pet's skin. Understandably, many pets don't fully appreciate the work us groomers do in shaving these matts off - that is of course, until after we're done. Because a matted shave down takes lots of time, patience, and hard work, they also cost a lot more than a regular grooming appointment for a pet that's been kept up with. Chubbie was no exception, and it took his owner, Mr. Perez, and I several hours to get Chubbie cleaned up and matt free. Mr. Perez stayed with us to keep Chubbie calm and hold him still when needed, and I worked away at the matts with my clippers, taking care to be as gentle as possible.

To avoid having to go through this stressful procedure again, we scheduled Chubbie for another appointment three months later. This gave his coat time to grow out, yet got him groomed soon enough to avoid matting. I kept him trimmed in a cute "puppy cut", leaving a little less than an inch of fur to keep him looking fuzzy. Since this second appointment didn't take as long as the first and Chubbie was in good condition, I was even able to bring our price down significantly. From then on, I saw Chubbie and his family every eight weeks to keep him looking gorgeous.

The best part of all is that after just a few appointments Chubbie came to love his groom time! He would come running to me and walk right into the trailer to be groomed. It was wonderful to see the transformation he made from being afraid of being groomed and in pain due to matting to loving his visit with the Pet Mobile. I miss him a lot, but am grateful to know his family, who I've become very close with, and still take care of their two other dogs to keep them in good shape.

Of course different pets have different grooming needs. Some dogs, like Chubbie, can be kept in a short but cute haircut to make their maintenance easy for busy families. Others, whose parents like their pet's nice long coat, may need more frequent grooming to keep from getting matted. Your groomer can help you decide how often your pet needs to be groomed - whether it be every week or every few months. Keeping your precious pooch on a regular schedule will help keep them happy, healthy, and comfortable all year round.