There are two main reasons to groom our furry friends, they are for the Health of the dog and for the asthectic look of the dog.

 

The skin is the biggest organ of the dogs body, if not cared for properly can become irritated and painfully sore. 

Over bathing, not enough bathing, matts, knots, dirt and debri can all contribute to the health of our dogs skin.

 

Different coat types require different care and ALL dogs need grooming - Smooth Coats, Short Coats, Long and Silky, Harsh Wiry,  Curly Wooly, Double Coats - all require care.

 

My Big Double/Short coated dogs used to drive me mad with how much hair they used to leave around my house, I never knew before I became a qualified groomer that I didnt have to live with this.  I didnt realise that all this hair they were leaving behind could have simply been eliminated with a good carding.

When our dogs shed their dead undercoat which if not removed by carding, it irritates their skin and can cause annoying skin conditions not to mention leaving trails of hair around our homes.

 

All dogs malt even the hypo allergenic wooly ones that do not drop their hair around the place. This fine undercoat doesnt drop out because it gets tangled up in the thick outercoat before falling onto the floor thus creating no mess around our house but instead a horrible mess is left on your dog entwined in their outercoat.  That is where matts and tangles start in these types of dogs that require regular clipping.

 

The right Shampoo/ Conditioner is important to use also at the right times and regular brushing is vital to prevent painful dematting and shave downs and to maintain healthy skin and coat. 

 

If a Long and Silky coat goes too long without regular grooming and brushing and developes matts that are beyond easy brushing there is no alternative but to shave a dog down to a very short coat.

Brushing a dog out with thick matts is very painful not to mention incredibly time consuming hence why a shavedown is the only course of action a groomer can take on a severly matted dog, not to mention the time it takes to cut and brush out such a mess on a knotted dog, hence why there is an added charge for matted and knotty dogs.