We have a duty of care under the Animal Welfare Act ensure

that any animal presented to us for grooming is groomed

without causing anxiety or pain to the animal.  Matting in

a dog’s coat can cause extreme discomfort and pain to the

dog when being groomed.  To avoid this we encourage clients to

make regular grooming appointments and to brush their dog with

an appropriate brush between appointments.  Many people are not

aware of the matting stating that they have brushed their dog

regularly but this may still result in matting if the coat has not been

groomed to the skin.  We will usually contact you to let you know we

have to clip the coat off however this is not always possible and in

the best interest of the dog and to comply with the Animal Welfare Act we will take the decision to do this ourselves. 

 

If an owner requests that we de-matt their dog,  we will examine the coat but we will not spend more than 10 minutes de-matting as any longer is detrimental to the welfare of the dog. we will never put vanity before the welfare of the dog.

 

If a dog is matted we will raise a matting fee as dealing with matting can require our equipment to be serviced and sharpend following the groom.

 

Although we take extreme care when de-matting or clipping a matted dog, occasionally the skin of the dog can be affected by the tools we use causing a rash or in the case of a clipper a clipper graze. 

 

Using a scissor to cut matting away can also present a risk and again although we exercise extreme caution accidents can occur when cutting into the difficult matting.

 

You may find that your pet is quiet following a difficult groom; usually, this passes within a few days.

 

We are more than happy to work with owners to ensure their dog receives a pleasurable experience when being groomed. We invite you to speak with us regarding coat care between appointments and to ensure that your appointments are made at an interval appropriate to the dog’s needs, in general, 4-6 weeks maximum for breeds susceptible to matting such as Poodle, Bichon, Shih Tzu, Lhasa Apso and Maltese, or a mixed breed of these dogs.

 

If your dog displays behaviour such as constant licking of an area, please check for soreness and apply an appropriate antiseptic cream.  If your dog is scratching an area, this could cause infection so again take the necessary action to avoid scratching the affected area, either by placing a child size sock or socks on the dog's paws or a head cone which can be purchased from a vet or some pet stores.

 

Please feel free to speak with us with any questions you may have.