De-Matting Policy

On arrival to the studio I will assess the condition of your dog’s coat. I am governed by the Animal Welfare Act 2013 where it is an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to an animal.  If your dog’s coat is matted, the most humane and compassionate action to take is to clip your dog very short.  When a dog’s coat becomes matted it causes severe discomfort. Matting pulls the skin really tight causing pain and restricting the blood flow to the skin. Matting can also hide skin conditions and parasites. 

Clipping your dog very short is a lengthy and stressful process for both your dog and the groomer. I will carry this process out with the utmost care and compassion. Clipper blades need to get very close to the skin in order to get under the matt. This can result, on occasion, in sore, irritated and reddened skin which is due to the skin not being able to breath properly under the matts due to the lack of air circulation. Once blood flow returns to the skin your dog may feel a "pins and needles" sensation. This feeling can cause your dog to act   ‘out of sorts’ - dragging bottom, licking excessively, rubbing around, scratching and even hiding away in some cases.    This sensation should go away with time.

I understand that your dog may not look the way you expected, however, I will always prioritise the comfort and wellbeing of your dog over its appearance. Your dog will feel so much better and their hair will grow back. Regular brushing at home between appointments will prevent such measures in the future. 

Clipping very short requires additional time and harder use on equipment. The groom may therefore result in additional costs which will also be discussed at the time of consultation.

If I feel that it would be unsafe to remove severe matting from your dog’s coat for health or safety reasons I will advise you to see your vet.

If your dog is matted and needs to be clipped down then a consent form must be signed before the groom begins.

How to tell if your dog’s coat is matted

· You cannot part the hair to see their skin easily on every part of their body.

· You are unable to comb through easily everywhere on their body (right down to the root of the hair at the skin) without the comb getting caught. 

· With certain coat types they may be matted if they have not been professionally groomed on a regular basis.