By Melissa Grasso:
It is important to brush your dog regularly to avoid matting. Matting is tangled clumps in your dog's fur, equivalent to when we have knots/tangles in our hair. Sometimes you are able to brush the mats out which can be very painful. If left in too long, it can result in serious damage to your pups fur and end with having to shave your dog down to the skin. While this may make a lot of owners furious, other owners would prefer to have their dog shaved down short!
What they don't realize is that shaving a dog down is actually worse for the dog than leaving their fur long.Dogs aren't like humans, when we get hot, we cut our hair short, for them, cutting it short can result in the inability for them to be able to control their own body temperature! It also can cause more skin conditions such as allergies and sunburn. In a dog that has a double coat, shaving can damage their hair and result in inadequate balance & protection of the dog. It can also grow back spotty and funny looking.
Grooming your dog regularly can really help keep your dog's coat (and skin) healthy! If grooming from home, blow dry before AND after giving them their bath, this helps with dogs that shed. Every dog is different, so it is best to check with your groomer to get their recommendation on how often you should have them groomed!
Recommendations for brushes, dryer-
During bath time:
Hair of any length will benefit:
A favorite of ours:
