FURST CLASS LOUNGE
Matted Coats
Everything you need to know
Myth Busted: The idea that there’s a dog that doesn’t shed at all is a myth. No dog breed is entirely non-shedding.
The Basenji is one of the smallest of the hound family, and thanks to its short coat, it’s also one of the least likely to shed and requires very little maintenance.
On the other hand, wool and wool-mix breeds like poodles and cockapoos are known as no-shed breeds. However, there’s much to keep up with regarding grooming and maintenance. Wool or curly-coated breeds should be thoroughly brushed every few days and groomed and trimmed every month or two to avoid mats, tangles, and other coat issues because the shedding coat remains trapped close to the skin.
Matting occurs when loose dead hair becomes trapped within the coat, wrapping around and surrounding the attached live hair, pulling on your dog’s skin. When this happens, clumps of hair form in the fur and, if not frequently brushed out, become impacted against the skin and felted, becoming an uncomfortable and painful condition.
Why does the coat get matted?
If you haven’t been brushing your dog on a regular basis to remove dead or tangled hair, the following will compound the problem.
Friction: Matting is typically found in areas of your dog with the most friction. This includes armpits, where the collar or harness sits, legs where they lay down or come in contact with wet grass, behind the ears, or areas of the body where they might be scratching.
Seasonal: Matting can develop during the time of year when they are blowing or shedding their coat and getting their summer coat. If the loose fur isn’t brushed and removed, dead skin mixes with the fur, becoming a breeding ground for mats.
Allergies: Long-haired dogs who have allergies that cause them to lick and itch will almost always develop some matting.
Fleas: If your dog has fleas and itches, the scratching will result in matted fur.
Water: Water can also contribute to matting. If your wool-coated or long-haired dog goes outside after rain and rubs his belly in the wet grass, he’s likely to get matted between his legs or belly. If your dog enjoys swimming, they may also experience some matting. This is why your groomer cannot bathe a dog if the matting is already in the fur. This will only cause the mats to get tighter. You should always brush and remove dead or loose hair before getting your dog wet.
How do we grade a matted coat
Normal is a coat in good health without mats or tangles
Mild is a coat where small areas of the coat have developed isolated knots and tangles which can be brushed out or clipped out without being too visible
Moderate is a coat that has not been effectively brushed and has started to matt, causing discomfort. This coat will require shaving in some areas.
Moderately Severe is not the worst case, but this is a coat that has been neglected and will require extensive areas to be shaved out for the welfare of the dog
Severe is a coat that has had little or no maintenance and will require shaving as the only humane option for the welfare of the dog
Why can’t we brush out the matted coat?
We are reasonably confident you wouldn’t expect your hairdresser to attempt to brush dreadlocks from your hair. You know that this would be impossible, not to mention too painful even to consider. Matting and felting are when a long or curly-coated dog’s hair is matted so tightly to its skin that it restricts airflow and cannot be brushed through (think: one large deadlock). This is a moderate to severe condition of the coat and needs to be approached with care to avoid hurting your pet.
Your dog’s skin is five times thinner and more sensitive than yours. Even with mild matting and tangles, the skin will rapidly become red, sore, broken, and inflamed if brushed in one area for too long. This is inhumane. The humane option is to remove the affected areas by clipping them out close to the skin as necessary to alleviate the pain and suffering they cause.
Removing any areas of matted or felted coat significantly increases the risk of injury to the delicate skin despite every care and precaution we take.
The Treatment
If the matting on your dog is mild, it can sometimes be brushed out with the use of detangling sprays, products, and tools. This is time-consuming and can sometimes be painful. Therefore, this should only be done if the matting is found in a few small areas. If you detect any mating in your dog, do not bathe them! Remember, the water will cause the mats to get tighter. Bring your dog to FCL before the mats get too bad. Early treatment of the mats will help prevent skin conditions and may salvage some hair length.
The dematting process involves taking small sections of hair at a time, working on releasing the mats using dematting tools and products, and then brushing. If the matting is moderate to severe, the safest and most humane way to remove the mats would be to clip the hair short.
The final length of the hair will depend on how tight the mats are. We must be able to get the blade under the mat right against the skin to remove them. If the mats aren’t too tight, sometimes we can get longer blades underneath the mats to salvage some length. However, if the mats are tight to the skin, we need to use the shortest blade available to remove the mats. This would result in very short hair, giving you a fresh start and making your dog much more comfortable. This is often not the style most owners would prefer, but it is the safest and most humane option.
What you need to understand
We love your dogs just as much as you do, which is why we do what we do. We are passionate dog lovers who have made a career choice to spend time with dogs and do what we love. We only want the best for your dogs.
When your dog is matted, we believe in doing what is best for their well-being. In many cases, this means shaving the mats off your dog. Shaving is not a “shortcut or easy option” to get the job done quickly; this can be very slow, tedious, and dangerous.
We are working on areas of your dog where the skin is thin and likely already irritated, and sometimes their hair is being pulled because of tight mats. Removing a heavily matted coat includes the risk of nicks, cuts, or abrasions due to warts, moles, and skin folds trapped and hidden within the matted hair. Therefore, shaving a matted dog must be done slowly and with utmost care.
Dogs are notoriously good at hiding signs of pain, which is great as a survival tactic in the wild but not so good for the owners of domesticated dogs wanting to ensure their dog’s quality of life and well-being. So, you are going to have to trust us when we tell you that even mild matts cause discomfort, and moderate to severe matts cause pain and suffering.
Never cut the mats out of your dog’s fur with scissors. It’s very easy to catch your dog’s skin in the mats and unintentionally create a large wound on your dog. Please do not ask us to just “cut out the mats” when your dog is matted. This is dangerous, and we will only remove mats with clippers for your dog’s safety.
A Felted Coat
Felting is the most severe level of matting and may appear normal at first sight and difficult to detect due to the extent of the felting giving the appearance of skin due to its dense form. In this situation, the coat requires great care to remove and has a pelted appearance as it is shaved from the skin, similar to shaving a sheep.
The undercoat must be kept free from mats and tangles to keep the whole coat and skin healthy and in good condition. Clipping certain breeds, whether long or short, could damage the coat, resulting in patchy, fluffy regrowth, which looks unsightly and may take a long time to regrow and get back into a natural growth cycle. This also applies to all-naturally coated dogs whose coats grow to a pre-defined length. For example, long-haired Chihuahuas and Pomeranians may have permanently damaged coats if clipped or scissored unnecessarily.
Felting, or pelting as it is sometimes referred to, is a condition that happens when a dog’s fur is so matted and tangled that it comes off the skin in one piece.
Brushing: Many owners who brush their dogs regularly may feel the thick layer of felted matting under the layer of brushed fur and mistake this for the skin. Your groomer must be able to get a comb all the way down to the skin and through the coat. When the fur is felted against the skin, it needs to be removed. If you are unable to get a comb through the hair to the skin, chances are we may not be able to either. If your dog has severe felting, this is not something we can brush out. The matting must be shaved out.
Realistic Expectations: We know the pain and discomfort that mats cause, and our first priority is to ensure your dog’s comfort and safety. Shaving out mats with clippers is the safest way to remove a severe mat. This will leave a bare patch in your dog’s fur. If your dog only has one or two small areas where mats are severe, we may be able to shave those areas and keep the length on the remaining part of his body. However, if your dog’s legs are matted and the body is not, he may look a little silly with shaved legs. Therefore, many times it’s best to start again.
Felting is a severe condition. It will keep natural light and fresh air from reaching the skin, resulting in damp, sore areas, and will create ideal conditions for fungus, bacteria, and parasites to thrive. In this condition, we cannot brush out your dog’s coat. Attempting this would be traumatic and cause your pet discomfort, pain, and stress. Because the coat is matted and felted down to the skin, we must shave the entire coat close to the skin to prevent further discomfort. However, the dense matting can cause the clippers to graze, catch, cut, or mark the skin, which, on some occasions, may cause pain and upset. If your dog becomes distressed during the process, we will stop the treatment, and you will need to pay for the procedure.
It is at the discretion of Furst Class Lounge Ltd. to agree to this procedure and when to stop the treatment. A further appointment may be required to complete the process, and we may still refer you to your veterinarian.
When a dog is brought to the salon for the first time with a matted or felted coat, it is highly unlikely that we will have an immediate appointment available and the time required to remove the entire coat. In this case, we will refer you to our veterinary practice for further advice because this coat is causing suffering and should be removed as soon as possible.
If you plan to bring home a long double-coated breed or a puppy with a wool/poodle mixed coat, speaking to us first can help you brush correctly and avoid matted and unhealthy fur.
Your dog’s ears. The skin on your dog’s ears is very sensitive and thin. If your dog’s ears become matted, the mats can cause delicate blood vessels to rupture, causing hematomas, a solid swelling of clotted blood within the tissues in the ears. This is why it’s best not to attempt to demat severely matted ears; shaving them is the safest option.
Circulation can be restricted if the ears are heavily matted. It’s a painful condition that can lead to other health issues like infections or skin irritations, and it can also conceal parasites like ticks.
If you do not brush and comb your dog’s coat effectively and frequently enough, it may present you with this condition. Surface brushing is often the reason for a felted coat. This is when only the top outer guard hairs are brushed and the undercoat is allowed to thicken and spread across the skin, forming a thick mat as the undercoat fills the felting. If shaving off is the last resort as determined by your groomer and we have agreed to undergo the procedures to remove the coat, you will be required to sign a customer information and consent form. Clipping off your dog’s coat is considerably more expensive than a regular grooming appointment.
The growth process of a dog’s coat is different from our own. Some dogs have more than one type of hair growing simultaneously in varying textures and layers from a single hair follicle, usually between 5 and 22 hairs. Regardless of the type of coat your dog has, the hair goes through four stages of growth and renewal. Sometimes in very clearly defined shedding stages, seasonally with most double-coated breeds, continuous shedding occurs in other breeds.
Getting to know your dog’s coat type is the key to understanding how to maintain it correctly
Anagen Phase – This is when the new hairs are in an active state of growth
Catagen Phase – This is when the new hairs reach their maximum length and stop actively growing
Telogen Phase – This is when the hair becomes dormant, fully attached to the skin but not growing and is ready to be pushed out by new growth.
Once the hair is in the Telogen Phase of Wire-Haired Breeds (e.g. Border Terriers and Norfolk Terriers), it is ready to be Hand-Stripped as the root follicle detaches from the dermal papilla allowing the hair to be pulled without causing harm or distress to the dog.
Exogen Phase: Hair is shed
Prevention and Maintaining a Healthy Coat
Prevention is the best way to avoid a matted coat!
Diet: A robust and healthy coat relies on proper nutrition to stay in peak condition. The average life expectancy of several breeds has been lowered to fewer than five years. Due to inadequate nutrition, joint discomfort, poor digestion, grass eating, scooting, and skin and coat issues are all rising. Dogs need plenty of Omega-3s to maintain a healthy coat and strengthen their immune systems. Most commercial diets are unbalanced with fatty acids. Feeding animal-based oils such as fish oil, krill oil, or salmon oil is recommended over plant-based oils (such as corn oil), as they’re already in a usable form of Omega 3 for your dog to assimilate. In addition, it prevents an overload of Omega 6, which can result in further skin inflammation, allergies, constriction of blood vessels and poor coat condition.
Choosing the correct brush The type of brush or comb you use will make a big difference. Brushes and combs have different sizes, lengths, spacing, and bristles.
Slicker brushes: These have fine wire bristles that bend and are great for long, heavy-coated dogs. The heavier and thicker the coat, the stiffer the pins should be.
Comb: A comb is useful after detangling or to find tangles but not for removing them. There are different sizes and designs based on your dog’s coat length.
Soft bristle brush: This is ideal for short-haired dogs to brush the surface. Soft-bristle brushes do not help with matting.
Pin Brush: Pin brushes have metal bristles on a rubber base. These are great for separating and untangling silky coats.
Bathing your dog regularly will help keep the skin and coat in optimal condition. It’s recommended that you bathe your dog as often as they need it, as this will help remove the buildup of dead skin and hair. Some dogs require bathing weekly, and others monthly. The time between baths will vary by dog, but using a gentle shampoo and moisturising conditioner will help keep their skin and coat in the best condition.
Never use human shampoo or washing-up liquid on your dog. These products have an improper pH level for pets and can contribute to dry, flaky skin. We have a comprehensive selection of professional quality PH-balanced treatments at the FCL shop, so please ask for advice.
Manageable length: Keeping your dog’s hair at a manageable length will help prevent matting. Getting your dog’s hair cut every 4-6 weeks will help keep it at a manageable length which is easier for you to effectively brush and maintain.
We will always believe in comfort and well-being over vanity and style. Dematting isn’t always the best option for your dog’s welfare. Dematting moderately severely to severe matted or felted dogs is inhumane and not a service we will offer.
If it can’t be humanely saved, it should be shaved.
The good news is that hair grows back! In the meantime, your dog will be much more comfortable with the mats removed, and his skin will have proper airflow to begin healing.
It’s a common misconception that taking your dog for professional grooming less frequently saves money. In reality, regular grooming visits are necessary to keep your pet’s coat and skin in a healthy condition. This will be less expensive in the long run than dealing with the extra time and costs of dematting or detangling your dog’s fur. Choosing a coat length that you can manage easily is also important.
The extra cost
For toy or small breeds, the fee is £70. For medium-sized dogs, it is £120; for large dogs, it is £190.
So that you know, we will not try to remove the coat of any dog not accustomed to grooming. This includes dogs unacclimatised to the grooming environment and procedures, puppies, juveniles, and dogs that exhibit nervous or fearful behaviour. In such cases, we recommend you seek advice from your veterinary practice.
Clipping or shaving is expensive compared to a regular groom for several reasons.
Removing the thick, dense coat will blunt or ruin our expensive blades and grooming equipment, which will need professional resharpening or replacement. A single blade can cost your groomer £45 to replace after a clip.
The procedure is more time-consuming than a regular haircut and may interrupt our appointment schedule.
The procedure will require additional products and calming treatments to help prevent skin issues.
The procedure can be distressing for your pet and its groomer. Your pet will need extra care and attention, toilet breaks, and time-out resting periods.